A Gift For Baby. Raye Morgan

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       Three

      Hailey stepped inside the Western dance club and looked from one side to the other. Energy washed over her in a wave that was almost physical—the noise, the laughter, the music, the smoke, the color of the lights, the heat from a lot of people in a very small space. For just a moment, she hesitated in the doorway. She’d been bored, she’d been climbing the walls, and she’d wanted so badly to get away from those two bumpkin bodyguards and go out and do something. But was this really what she’d had in mind?

      Not exactly. But what did she want, anyway? What had she come here for? This was a dance club where people got together to have fun, or to pick up a quick date, or to find the man of their dreams. She wasn’t expecting the last two. All she’d bargained for was the first. Fun. That was it. So here she was in a silly black wig, looking for fun.

      “Come on,” Jen was saying impatiently, gesturing for her to come along into the lively room. “I’ll show you around this place. It’s so neat.”

      Neat, was it? Hailey hid a smile as she followed her friend. The difference in their ages was a stark reality at times. Jen’s eyes were wide with the excitement of being here, and Hailey was wondering why she’d come. She’d been to places like this before—maybe too often.

      “The bar is around that way,” Jen said, pointing out a long area where cocktail waitresses in tiny cowgirl outfits held trays high above the crowd. “The restaurant is in through that doorway, and then, out here in back…” She led Hailey through an opening into a courtyard where an arbor of tangled red roses circled a wishing well. “Lovers’ walk,” she said, gazing with wistful admiration at the romantic setting, lights muted, roses blooming around a shimmering wishing well. “Isn’t it adorable?”

      “I suppose so,” Hailey said doubtfully. “If you go in for that sort of thing.”

      “Oh, you.” Jen scoffed at her playfully. “You put on this big old front, but if the right guy came along, you’d give him a tumble, just like any of us. Wouldn’t you?”

      Hailey smiled at her. She wanted to say no, because that was what the answer was, but she hated to be so cynical when Jen was so full of joyful wonder. “Sure,” she said instead. “You’re probably right.”

      “Of course I am.” It was evident Jen couldn’t conceive of a woman who didn’t need a man in her life. “Well, I doubt if you’re going to find your kind of male in this place. It’s full of cowboys and guys like that. But you can have some fun.”

      Hailey nodded brightly. “That’s what I came for.”

      “Good.” Her face grew more serious. “Just remember, if we see anyone from the ranch, we have to leave right away. Okay? We can’t risk them recognizing us.”

      Hailey frowned. They hadn’t really explored the possibility of being found out before. “Jen, what would happen if we get caught? To you, I mean.”

      The younger woman shrugged. “I’d probably get fired.” Reaching out, she grabbed Hailey’s hand as she saw the horrified expression spreading across her face. “Oh, don’t worry. Please don’t. Don’t even think about it. We’re here to have fun.”

      Hailey had questioned her own judgment in coming here from the beginning, and now she was absolutely disgusted with herself. Why hadn’t she thought this thing through and realized the jeopardy she was putting Jen in? “You’re the generic rich girl,” her unhelpful cowboy had accused her that very afternoon, and she’d denied it. But here she was, acting as though that were exactly the case.

      “Jen, let’s get out of here right now,” she said earnestly. “I hadn’t realized-”

      “Are you kidding?” Jen pulled back and turned toward the music. “Not on your life. I’m going to dance! Come on.”

      Hailey shook her head ruefully. “You go ahead,” she said. “I’ll be along in a few minutes.”

      “Okay,” Jen responded happily. “But if I get lucky right away, you’ll find me on the dance floor.”

      “Okay.” СКАЧАТЬ