Whiskey Sharp_Unraveled

by Lauren Dane

  “Maggie Wright. She was in my year in school.” Matt looked up mildly before leaning back down to take his shot. “She’s a teacher at the high school now. History I think. Clearly a real menace to society.” He rolled his eyes as he straightened and grabbed his glass.

  “Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, Matt. You’re too pretty. Anyway, she’s a rude little woman.” But Shane’s voice didn’t sound so sure anymore.

  “You’re rude, Shane. Mom’s gonna kick your ass when she hears about this—and you know she will. Petal being Petal, I bet the story is weaving its way across town right this very moment,” Marc taunted. “I don’t envy you Momma’s wrath but I can’t wait to see it.”

  * * *

  Maggie was up to her elbows in dirt, planting primroses when Polly Chase rolled up and got out of her car.

  “Maggie? Honey, is that you?” Polly click-clacked up the front walk. The woman was a sight to see. She was not even five feet tall but that was the only thing small about her. A head of heavily lacquered hair stood several inches high, matched only by the spiked heels on her feet and a handbag bigger than a small country. All of this fit in the late 1970s Caddy she drove around town like a menace.

  And her presence was big too. Polly Chase was the town matriarch. Her family was one of the oldest in Petal and her husband’s just as old. Both the Chandlers and the Chases had a hand in the building and governance of Petal for five generations. When Polly married Edward Chase thirty-five years before, it had been the ultimate marriage.

  Still, Maggie had always thought Polly, who sat with her on the Historical Society, and Edward, an attorney in Petal, were very nice people. However, seeing how rude her oldest was, she began to wonder.

  Standing up, Maggie took off her gardening gloves and tossed them on the walk. “Yes, Mrs. Chase, it is. What can I do for you?” As if she didn’t know. “Why don’t you come on in? I was just going to get myself some hot tea. Would you like a cup?”

  “Oh that would be perfect, shug. Thank you.” Polly followed Maggie into the large house that belonged to her parents at one time and now was hers.

  “Please, sit down and I’ll get the water on.” Maggie swept into the large kitchen and lit the burner under the teakettle. While she waited, she prepared the teapot, measuring the loose tea, spooning it into the mesh ball. Hanging it into the pot she turned and put a few oatmeal cookies on a pretty plate.

  Steeling herself, she took a deep breath before going back into the living room a few minutes later. She put the tray down on the coffee table and sat across from Polly.

  “It’ll need steeping for another three minutes or so. Would you like a cookie? They’re fresh-baked.”

  When Polly had taken a few bites of the cookie, Maggie poured her a steaming cup of green tea. “What can I do for you today, Mrs. Chase?”

  “Honey, I heard what my boy did to you last night at The Pumphouse. I’m just mortified! So naturally I wanted to come by and apologize. Because it also came to my attention that he failed to do that on top of everything else.”

  Softening at the sight of Polly’s distress, Maggie leaned across the space separating them. Reaching out, she squeezed the other woman’s hand. “Mrs. Chase, please don’t be upset. Whatever Shane did, he did on his own. You have nothing to do with it. I’d never think that.”

  “Honey, you’re too nice. Now I’m just embarrassed. They weren’t raised to talk to anyone that way, much less a woman! Don’t think I haven’t been on his tail all morning. He’s managed to avoid me so far, but mark my words I’ll find him before the day is through. And when I corner that rat, you can be assured I’m gonna tan his hide!”

  Maggie stifled a laugh at the picture of Polly spanking her nearly thirty-year-old giant of a son, badge and all. “Well if it’s any consolation to you, Kyle did come over with some napkins and asked me if I was all right.”

  “Oh he sang like a bird when I got out to his work site this morning. He’s a good boy, Kyle. Always treats people with kindness.” Polly smiled with pride. “They might be big, giant boys but they’re my boys and I’m still their momma. I heard you called Shane a dumbass.”

  Maggie blushed fiercely. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have, it wasn’t nice but he was just really obnoxious and I lost my temper.”

  Polly burst out laughing. “Honey, it sounds to me like he was being a dumbass. You don’t have to apologize to me. They get it from their daddy you know.” She gave Maggie a wink.

  After tea and cookies and a discussion on the next historical society function, Polly excused herself. “I have to run now, Maggie honey. Rest assured I’ll wrangle that boy into doing the right thing. Thank you for the tea and cookies.” She gave Maggie a big hug and teetered on her spiky heels back down the front walk, giant handbag in tow, and sped off.

  * * *

  “You and I have a double date.” Liv stood on Maggie’s doorstep several hours later.

  Automatically, Maggie opened the door to let her in. “What?” Maggie took in the garment bag and the big train case in Liv’s arms and tried not to panic. God only knew what her best friend was up to.

  “Jeezus, Maggie, get the freaked-out look off your face. I’m not going to kill you. Our dates are Shaun Stadey and Alex Parsons. I was shopping at the Piggly Wiggly earlier today and they asked if you and I had a date for the Homecoming Picnic tonight. Of course I told them they’d be filling the bill. And now you’re getting a makeover. No argument. I brought some clothes by, too.”

