by Jenny Penn
“Travis,” Bryant tried to warn him off of whatever crazy idea was brewing in that head of his, but Travis was never one to listen to reason.
“The mayor is putting the screws to our girl.” Travis ignored Bryant to lay the situation out as bluntly as his nature. “It needs to stop.”
Patton blinked, going still as the air thickened with a tense silence before she finally nodded. “I don’t like the mayor. I’m in.”
“Oh God.” Bryant’s eyes closed as he lifted his head to the heavens and offered up a desperate plea. “Save me now.”
* * * *
Tara stood in the middle of Bryant and Travis’s house wondering what she was supposed to do now. Probably get a lawyer, get a new job, get something like a new house while she still had the buy one, but she didn’t feel up to doing any of that. All she could think of in that moment was just how truly filthy Travis and Bryant’s home was. If she were really going to move in, then this place had to be cleaned.
Three hours later, she felt a little better, and the bathroom was finally starting to shine. Tara sat back on her knees and looked at the freshly hand-scrubbed floor and smiled. She’d never really cleaned anything before, but somehow, in some strange way, it felt good to work off her aggravation. As she stared across the bathroom, things finally started to settle into place in her mind.
That peace was shattered by a loud knock on the front door. Tara tensed, not certain of what to do. She was home alone, and it was the middle of the day. It wasn’t even her house. Tara debated the matter silently, even as she made her way to the door to peer through the hole in the middle of it to spy on the woman standing on the steps.
It was Patton Jones.
Tara had never formally met the other woman, but she still knew all about her. She was a legend in town. Both beautiful and smart enough to build a successful business, people still judged her on the fact that she’d managed to snare not only one or two of the Davis brothers, but all three.
Three men at once. That made Patton the un-crowned queen of Pittsview. Tara couldn’t even guess what had brought her to Bryant and Travis’s rundown rental. Or, maybe, she just didn’t want to guess. What she did want to do was find out.
With curiosity motivating her, Tara finally reached for the dead bolt and flipped it back. She opened the door slowly, uncertain of what to expect as she peered out.
“Yes?”
“Are you by any chance Tara Winters?” Patton asked, unnerving Tara even more as she answered slowly.
“Yes.”
“Good.” Patton nodded and then placed a hand on the door and shoved it back, along with Tara, as she came marching into the house. “I’m here to help you.”
“Help me?” Tara left the door standing open as she followed Patton into the living room. “With what?”
“Well, with this place for starters.” Patton looked around and sighed. “This is not going to help your case with your family.”
That had Tara’s jaw dropping open as she blinked at the other woman in amazement. “You know about that?”
“Bryant and Travis stopped by the ranch today.” Patton turned around to meet Tara’s gaze and level her with even more shocking revelations. “They came to me for help because I am very good at getting what I want, and what I want is for you to be free of that obnoxious overlord you call an uncle.”
“But⎯“
“No buts.” Patton sliced a finger through the air as she cut down Tara’s objection. “You’re at war, and trust me, you want me on your team.”
“I do?”
“Yes, you certainly do.” Patton smiled, an unnerving twist of her lips that warned Tara that things were about to get difficult. There seemed to be no stopping them, though, as Patton clapped her hands and made her first decree. “Now we’re going to start with your living situation because, honey, no woman should have to stay here.”
Tara couldn’t argue with that, but she still wasn’t convinced about letting Patton order her around. Convinced or not, she found herself being herded to collect her purse and shoes, and then Patton was all but dragging her out the front door. The buxom brunette hustled her into a massive truck and then hopped in behind the wheel.
It was then that Tara finally managed to catch a breath and wonder just how she’d ended up in that truck. In an attempt that she expected to be in vain, Tara turned in her seat and tried once again to get a grip on the situation.
“Where exactly are we going?”
“To rent you an apartment,” Patton answered succinctly as she bent forward to peer out her side mirror while she backed down the drive.
“Today?” Tara wasn’t certain she could make that kind of decision that quickly, but Patton was insistent.
“In the next hour hopefully. Then”—Patton paused for a second as she popped the truck out of reverse and into drive—”we go buy furniture. I love to shop, don’t you?”
“But⎯“
“What did I tell you about buts?” Patton cut her off with a grin and then seemed to take some mercy on Tara, offering her up a real explanation. “Look, it’s clear as day that Bryant and Travis are over their heels with you, and they’re worried that your uncle is about punish you for that. The only way to win the battle against your family and prove to them, the world, and yourself that you are an independent, confident, capable, beautiful woman is for you to start conquering. That is what we’re going to do today.”
Tara blinked all of that in, amazed that this stranger would be so certain of her capabilities and bowled over by the very idea that Bryant and Travis were “over their heels” for her. She had to admit that she was also unnerved.
What did she really have to offer them that she hadn’t offered Richard? She was still lost and confused…and scared. That was what Tara really was—she was afraid. Maybe it was time to face those fears. Maybe it was time to prove to herself that she was independent and capable.
“All right.” Tara turned and settled back into her seat. “Let’s go look at apartments.”
