Spare Hearts Read online

  “Fill you in on what?”

  “You and Candy, of course.”

  “Andy, I’m only gonna say this one more time. I’m here to practice for my tournament.”

  “Well, that ain’t much of an answer.” Andy shrugged.

  “Don’t push it. There’s nuthin’ to answer ’cause it ain’t nobody’s business.”

  “Hey, now, I’m sorry.” Andy put his hands up in defense. “I really didn’t mean no offense.”

  “Then can we drop it?”

  “Yeah, yeah. You’re right. None of my business anyway.” Andy put his hand out in a sign of friendship. “No hard feelin’s?”

  “As long as it’s a dead topic, yeah. No hard feelings.” Sterling grasped the man’s hand and shook it.

  “Fair enough. Plus, I’d still like to bowl with you again sometime.” Andy shrugged. “Gives me stories to tell. Ya know, ‘I used to bowl with Sterling Dey’ stories.”

  “We can bowl.” Sterling put his hands in his pockets. “And bring Gilbert along, too.”

  “Thanks. Maybe we can run into you this weekend again.” Andy waved as he turned and started for the door.

  “Sounds like a plan. See ya later.”

  Wow. Did that just happen? Sterling definitely did not know what to expect in this town. In Las Cruces, people minded their own business. Everyone had their own lives to deal with, no time for cluttering it up with others. He watched as Andy exited through the glass doors at the end of the alley. Sterling reached for his phone in his back pocket and starting hitting the keys with his thumb.

  You’re not gonna believe what just happened. Apparently, we are the talk of the town.

  He hit send, gathered up his hat and bag, and started for the door. Sterling hoped Candy wouldn’t be too upset, but somehow thought that wouldn’t be the case. His phone beeped and he looked at the screen.

  Candy: Excuse me?! Dammit Trudie!

  Sterling paused for a moment then replied.

  This is Sterling, darlin, not Trudie.

  Sterling hit the send button and kept walking through the doors and out to his car. All else fails, go with humor.

  * * *

  Candy was about to walk out the door to go get her nails and toes done when she read the text from Sterling. And now, she was furious and not going anywhere. She knew Trudie would blab, and even though her friend had promised not to, Candy should have known better than to trust her. She got another text in from Sterling but ignored it and sent one to Trudie.

  Dang it, Trudie! Who’d you tell?

  Trudie: Sugar, what in the Lords name are you talkin bout?

  You know exactly what I’m talkin about. Me and Sterling? You said you weren’t gonna tell!

  Trudie: I didn’t. Oh, wait. Well, hell I told Billy, but he swore he wouldn’t say nuthin.

  You promised! You know I don’t need to be the talk of the town. Again. How am I supposed to deal with this when he leaves?

  Trudie: I’m sorry, sugar. I’ll talk to Billy and see who he told. See if I can fix it or somethin. Hell, I’ll try, sweetheart.

  Fine. But I’m still mad at you.

  Trudie: I’ll see you tonight and you can yell at me some more. I earned it.

  Candy didn’t bother replying to Trudie’s last text. She checked the message she’d not read yet from Sterling. Very funny, cowboy. I ain’t responding to you either.

  The only call she made was to Mason, calling in sick to work. She needed to figure out how in the hell she was going to weather this storm. Candy wasn’t ready to deal with any of it today. She tossed her phone aside and took a long hot bath.

  Her phone beeped with text messages from Sterling and a few from Trudie throughout the night. She ignored all of them. She’d deal the two of them tomorrow as well as the prying questions and knowing looks from the customers at the alley. For tonight, she’d just do as she pleased, which included giving herself a pretty decent mani and pedi. It saved her forty bucks, and that was always a good thing. She watched some old reruns of Family Guy, ate popcorn, and relaxed.

  Chapter 15

  By Friday afternoon, Candy was determined not to see Sterling again. He was only going to be here a couple more weeks anyway. One way to stop the rumor mill was to give them nothing to talk about. Scooping up a pile of mail from the counter, she sorted through it, tearing the junk mail in half and tossing it in the trash as frustration burned through her. She’d been the subject of gossip one too many times already in this damn town. She sure as hell didn’t need to go through it again.

