“I’m sorry.” I give him a hard stare. “What?”
“The owner of this fine establishment called our station about an hour ago. He told me you and your fiancée are the couple who will finally break the curse and free Jane Austen’s ghost.” He shoves his microphone underneath my chin. “Care to say a few words?”
I shove the microphone away. “No. No words.”
“But you’re marrying here on July fourth,” the reporter adds.
I do a slow turn until I meet the eyes of Macey’s father, who gives me a tentative thumbs-up.
“July fourth?” I say out loud.
“That’s right,” Mr. Henwood says. “Already on the calendar. I just called your mama, and she thought it was a great idea.”
July fourth. That’s Macey’s birthday.
And the idea of marrying here, where Macey works and practically lives…it’s like a knife to the heart.
I excuse myself, needing time to think.
But as I walk away from the reporter, Blake follows.
“I know how to help,” he says to me.
One look at the determined gleam in his eyes, and I grab him by the shoulder. “Don’t,” I warn him. “You’ll make things worse.”
But Blake’s already turned away and is headed back to the reporter. “You worry too much, Wild.” He throws his hand up in a wave. “I’ve got this.”
Chapter Three
Macey
“What in heaven’s name?!”
I jump at Eloise’s high-pitched shriek. She puts down her phone and heads for the television in the corner of the salon.
“My Mickey just texted that Darcy’s on the news!” she says. “Channel five.”
As she hits the remote, I glance up at the TV screen.
“Oh, my gosh.” I widen my eyes at the image of a reporter standing inside The Cowherd Whiskey Saloon.
“A big day in little Darcy, Texas today,” the reporter says into the microphone as he stands next to the bar. “We’ve learned who the soul mates are who will save the legendary ghost of Jane Austen from eternal imprisonment in The Cowherd Whiskey Saloon & Chapel.”
“What is he talking about? What soul mates?” I say to Ginny, who shrugs.
George is holding up a drink in the background. I look more closely. Whiskey and grape juice.
“That’s a Loganiskey,” I say to Ginny. “Logan must be there.”
Then I see him. Leaning against the bar, Logan reaches out and takes the drink from George. His profile is stern and his jaw is clenched.
“Logan looks upset,” I murmur.
“Is his fiancée with him?” Ginny steps closer to the television. “All I see are your parents. Oh, wait—Logan’s brothers are there. And Blake, who’s clearly up to something. Look at how much he’s smirking in the background!”
I shift my gaze past Logan. Ginny’s right—Blake looks like he’s in on some joke. And Reid’s grinning next to him.
The reporter beams. “You heard it here first on Channel Five News. The soul mates of Darcy, Texas, revealed for the very first time ever, are—Logan Wild and Gigi Phillips!”
I let out a strangled squeak.
“Are you okay?” Ginny asks me in a worried tone.
“Fine.” I suck in a breath of air and keep staring at the TV.
“This amazing news comes straight from the owner of The Cowherd himself—Mr. Benjamin Henwood,” the reporter says with a broad smile. “Congratulations to the happy couple, your new Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet! They’ll be marrying this July fourth at The Cowherd.”
“No, this is not happening.” And I thought things couldn’t get worse.
“You have got to be freaking joking.” Ginny clutches my arm. “Macey, this is unsettling.”
Well, my family is unsettling. And when you’ve got that as your foundation, not too much can really be a surprise.
Except, I have to admit that this—this—is a surprise.
“Logan and his fiancée just met, and they’re already getting married?” Ginny says in my ear. “And on your birthday? He literally barely knows her!”
I stand speechless and keep staring at the television. If it’s possible, Logan looks as shell-shocked as I feel. His mouth is fixed in a straight line, and he’s gripping his glass of Loganiskey so tightly I’m surprised it hasn’t shattered.
“Logan is from Darcy, and he met Gigi out in West Texas where the lucky girl was traveling with her father, Clint Phillips, the wealthy oilman from Manhattan,” the reporter gushes.
“Wealthy oilman!” Ginny says. “So she’s rich?”
