Betting Hearts by Dee Tenorio

herself. She even let Burke open her door for her. Sure, she had to wait in the cold while he started the engine before he realized she wasn’t inside yet, but he did it. He grumbled, but he did it. Sitting in his oversize SUV always made her happy. The plush leather, the polished interior, his subtle scent and a smooth ride—all of it made for an experience she didn’t get with her own vehicles. Her work required a truck of her own, but no amount of cleaning could get the smell of fertilizer out of the rugs. She loved the Z, her off-hours car, but for entirely different reasons. It had speed. It had style. Burke designed the interior just for her. It represented freedom. Giving it to Luke would mean a lot more than most people would understand. All the same, nothing was like riding with Burke.
    He didn’t say a word, driving as if on automatic, his eyes narrowed with his familiar contemplative glare. He was plotting. For once in her life, she was excited about that.
    The final turn home was routine except for one thing. Burke pulled a U-ey like a bat out of hell.
    “What are you doing?” she all but screeched.
    “I got an idea.” There was a rash of honking horns and veering cars—including theirs—but within seconds, he was driving back down the main road. “There are a bunch of things about women I can’t teach you. I can show you what men like, but unless you see examples you won’t have a clue what I’m talking about. So, you’re getting some homework.”
    “Goody.” Only Burke could find a way to make homework out of this situation.
    “You’re the one who wants a new life, Cinderella.”
    “Cassandra, thank you.” Her third grade teacher would be proud to hear the prim notes of her voice. The snarky old bat wouldn’t believe it, but she’d be proud all the same. “And another thing,” Burke all but pontificated. “Manners. You’ll need to see some feminine manners.”
    “I have manners!”
    He leveled a sharp sideways glare at her. “ Why does Luke have a broken nose?”
    All right, he had a slight point.
    “We’re starting from scratch.” That didn’t sound good.
    It sounded worse when he pulled into Enterprising Ernie’s Liquor and Video. Burke wasted no time getting out. He didn’t seem to think opening her door for her was worth wasting time on either. Curious—but not curious enough to show anyone her rash—she watched him go in and talk to the kid behind the counter.
    Too far away to read lips, she tried to decipher gestures and points. When he used the universal symbol of a curvy woman, the cashier got very excited and Cass wondered if he dragged her out here because he had an overwhelming need for porn. Not likely, but hey, she always did say Burke thought too much.
    Fifteen minutes later, he came out with two large bags of plastic encased videos. He shoved the bags her way and started up the SUV. “I want you to watch as many of those as you can tonight and tomorrow.”
    “What?” There had to be fifteen films in her lap!
    “Watch them. Watch the women, see how they move, how they talk, what they act like.”
    “ Tonight ?”
    “Tonight.” His tone brooked no argument. “All night. Every night until we get it right.”
    “You watching them with me?” At least they could have popcorn and make fun of the movies together.
    “Not this time. I’ve got to make arrangements.”
    “For what?” It wasn’t like she was going to need a crane or anything.
    “Leave it to me.”
    Cass reached into the bag. “ I Was A Male War Bride, North By Northwest, How to Marry a Millionaire, Niagra. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ?” Yeah, real surprise. “What are these?”
    “Movies.”
    “ Old movies?”
    If she didn’t know better, she’d swear he was grinning. “Everything is old at Ernie’s.”
    “You know I don’t watch black and white. You don’t even watch black and white. And these better not be musicals.”
    “Actually, I don’t know. I asked the kid, she seemed to