  “A makeover?” Maggie’s eyes moved to the train case and big garment bag. “No way! Liv, do you remember what Toots looked like when you got finished with her? I’d give you one of my kidneys but you don’t have the best record with makeovers. Anyway, I have to get out to the car wash with the kids, I just came home on a break.”

  Unmoved, Liv stared for a long moment. “Okay, but Maggie, Toots was a dog and we were eight. So shaddup. And no, you don’t need to get back to the car wash. It is pointless to try and think of ways out of this. Dee and Arthur are over there now and doing just fine. You know how much that freaking precious Arthur loves kids. Honestly, sometimes don’t you think he’s got to be a pod person or something because he’s so perfect?” Liv hustled Maggie up the stairs and into her bedroom.

  Maggie couldn’t deny herself a guilty snicker and then sobered up. Well, she tried anyway. “Aww, leave poor Arthur alone. He’s a nice guy in a sea of asshats. And Dee, being a pod person herself, deserves someone equally as nice. Plus, he’s kinda hot in a very nerdy way, dontcha think?”

  One perfectly manicured eyebrow rose along with the corner of one side of Liv’s mouth. “Whatever. In any case, there is no excuse for you not to let me do this.” Liv laid the bags on Maggie’s bed, unzipping them with military precision.

  Stepping back, she glanced from the clothing to Maggie and back again several times. “Okay, clothes for tonight. Alice let me have a few things from her store to bring over here for you. They’re all really cute and it would only be a couple hundred bucks and I think you should buy them all. But, I’m willing to leave you alone for a week if you buy at least one outfit. Come on, I know they’ll all look great on you.”

  Despite her amusement at Liv’s hard sell, Maggie broke out in a nervous sweat. “Didn’t you just tell me how beautiful I was on Friday? Why do I need a makeover?”

  “You are beautiful, Maggie. But these clothes will fit you. You’ve got a great body but you never let anyone see it because your clothes are all at least a size too big. This stuff isn’t tight or slutty, it’s just modern and it’ll flatter your figure.

  “A trim and style of your hair will frame your face. You don’t need those glasses tonight because I’m driving anyway. Oh, and by the way, I made you an appointment at the eye doctor for Tuesday. I’ll meet you there. You need new frames that better fit your face. Contacts would be nice too, don’t you think?”

&nb
sp; Cripes, the woman was a steamroller! Maggie eyed the door, considering her chances for escape. Liv caught it and shook her head as she stepped in front of it, blocking Maggie’s way.

  “Don’t even think about it.”

  Maggie knew by the set of Liv’s face that she wouldn’t win this one. She sighed and Liv grinned, sensing imminent victory. Still she added a few things to sweeten the offer. “Sam will be there. Probably with some skanky date. You know you want him to see what he’s missing. Better yet, Shane Chase will be there too. Let’s show that dumbass what’s what.”

  Unable to hold it back, Maggie let her grin spread over her face. “You play so dirty!” But she was already looking through the stack of clothes on her bed. She had to admit the stuff was really cute. Liv did have good taste for a girl who used grape Kool-Aid to dye a dog’s fur back when they were kids.

  Liv’s eyes sparkled as she pulled out a dark blue scoop-necked blouse and a denim skirt. “I like these the best. You have great legs. Not that anyone would know since you always wear those long teacher skirts. And ugh, worse, the mom-waisted pleated khaki pants. Pleats! Oh the agony of watching any woman under eighty wear pleats!”

  Maggie burst out laughing at the look of disgust on Liv’s face.

  “To go with it, those cute boots we saw in the window of Radison’s last week.”

  “But I didn’t buy those boots, remember?”

  “Yes you did. You can pay me back later.” Not bothering to look up, Liv pulled them out of the bottom of one of the garment bags and put them on the floor. “It’ll be perfect. The skirt is the perfect length and the boots will come to the top of your calf. Well, what are you waiting for? Try on the whole outfit.”

  “If I do this will you stop setting me up and trying to make me over?”

  “Well, I hate to point out that if I do this, I will be making you over. But I promise to not try again for the next six months.”

  “I’ll take whatever I can get. Fine, hand me the clothes. But I’m wearing my glasses. I’m not gonna be blind just to look cuter.”

  Liv grinned and handed the outfit over to Maggie. Once Maggie had undressed, Liv shook her head in amazement when she saw Maggie’s underwear. “Girl, you’re something else. Look at those undies! I always forget that you’re wild beneath the clothes.”

  Fighting a blush, Maggie smiled. “What? A girl needs pretty undies.” She looked down at the forest green, lacy, high-cut panties and the matching demi-bra. Pretty panties and bras were somewhat of a weakness for her. She had drawers full of the stuff.

  “Girl, you’re a mess of contradictions. Now, get those clothes on.”

  Once changed, Maggie looked down at the outfit and back at her reflection in the mirror. Liv had been right. The clothes weren’t tight but they showed her figure. She looked pretty. The skirt came to just below her knees and the boots weren’t too high-heeled that her feet would be dying in half an hour. She tugged the bodice of the blouse up a bit, it showed more boobs than she normally did. “Liv, jeez, you can see my boobs.”