  What she needed was to focus on getting her bills paid and getting her hind end out of this tiny town. She grabbed the pile she’d sorted and slammed it down on the kitchen table. She was too damn annoyed to deal with any of it.

  Screwing some bowler on his way back to pro status was not on her to-do list. Sure, it was fun while it lasted, and she did like him—a lot—but it was time to end it.

  One little affair wasn’t worth going back to being the town hot topic. She should’ve known better and never let him back in her bed. Candy dropped her hands in her head as the anger burning in her belly turned to confusion. It’d been so damn good with him, she just couldn’t help herself. No. She was done. She had to be. Subject closed.

  * * *

  The cold shoulder? Really? Sterling thought he’d had something good starting up with Candy. He wasn’t so sure anymore. Of course, Fort Worth still took the number one spot on his priority list, but the “shutout” was beginning to bother him a bit more than he’d expected. They had gone from texting and long phone calls every day to no contact. Stone-cold silence.

  As he shouldered his bag from another long day of practice, his stomach reminded him that dinnertime was rapidly approaching. His bag found its way to the trunk of his car, and he headed off to the nearest restaurant. Ha! Not like there was a whole lot to choose from in this town.

  After he was instructed to sit anywhere he wanted by the waitress who sped by him, he found a booth and glanced at the menu. Sterling’s stomach seemed the only thing interested in the choices available. His head wouldn’t stray far from Candy, no matter how hard he tried.

  When his waitress found his table, his mind stopped wandering enough to rattle off an order for a steak and dinner salad with a regular Coke. More out of habit than anything else. As she recounted his order back to him, he looked up and nodded in agreement.

  She gave him a look that screamed, You threw a gutter ball in the tenth frame! Sterling had no idea if that was her actual thought, but to him, it seemed everyone had that look on his or her face. Small-town mentality or his own disappointment in the current situation? He wasn’t sure.

  He poked around at the food on his plate and halfheartedly swallowed down what he could. His plate was about half empty when his mind snapped to attention. He never gave up on anything. How is this any different?

  Sure, he was only supposed to be here for a month. Sure, it was just a detour on his journey back to the pros. But dammit, he liked being around Candy. He deserved an answer for not returning any of his texts, at the very least. He intended to get one tonight. Come hell or high water, Candy was going to have to talk to him.

  His appetite returned and he couldn’t finish the rest of his meal fast enough. The waitress stopped by to check on him and he asked for the bill. After leaving the cash on the table along with a substantial tip, he grabbed his hat off the seat and headed for the parking lot. Candy should be working tonight.

  Sterling stopped by his motel room to grab a clean shirt. Next stop, Bowling Dreams and hopefully some answers.

  When he walked through the door, the place was packed. Sterling wondered if there was some special event he was unaware of or if this was just the one night all of Strawn set aside for bowling.

  Candy was behind the front counter, checking in patrons and grabbing bowling shoes as fast as she could. The pink cowboy hat that sat perfectly on top of her full head of thick blond hair matched her boots to a T. Her low
-slung, hip-hugging jeans seemed molded to every one of her curves and sent Sterling’s heart racing like a Thoroughbred.

  When she turned and bent over to grab another pair of bowling shoes, the lights danced off the rhinestones that decorated her back pockets. As if she needed anything else to make her perfect ass look even better.

  Sterling could feel his pulse immediately switch from his chest to directly behind his button fly jeans. Down, boy! We came here for answers, remember? And she ain’t exactly interested in you right now anyway.

  Watching her interact with all her customers, he saw her personality shine through like a lighthouse beacon. Even though the music was too loud to make out what she was saying, he imagined the welcoming melody of her voice. It excited him every time they’d gotten on the phone and made him miss her more now that she’d stopped talking to him.