I think I’m going to throw up.
“Mr. Darcy is a bit of a renegade,” the reporter drones on. “A rebellious cowboy who never planned to settle down. Although I’m hearing rumors of a prior marriage that didn’t last. But I guess when you meet the right woman, everything changes!”
My heart drops into my stomach.
The camera zooms in on Logan as the reporter taps him on the shoulder. “Mr. Wild. How do you feel about being the savior of the legendary ghost?”
Logan shifts uncomfortably, looking like he wants nothing more than to hightail it off-screen. But he can’t move—his three brothers and cousin are caging him in.
Blake shoves closer to Logan and steps fully into the frame.
His blue eyes dance with mischief as he says into the microphone, “My theory is the town legend was made up by a bunch of wasted cowboys who sat around the bonfire one night after a long day of work and decided to screw with everyone’s heads by concocting some dumbass…can I say dumbass on TV?” He grins before continuing. “And completely made-up story about Jane Austen and her ghost. Logan always said he thought Vivian’s diary was possibly fifty to ninety percent crap.”
Logan mutters something inaudible to Blake and then turns to look straight at the camera. I have to blink twice to remind myself that he’s not looking straight at me. “I have no comment,” he says quickly before handing his Loganiskey to Blake and disappearing toward the restrooms.
Ginny pats my arm sympathetically as I hurl an insult at the TV.
Eloise glares at me. But if anyone in this place is angrier than I am, it’s Ginny’s mother.
“So, Logan’s going to try to steal my daughter’s thunder?” Mrs. Rattles says in measured tones. “The youngest Wild boy thinks he can just go away, grab some random girl, and bring her back here to marry? Like the reporter said, all of Darcy knows that Logan doesn’t commit! Didn’t want anything to do with marriage his whole life—I mean, we all know his wedding with you was due to a drunken night in Vegas, Macey!”
I blink at the harshness of her statement. The thing is, she’s right.
“Oh, Macey, I hope you didn’t inherit your mama’s luck in love,” Eloise says with a heavy sigh. “So many divorces for her, and now you already have one under your belt. I hate to see a pretty girl like you wallowing alone…”
Mrs. Rattles mercifully cuts her off. “We’ll have to move up Ginny’s wedding. I suggest July first. That’s three whole days ahead of Logan’s wedding. We can’t have my daughter and Logan marrying back to back on the fourth—you’d only get half the attention!”
I nod. “That’s fine. I don’t know what my parents were thinking booking two weddings on the same day. I’ll be sure to change Gin’s wedding to the first on the chapel calendar.”
I return my attention to the television.
“The last part of the so-called legend is creative, I’ll give them that.” Blake is back at the microphone. “The Queen of Romance needing a couple of soul mates to unlock her prison? Brilliant.” He winks into the camera. “Mace? What do you think about Logan and Gigi breaking the curse?”
“Freaking holy jerk of all jerks!” I shout at the TV like Blake can hear me.
And then…I don’t even bother to change into my t-shirt and shorts. I simply pick up my dress by the hem and storm out.
Chapter Four
As I dash out the door of the bou
tique, I faintly hear Mrs. Rattles’ screams that I’m going to ruin my bridesmaid gown. Eloise shouts to get back here or else.
But I don’t stop.
I just wobble in my heels down Main Street, ignoring the stares from the people in the street. When I pass Jane Austen sitting atop the courthouse, I glare at the massive statue looking down at me from over the smooth limestone walls.
“This is all your fault,” I mutter under my breath. “If you—Ms. Queen of Romance—weren’t stuck in our bar, nobody would care about Logan and his stupid engagement. But now he’s Mr. Darcy! Now he’s a goddamn hero, and I’m going to have to hear about it all summer long!”
I cross Darcy Square and head toward The Cowherd. As soon as I enter the bar, the reporter I saw on TV rushes me. He has a cameraman with him. Holding a microphone to my face—
“Austen Macey Henwood? I’ve been told you go by Macey? I’m Ed Wade.”