She’d finally come to her decision, figuring that if she were about to go down the rabbit hole then having somebody like Patton would surely help. After all, Patton seemed to know what she was doing. She certainly had amazing taste.
Patton managed to show Tara a loft apartment that overlooked Main Street. It had the classical charm of an old building mixed with the modern amenities that Tara hadn’t even assumed Pittsview rentals possessed. Patton even played hardball with the rental agent, getting the price knocked down by a couple hundred dollars, and then Tara was signing a lease with a growing sense of excitement.
She had a place. Now she needed furniture. Patton had that covered, too. After driving Tara down to Dothan, Patton helped her pick out a living room set, a bedroom set, and a dining room table. They were all to be delivered in two days, so they stopped by the Walmart to pick up an air mattress and a few other supplies like towels and sheets. Then it was back to Pittsview, where Patton insisted they meet up with a few of her friends for dinner at the Bread Box.
It was there that Travis and Bryant caught back up with her. They came sauntering in with the sheriff and made a beeline to the counter, where Tara sat with Patton and her friends Rachel and Hailey, who were gossiping with Heather as she cleaned things up.
The plump little baker’s face lit up at the sight of the sheriff, and she greeted him with a joy that Tara sort of envied, but then Travis and Bryant stepped up to greet her with a kiss on her cheeks. A sense of exhilaration filled her as they invited her to join them while they ate.
Tara didn’t hesitate. She followed them right over to the booth and settled down next to Bryant. Travis caught her off guard as he forced her and Bryant over even more so he could fit on the same bench. They were tucked in like sardines, but Tara didn’t mind.
“So how was your day?” Travis asked as he turned a grin on her.
“As if you don’t know.” Tara snorted. “I can’t believe you unleashed that woman on me.”
“Who, Patton?” Bryant smirked. “Don’t tell me you didn’t like her?”
Tara wanted to tell him that, but the truth was that being around Patton was electrifying. It was a sensation Tara had come to enjoy.
“She’s great,” Tara finally admitted. “She got me an apartment and furniture. All in half a day…I’m exhausted.”
That got a laugh from both men as Heather came over to take their order. She already had glasses of tea ready for both men and an extra for Tara. Heather was another woman that Tara felt would be a good friend.
“Not too exhausted, I hope,” Travis murmured as he leaned in closer, his hand coming to rest on her knee. “Oh, sunshine, you’re wearing pants.”
“They can come off,” Tara assured him as she turned to let her lips brush against his before pulling back to pin Travis with a hard look. “They question is, will they?”
Bryant chuckled at that and pressed in against her back. “That’s not a question. It’s a guarantee.”
“Maybe,” Tara allowed, knowing that there was no real hope for it. She was putty between them, but that didn’t stop her from putting up a little fight. “Then again, maybe not. Maybe I’m a little miffed at you for running to Patton and spilling all my secrets.”
Tara had expected one or both of them to take up that challenge, but both Travis and Bryant shifted away from her with matching expressions of guilt. She knew instantly they’d done more than go running to Patton. What, though, she couldn’t even guess. There was only one way to find out.
“Okay.” Tara took a deep breath and braced herself. “Go on and tell me what else you did, and don’t deny that you did something.”
“We went to the district attorney,” Bryant began, only to be interrupted by Travis.
“It was his idea,” Travis stated pointedly.
“Yeah? And your idea was to blackmail the mayor,” Bryant shot back, shocking Tara. The district attorney she understood. Blackmail, not so much.
“You were going to blackmail my uncle?” She frowned at Travis, who glared back at her.
“You don’t have to say it like that,” he grouched. “I wasn’t going to ask for money but for him to back the hell off.”
“You were going to blackmail him for me?” Tara couldn’t help but laugh at that idea. “You’re insane.”
Travis gave her a sheepish smile and batted his lashes at her. “I’d only commit crime for you.”
“Oh please.” Tara waved that away, blushing at the way he kept staring at her. “And stop looking at me that way. I’m not having sex in the middle of this bakery.”
“Ruin my dreams, why don’t you?” Travis pouted, but he was still smiling.
Thankfully a hunk of a man appeared carrying plates of fried chicken and coleslaw. Konor was a feature at the diner that the lunch ladies just loved. Tara could see the attraction, but he didn’t hold a candle to Travis or Bryant. Both men were almost beyond comparison when it came to others.
“So…” Bryant drew her attention as he salted his chicken. “Tomorrow morning we’re going to take you to see Cal⎯“
“Cal?”
“The district attorney,” Travis reminded before taking a bite into his chicken breast and uttering a guttural groan as his eyelashes fluttered again. “Oh, that’s good.”
“You have to give Cal a statement,” Bryant said, picking up where he’d left off.
Tara wasn’t shocked by that, though she still didn’t know how she felt about the matter. Bryant seemed to sense her reluctance and cast her a sympathetic smile.
“I know it’ll be hard, but if he’s guilty, then he deserves to be punished.”
“If he’s not, then you have nothing to feel bad about because nothing bad will happen to him,” Travis reasoned, but they both knew that was a lie.
“Nothing but his career,” Tara countered, but that didn’t impress either man.