  Candy had her back turned as he walked up to the counter and was busy putting shoes back in their spots after hitting them with a quick spray of disinfectant.

  “Seems pretty busy tonight.” Sterling raised his voice over the music.

  “Yup, packed. Put your name on the list there on the counter, ’bout a twenty-minute wait,” Candy replied over her shoulder without turning around.

  “I was kinda hopin’ I might catch you on a break sometime soon.”

  Candy finished replacing the last of her shoes and turned to face him. Her eyes widened briefly before her face seemed to lose all trace of emotion.

  “Now is not a good time, Sterling.”

  “Then when is a good time?”

  “Not now, that’s for dang sure. You see this place?” She motioned to the crowd behind him.

  “Hey, now, I didn’t come here intendin’ on rufflin’ your feathers.” Sterling leaned both hands on the counter. “But I believe we have some talkin’ to do.”

  “And you felt now was a good time for that?”

  “I asked if you had a break comin’ up and you ain’t exactly replyin’ to any of my texts.” He locked his eyes on hers. “So yeah, now’s as good a time as any.”

  Candy shifted her weight from one foot to the other and shoved her hands in her back pockets. “You ain’t gonna give up, are ya?”

  “Ain’t found a reason why I should.” He bent and leaned his elbows on the counter. “You gonna give me one? Or just keep pretendin’ I don’t exist?”

  “Ouch, cowboy.”

  Sterling raised his eyebrows, never looking away from Candy.

  “Fine. We close at midnight.” She sighed. “Come back about five minutes early and we’ll talk while I’m closin’ up.”

  Sterling straightened and wrapped his knuckles on the counter. “See you at five till midnight.”

  * * *

  Candy shook with irritation as she watched Sterling walk away from the counter and out the front door. She’d deal with his fine ass later. Lord knew she was bowed up something fierce, and by the looks of it, he was, too. Cracking her knuckles, she adjusted her cowboy hat on her head and tended to the next customer. At least the alley was loud and packed with customers bowling so no one heard their conversation.

  She’d just tell him later that she didn’t want to see him anymore, and that it wasn’t a good idea for her to be getting involved with anyone right now. She was busy. Trying to get her life back on track. Who you tryin’ to convince, yourself or him? Candy shook her head and shoved Sterling from her mind.

  The night went by faster than she wanted. She eyed her watch more times than she could count the last hour. Any minute now he was going to walk through that door and she’d have to face him.

  Candy walked down the stretch of the lanes, making sure the waitresses had cleared all the beer bottles and empty Coke cups. She stepped into the ladies’ room and made sure all was cleaned up in there.

  She stopped and eyed herself in the mirror and wiped her face with a wet paper towel. Butterflies rose in her stomach, and she snorted at the picture of how Sterling looked standing at her counter, all bound and determined to talk to her. Long strong legs sheathed in dark jeans and a plain white T-shirt. He’d looked beautiful.

  The man floored her. She’d known him two weeks and had sex with him. Twice… and in the process had completely fallen head over heels in like with him. Maybe a little more than like, though she’d never admit it to anyone, let alone him. But she could admit it to herself. It didn’t change anything, though. She still needed to break it off, even if the thought of it bugged her more that she was willing to give attention to.

  Candy was stalling. “Put your big girl panties on and go handle this mess you got yourself into,” she said to her reflection, adjusting the hat on her head.

  When she stepped from the bathroom, Sterling was standing at the front counter talking to Trudie. She hadn’t had much time to settle her issue with Trudie either. May as well kill two birds with one stone. Candy took a deep breath, shook her hands out, and headed in their direction.

  Sterling eyed her over the top of Trudie’s bleached blond head.

  Trudie glanced over her shoulder as she approached.

  “Hey, y’all.” Candy made her way around the counter.

  Sterling hadn’t taken his eyes off her from the moment he’d spotted her. His gaze danced like a hot fire along her skin. She rubbed her arms and looked up at him.

  “Well, I’ll leave you two to it.” Trudie tapped the counter with her fingernail. “Candy, why don’t you give me a call tomorrow, okay?”