I nod and then glance past him to scan the room. I’m only looking for one man.
When I find him, he’s already staring back at me.
Logan gives me a brief nod of acknowledgement, and I do the same. His eyes stay focused on me, though, and a smile plays around his lips. He almost looks relieved to see me here. I frown, wanting to talk to him alone. But the reporter hawking me prevents that.
Feeling utterly out of place in my green floral bridesmaid dress, I desperately try to smooth back my hair. It doesn’t work so I forget vanity and let the waves fall loose over my shoulders. That’s when I notice the “Free Jane” button the reporter’s sporting on his lapel.
I glance around the room and realize that everyone here—even old Dye Jenkins and his mutt Rusty—is wearing a button.
Dye waves at me and points at the button on his shirt collar. “Pretty neat huh?” he calls out.
I manage a nod, but I know who made those awful buttons.
Clearly the handiwork of my mother.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I push past the reporter and head straight for Mama. “You know we don’t have a clue about the dumb…”
The reporter has followed me, so I temper my comments. “A clue about who the soul mates are. In fact…” What comes out of my mouth next is unrehearsed and far too emotional for television, but I can’t stop myself. I lock eyes with Logan as I say, “I happen to know that Logan and Gigi are not the right couple to unlock the jail cell.”
Logan’s gaze stays stuck on mine. Which is how I don’t miss the flash of surprise that crosses his expression at my outburst.
“And you know this for a fact how?” the reporter asks me.
I wrench my gaze away from Logan and back onto the man who’s shoving his microphone in front of my lips.
“I just do,” I say coolly.
“Is it because Mr. Wild doesn’t seem the type to settle down?” the man persists. “I personally think that fact just adds to the romance of the story. You know, boy falls for girl and his whole world shifts.”
I ball my hands into fists at my sides as the camera focuses on me. “I know because there’s been a mistake. My parents are easily confused.” Mama and Daddy both shoot me dirty looks, but I continue. “Virginia Rattles and David Lucas are marrying here at The Cowherd Whiskey Chapel on July first, and they are the Mr. Darcy and Ms. Bennet of Darcy, not this man and his out-of-town fiancée.”
I glare at Logan, who looks back at me, his expression unreadable.
Logan
I knew she’d come.
The last thing I wanted was for Macey to have to see any of this, but the moment that reporter grabbed my arm and stuck a camera on me, I knew Macey would find out. And I knew she’d come charging over from wherever she was.
I didn’t expect her to storm in quite so pissed off, though. Her eyes are absolutely blazing with fury, and I can’t stop the lust that shoots straight to my groin. Angry Macey is hot. Her green bridesmaid dress that I know she must hate hugs all her curves, and I fight to keep my eyes on her face. But beyond the lust, guilt courses through me. Because I’ve hurt her. I can see it in her eyes when she looks at me.
Of course, Blake knew exactly what he was doing by antagonizing her.
Macey thinks I’ve chosen another woman over her. Like that’s even possible. And her parents’ desperate move to call Gigi and me freaking soul mates isn’t helping matters. I run my hand down my face and work to tamp down my emotions.
I’m doing this for you, Macey.
I just need to keep reminding myself of that.
Chapter Five
Macey
Logan combed his hair since I saw him earlier. Probably for his fiancée. And his jeans aren’t even ripped. All of his jeans are ripped. Which means that he got new jeans. Also for her. That last fact just makes me furious.
My face burns as I speak into the microphone the reporter eagerly shoves in my face. “We’re all super excited about Ginny and Dave’s wedding,” I say. “Ginny’s got the drop of British blood the diary of Vivian Elmstock Haskins says is a must.”
“A contest!” Daddy rubs his hands together. “Controversy! Competition! Even better.” He beams at me like I’m a genius and then turns to the reporter. “MakeYourMatch.com will be our new website—coming soon. My son’s a web designer.”
While the business side of me knows Daddy has stumbled onto a smart idea, the woman side of me doesn’t want Logan Wild to be included in it.