  Rolling her eyes, Liv clucked her tongue. “Now, shug, don’t exaggerate. You can see your cleavage, big difference. Even at that, it’s just the very top of your cleavage. I promise you it doesn’t look slutty or even daring. Wow, I’d forgotten that you had breasts with all those buttoned-to-the-chin shirts you wear beneath the bulky sweaters.”

  “Janie is the sweater girl. She’s the one with the great figure.”

  Startled, Liv gave Maggie an appraising look up and down. There were moments when Maggie revealed another small, but bone-deep wound her mother and sister had laid on her and it broke Liv’s heart.

  “Mags, you’ve hidden your light under a bushel for far too long. You look so pretty dressed up like this. Jane Marie is not the only pretty sister. Stop letting her mess with your head.” She motioned to the chair. “Come on now, let’s get the rest of you done.”

  Putting a drape around Maggie’s shoulders, Liv loosed Maggie’s hair and wet it down. Quickly and efficiently, she trimmed about four inches, layered it to free the curls and cut the front to frame Maggie’s face. The weight gone, the pretty strawberry-blonde hair was a riot of curls.

  After the application of some goop to hold the curl and wall out the frizz-inducing humidity, Liv opened up the train case.

  With artful application of subtle colors, Liv emphasized Maggie’s giant amber eyes and put a shine on her full lower lip. Maggie didn’t need a lot of makeup and would have been uncomfortable in it anyway. Finished, Liv stood back and surveyed her work. Impressive. The mousy schoolteacher was gone. In her place, a pretty, fey-looking woman with long legs and a nice bosom. Not bad for a few hours’ work.

  Cocking her head, Liv met Maggie’s eyes in the mirror. “Look at yourself, Maggie.” Moving away, Liv changed her clothes and finished getting ready while Maggie just stared at herself in the mirror.

  For so very long she’d only looked at herself in the mirror long enough to put her hair back. That wasn’t her place in her family. The shock that she could be something else, someone other than the smart one in the Wright family, hit her. Tears burned her eyes for a moment until she blinked them back. “Wow, Liv.”

  If Liv saw the tears she ignored them. Just one of the million reasons Maggie loved her. “Instead of saying, I told you so, I’ll just say that you look fabulous. In fact, we need to go clothes shopping! Or you could just keep the outfits I brought over and we could go shopping. You can show me where you get all those fancy panties.” Liv winked.

  Maggie fingered the colorful clothing in the bags. “Well, maybe. I mean, looking at myself right now... I think that I much prefer this me.”

  “Hon, you’re the same you. Clothes and a haircut don’t make you into a different person. But these clothes do allow the world to see more of how gorgeous you are on the outside. Everyone already knows how beautiful you are on the inside.” Liv paused a moment. “I don’t want you to feel I didn’t already think you were beautiful. Inside and out, even with those ugly-assed schoolmarm clothes. You’re the most beautiful woman I know.”

  Maggie stayed silent for long moments as she swallowed past the tears in her throat. Her emotions seemed to have chosen that moment to run riot. “It’s just that you’ve always been the gorgeous, glamorous one. Dee’s the sweet, pretty one and I was the smart one. It feels weird to see that I can be the pretty one, too. Heck, sexy even.”

  Arms encircled her from behind as Liv hugged her. “Aw, shug, your mom sure did a number on you. Yes, your sister is a beauty but she’s not the only stunner in the family and on the inside, she’s a troll.”

  “Janie’s tall, blonde and married with two perfectly gorgeous children. She never looks unkempt. Her house is a freaking showplace and her husband adores her. She’s perfect.”

  “Bleah! You want to be blonde like Janie? We’ll get you some of the same blonde she has, it’s out of a bottle. And beyond her looks what does she have? You’re good and kind and smart and funny. You give back to this town and those kids. Honestly, sometimes I want to smack your momma for making you think that just because your sister was in pageants that you’re not as good. Well, I’d like to smack her for a whole host of reasons but that’s neither here nor there now. Now, we have a picnic to get to, let’s go.”

  Copyright © 2018 by Lauren Dane

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I WANT TO thank everyone at Harlequin and Carina for all the support. The covers, the packaging, marketing, the whole kit and caboodle (dang, I love that word).

  Speaking of support—thank you, Angela James my super heroine editor who is badass and wicked smart and good at her job (luckily for me!). All credit for the name Whiskey Sharp goes to her!

  Laura Bradford, jet-setting agent and friend—thank you for all you do for me and for loving me despite my myriad flaws.

  Ray—these last few years, huh? Not my
favorite, but without you and your backbone and tireless attention and energy, they would have been so much worse.

  To my readers—thank you for your patience, kind words, the time and effort you spend reading my books. You all kick butt!

  ISBN-13: 9781460394960

  Whiskey Sharp: Unraveled

  Copyright © 2018 by Lauren Dane

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