  “Don’t you want to stick around and hear this, too?” Candy crossed her arms under her chest.

  “No, sugar. I don’t think that’s a good idea. I can tell you’re still angry at me and I understand. You just call me tomorrow and we’ll talk then.” Trudie stepped away from the counter. “Night, y’all.”

  “Good night, Miss Trudie,” Sterling said.

  Candy let out a deep sigh. “Say your piece.”

  * * *

  Sterling crossed his arms over his chest and braced himself for the oncoming discussion.

  “And hello to you, too.” He frowned.

  “You said we needed to talk. Talk, Sterling.”

  “Fine. Civility aside, I think you owe me an explanation.”

  Candy sighed and rested her hip against the side of the counter. “An explanation for what? We had a good time. You have work to do, I have work to do. Life moves on.”

  “And I have no say in this decision of yours?” Sterling tilted his head to one side, waiting for her reply.

  “I didn’t realize I needed to clear things through you.”

  “Now you’re just bein’ stubborn.”

  “Cowboy, you ain’t even seen the beginnin’ of stubborn.”

  “No offense, Candy, but that ain’t right and you know it.” He placed his hands on his hips. “What the hell are you scared of?”

  “Who said I was scared?”

  “Okay, fine. You want to take this trip to the dentist. We’ll just have to go there then.”

  “What the hell are you talkin’ bout?”

  “It’s like pullin’ teeth to get you to talk right now.” He removed his hat and set it on the counter. “We meet. We have a great time. We start gettin’ to know each other. Hell, we even start liking each other. Then… nothing?”

  “Yeah, okay. Maybe you’re right. We did have a pretty good time, but you’re leavin’ anyway. So what does it matter to you? It ends now, or it ends later. Either way, it ends, right?”

  “See? You’re scared.”

  “Of what? You’re not makin’ any sense, cowboy.” She shifted her hat and ran her fingers through her hair. “I gotta finish closin’ up.”

  “Oh, hell no, we ain’t done yet. You’re scared that this may actually turn into something.”

  “What could this turn into? Huh? You’re leavin’, remember?”

  “I’m goin’ to play in a pro tournament. I’m not leavin’ the damn country.”

  “Ain’t no guarantee you’re comin’ back neither. And I’
m the one who has to live in this little ass town and deal with all the rumors and talkin’.” She sighed. “All over again.”

  “That’s it, isn’t it?” Sterling softened his tone. “It’s because of your ex.”

  “Don’t bring him into this.” She straightened.

  “I’m not tryin’ to be mean, honey. But it makes a lot of sense.”

  “Fine. You got any idea how hard it is to have everyone talkin’ behind your back? Everywhere you go, the looks? The pity and disgust in their eyes?” Candy looked down at her boots and shoved her hands in her back pockets.

  “Actually, yeah, I do.” Sterling walked behind the counter and lifted her chin to gaze in her eyes. “All the talent I threw away. Such a promising career. Look at that drunk fool. I think I know exactly what you’re talkin’ about.”

  Candy’s brows crinkled together and she shrugged her shoulders. “Told ya I’m ruined.”

  He ran his hand behind her neck and gently pulled her toward him in an embrace. “Enough with the ruined already. I didn’t ask you to marry me. I didn’t ask you to change a thing about you. Hell, I didn’t even come to this little town to do anything except prepare for Fort Worth.” He rubbed her back while holding her in his arms. “But I ain’t willin’ to just walk away without a word.”

  “I didn’t know what to say.” She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I was just so mad.”

  “I want to take you out to dinner. Can we do that?”

  She squeezed him tighter. “What is it with you and dinner?”

  “Small town or not, you are entitled to a life. And goin’ to dinner doesn’t make you the whore of Babylon.” He removed her hat and kissed the top of her head. “It makes you human.”

  “I’m not sure I’m ready for dinner just yet. I’m sorry.”

  “Then let’s just get out of town. Anything. But no more silence, okay?”