Blake walks over to me and whispers in my ear, “Go talk to Logan at the bar.”
“Why?” I murmur.
“Just do it. I’ll distract this guy.”
I glance behind me at the bar where Logan’s standing just out of range of the camera.
He gives me a quick head nod in invitation, and I turn and walk over to him.
“I’m sorry about this,” he murmurs as I slip behind the bar and lean my elbows on the bartop across from where he’s standing. “Once the reporter leaves, I’ll talk to your parents.”
“Don’t bother.” I blow out a breath. “As long as you’re planning to get married, they won’t let you do it anywhere other than here. Is your mama on board?”
“What do you think? She’s been praying for one of her sons to get married for years. She doesn’t want to waste a day.”
The idea of Mrs. Wild being someone else’s mother-in-law stings. “I’m sure she’s very happy,” I force myself to say. “And you’re the town hero now. How does it feel?”
Logan snorts. “Ridiculous. Before I left town, I was the rebellious Wild boy who did nothing but fight with his father, the king of Darcy cattle.”
I reach over and tug at the Free Jane button on his t-shirt until it comes off. “As if getting engaged out of the blue sky wasn’t enough, now you’re being celebrated for something you and I both know full well you don’t believe in at all.”
Logan raises his eyebrows. “You don’t believe one lick of that legend either. We’ve always had that in common.”
I unconsciously glance down at his right bicep. I relax when I see the red raindrop tattoo that matches my own. Something else we still have in common.
What are you thinking, Mace? It’s not like he’s going to get it removed.
But one very big thing we no longer share? Our vow to never marry for real.
My breath catches in my throat, and I swallow down my emotions, which are clearly all over the place. I don’t want to end up saying something I’ll regret, especially with a reporter wielding a microphone in the saloon.
So I clap my hands until I have everyone’s attention. “The Cowherd needs to close for a while,” I announce. “Everyone can come back later. Including you,” I say to my parents.
When my father comes over to protest, I lower my voice. “Please Daddy.”
My father takes one look at my face and simply nods.
“I’m sorry,” I say to the rest of the room, trying to keep my voice politely restrained. “We’ll open again shortly. You can look for the sign on the door.”
Dye a
nd Rusty slink out first with George, followed by Logan’s brothers, my parents and Evan, and then the still-nameless reporter and his cameraman.
But Logan says—
“I’m staying. We need to talk.”
Chapter Six
“I don’t think this is a good time for a chat,” I tell Logan over my shoulder as I lock the front door. “I’m not exactly in the greatest of moods.”
His cell phone rings, and he stops at the bar to take the call while I go grab my shotgun plus two six-packs of Lone Star beer from the liquor room.
Not wanting to hear his phone conversation if it’s with his fiancée, I head for the gun range behind the bar, the unclaimed piece of property that divides The Cowherd from Wild Ranch. I’ve worked hard to become four-time target champion of Hunt County, and I don’t plan on losing my title anytime soon.
But right now, I just need to get out my aggressions. Logan, the hero of a made-up legend? Please.
But what if Mama’s right and that torn-out page from Vivian’s diary really is about me? Then my future is locked up with the ghost of Jane Austen.
Which would mean I need the couple to be discovered this summer. And if Logan and his fiancée are the ones…
Stupid Mama using the legend to make me worry about imaginary threats. My only threat right now is the man chasing me outside. I know why Logan stayed behind. He wants his divorce papers. Well, he can sweat it out another day.
I toss off my heels and load my shotgun.
Before I can set up my targets, Mr. Bingley, the long-haired black cat The Cowherd unofficially adopted earlier this year, walks toward me and meows. When I bend down to pat him, he digs his claws into the bottom of my dress until I hear a tear.
“Oh, no!” I step back. “Mr. Bingley, you just ruined this dress!”
“Looks like it was already a pretty mess.” Logan grins as he pockets his phone and takes a seat on top of the outdoor picnic table about ten feet away.
Warrior Girl: A Cowboy Romance (Wild Men Texas Book 2) Page 2