“Fuck his career.” Bryant grunted. “He doesn’t mind fucking with yours.”
“I don’t have a career.” That was the depressing truth.
“But you will,” Travis assured her. “And we’re going to help you find it.”
“You are?” Tara couldn’t help but smile at Travis’s self-assurance. He acted as if it were nothing to offer his help, which was really kind of sweet.
“Well, if we can’t, Patton can.” Bryant glanced over at where the women were still gathered at the counter. “Unless she failed to tell you, there isn’t anything Patton can’t do.”
“Trust me, she made that clear.” As arrogant and presumptuous as Patton could be, Tara envied her the confidence to assume the kind of control Tara often feared. “But I still think this is something I have to sort out on my own.”
“That doesn’t mean we can’t help,” Travis insisted. “Why don’t we start now? What do you like to do?”
“I don’t know.” Tara honestly didn’t. She’d never really thought about it before.
“Okay, then what are you good at doing?” Bryant asked, but that didn’t help at all.
“Nothing.” Tara hated to admit it, but it was the truth.
“That can’t be true.” Travis shook his head at her. “I’m sure you’re good at something.”
“No, really. I haven’t done much more than host parties and functions for the past six years.”
“Well, there you go.” Bryant waved a chicken leg at her. “You’re a party planner.”
“An event planner.” Travis nodded before his eyes rounded with a look Tara had come to recognize meant trouble. “And I know just what event you can plan.”
“What?” Tara asked cautiously, feeling the quicksand beneath her feet, but Travis wasn’t listening to her. He was waving his chicken leg at Patton as he called her over.
“Something you wanted?” Patton paused by the edge of the table to smile down at all three of them.
“Actually, it’s something you need.” Travis beamed up at her, and Tara could sense herself sinking. “You need a wedding planner.”
“Travis⎯“
“And Tara here is about to start her own business as an event planner.”
“I didn’t⎯“
“What a great idea!” Patton plopped her ass down on the seat across from them, looking way too excited. Tara had already come to know that look as well.
“It’s not,” Tara rushed to assure her. “I’m not an event planner.”
“You just said you planned parties and functions,” Bryant reminded her as if she’d forgotten how she’d gotten into this mess. “A wedding is sort of both of those in one.”
“I would really love some help,” Patton pleaded. “Because, you know, Chase, Slade and Devin really want to get me down the aisle, but I don’t have time to plan a wedding.”
“But I’ve never planned a wedding.” Tara wasn’t even sure she knew how, but that didn’t seem to faze Patton a bit.
“Just think, you won’t be able to say that for much longer.” Patton grinned as if that logic trumped all of Tara’s concerns. “Don’t worry. You’ll be great, and you can come out to the ranch tomorrow. We’ll start going over the details. Cool?”
Tara didn’t know if it really was, but she found herself agreeing anyway. It wasn’t like she had anything else to do. The idea wasn’t that bad. She did know about organizing staff and managing a function that had several stages to it.
“See?” Travis beamed at her. “You got your first client and you’ve only been in business five minutes. Now who doubted we couldn’t help?”
Chapter 16
Thursday, July 3rd
Help Travis and Bryant did. They helped themselves to her apartment, to her life, and to everything else. Without a word or even bothering to ask if she minded, both men integrated themselves into her everyday routines until Tara felt as if it were perfectly normal to wake up caught between two horny men and to have them come home to her every night.
It was like living a dream.
A dream that even came with
a job. It was amazing how easy it was to plan a wedding. There were a lot of details and decisions to make, but Patton had a firm enough sense of what she wanted to make it easy enough for Tara to make the choices for her. It was actually kind of fun.
For a few days, Tara lost herself in the joy of simply having a life before the reality of it crashed down around her. It was Thursday, the day before the Fourth of July celebrations, and Tara had gathered along with many of the other women from Bryant and Travis’s family at Bryant’s parents’ house to prep food for their own party the next day.
The house was filled with noise and commotion, but this time, Tara felt as if she fit in. It didn’t even bother her that she had to ask for explanations when she didn’t know how to do something. She didn’t really know how to do anything, but Tara was learning and having fun, but all of that came to a stop with a knock on the door.
Instead of being another smiling relative, a grim-looking man stood at the door, bringing the whole house to silence as he asked to speak to her. Tara stepped up, her stomach already twisting into knots as the man held a manila envelope out to her.
“You’ve been served.”
With that cold proclamation, the man turned and walked away, leaving Tara standing there all but trembling as she stared down at the envelope. She knew what was in there, knew that the reality she’d been avoiding had come to call. The warmth and happiness that had surrounded her wasn’t her family. What awaited her inside the large envelope was.
“Oh, honey.” Peggy came up to take her by the arm and guide her back toward the kitchen and a seat that was quickly vacated by one of Travis’s cousins. “Sit down before you fall down.”
Tara nodded but still felt like she was trapped in a bubble of shock that just wouldn’t allow her to speak or feel anything. All she could do is stare up at Peggy and wish that she were her mother.
“Honey, do you know what’s in there?” Peggy asked gently, nodding toward the envelope as Travis’s mother, Christine, appeared with a glass of water by her side.
