Laughing, Meghan leaned back in the chair. "I can hear your brother reprimanding you so clearly. Does he always keep his nose in the stratosphere? He's a bigger snob than any woman."
What people didn't realize about Jim, her father put the burden of taking care of the family on Jim's shoulders. Diagnosed with cancer in her senior year of high school, she watched her vibrant father slowly wither away. While she was forced to go off to college, Jim, and her mother had nursed her dad until he took his last breath.
"It's that whole family obligation. Keeping the name clear of any kind of scandal or disgrace. The very reason I stayed away from Cupid. The first time I act a little naughty, I get caught."
"Well, at least you made it home safely," Taylor said. "I was afraid to go searching for you and I couldn't call you as I had your cell phones."
"Yes, no thanks to you." Tossing her auburn hair over her shoulder, Meghan glared at Taylor.
"I'm sorry, Meghan. Until the sheriff arrived, we were having a good time."
"Yes, we were," Meghan said. "I just didn't expect it to end with us streaking down the street. What happened to you? Did the sheriff give you a ticket or haul your naked butt to jail?"
Taylor squirmed in her chair. "The sheriff gave me a break. Your clothes, your purses, everything is in my car. I never want to ride handcuffed in a police car again."
"Oh no." Meghan shook her head. "You had it worse than we did."
"I've never been more frightened in my life. Sitting in the back of a patrol car, naked, handcuffed."
Kelsey sat quietly listening, thinking while her friend had been driven around in the back of the sheriff's car without her clothes, she went home with Cody. Unable to talk about last night with her friends, she kept the fact she experienced the best sex of her life to herself.
A sigh escaped her lips. Even reminiscing about it now, she never felt such intense emotional lovemaking like that before. Why him?
Meghan shuddered. "That would be bad."
"Instead of taking me to jail, he took me home. Since I wasn't driving, he let me go. If I'd been behind the wheel of a car, he would have arrested me.”
“Who is the sheriff?” Meghan asked turning to Kelsey. “You said before but I forgot.”
“My old boyfriend, Ryan Jones,” Kelsey said with a laugh thinking how grateful she was that he didn’t pick her up. When they dated in high school, the boy had tried for almost a year to get in her pants.
“And now he’s seen me naked,” Taylor said shaking her head.
Kelsey sighed. "In high school, I went with him for six months. After we got into a public argument in the front yard, my family refused to let me date him. Of course, it was quite a street fight with my brothers right in the middle of it. When the sheriff arrived, my dad convinced him not to arrest anyone. But he told Ryan not to come around anymore. We were done."
They were young. He wanted to have sex and she said no. Ryan found it at a graduation party.
"Was that what got you a summer in Europe?" Meghan asked.
Kelsey laughed. "Yes. Later, I heard he went into the military. Never saw him again." Forcing a smile on her face, she glanced at Taylor. "How's the big jerk doing?"
Their last family vacation was before her father passed away. After that, her father began his decline while she went off to freshman year of college. During her second semester, her father departed, and then twelve months later her mother died, leaving her alone with only her brothers to watch over her.
Sometimes they took it to the extremes.
"Don't know. We didn't talk too much about him, only me. He gave me quite the lecture," Taylor snorted. "Since high school, I've always wanted to dance naked around the statue, but been afraid. Maybe there was a reason to fear the Cupid superstition."
"Dancing around in your birthday suit in the town square was a little too risqué for me. Until last night when the alcohol subdued my fear," Meghan admitted.
"All I needed was a little liquid courage for me to shed my clothes." Kelsey said with a grin. All her life, she accepted a challenge, good or bad, knowing somehow, she'd be all right in the end.
Dallas had changed that perception when she lost her job.
"It was kind of fun until the sheriff arrived," Taylor said with a giggle.
"Now we test the superstition. Who will find love first?” Meghan said glancing at each one of them.
Taylor waived her hand and gave a disgusted sound. "I'm not looking for love."
Now that was hilarious coming from the girl who had flitted like a bee from one flower to another during high school. Kelsey dated, but even then, that was limited by her brothers.
"Yeah, well you have a funny way of showing you're not searching for a man," Meghan said, always the smart, vocal person in the group.
"Hey, I can cross dancing naked in the town square from my bucket list," Taylor laughed.
"You're a little young for a bucket list."
"Never hurts to start early," Taylor retorted.
The bell tinkled above the diner's door just as Kelsey glanced up. The sheriff.
The lawman strolled up to their table. "Good morning, ladies. Looks like you all survived last night's escapade."
"What are you talking about, Sheriff?" Meghan lied. "The cat and I were cuddled up at home, watching reruns."
"Well, I found your clothes, your purse, and your cell phone on a bench in the park."
Meghan clammed up and Kelsey stared at the man she dated in high school.
"I don't see any bullet holes in your head. You toughed out the military," Kelsey said, deliberately being sarcastic. Never would she wish him harm, but he had cheated. Nothing burned her more than a man who didn't understand monogamy.
"Made sergeant and earned several medals," he replied. "And you're looking well. Your brothers still looking out for their little princess."
Kelsey stiffened. The entire time they dated, he called her “little princess" and today it just pissed her off. "Of course."
"Good to know," he said. "Ladies, I will tell you like I told Taylor. You got a pass last night. But if I ever catch any of you strutting around the fountain naked again, you'll need a lawyer."
That threat made Kelsey want to risk everything and go back to the statue again. After all, she spent a wonderful night with Cody...oh my God. No, they didn't have sex because of the Cupid dance? Did they?
That silly wives’ tale could not be the reason Cody ran into her. It was nothing more than a tale handed down for generations and she didn't believe dancing around a stone fountain had anything to do with love. Then again, last night had been incredible. No, it couldn't be happening. Not for her. Not with Cody.
"Thanks for that bit of cheery news," Meghan smarted off.
"Hey, you aren't combing the yellow pages this morning looking for someone to bail you out of jail. The day could be worse," Ryan said, standing there looking all official in his sheriff's uniform. Ryan had grown into nice looking man, but still Kelsey knew all about their break-up.
"I talked them into it," Taylor confessed. "The Cupid statue was my idea."
Lifting her chin defiantly, Kelsey gazed at him. "We're testing the superstition. A scientific study will tell us if Cupid will find us true love. I'll let you know the results."
Her insides twisted into a knot and she gasped. She didn't believe in this nonsense. Last night had been fun, and yet, a handsome knight in a shining truck had rescued her. In return, she seduced him, gave him a night of pleasure.
"It doesn't," he replied. "Remember before you go streaking again."
"Streaking?" Meghan said, her voice echoing in the room. "That fad died in the seventies with my mother's generation."
Facing the auburn haired librarian, he smiled. "Would you rather I call what you did last night indecent exposure?"
The table grew quiet.
Turning to Taylor, he said, "Are you still cooking me dinner tonight? Do you feel like it?"
Reaching up to her temple
, she rubbed the spot. "I'm fine. A small headache. But I'll be all right. Be here at seven. I'm going to fix you chicken picante," Taylor said. "It's a new dish I'm trying out."
A grin spread across his face. "So I'm the guinea pig?"
"You'll enjoy the chicken picante. See you later."
The door shut behind the lawman and Meghan and Kelsey both turned to Taylor. Why was she cooking for the sheriff?
"You're fixing him dinner," Kelsey asked, feeling stunned. How she hoped that Ryan and Taylor were not dating. The thought of him hurting Taylor stung. "The man that broke my heart and left me for the military."
"My naked butt is not looking out between bars. What would you have me do? Write a thank you note? Cooking him supper seemed the least I could do."
Flipping her dark hair off her shoulder, Kelsey warned, "He's bad news."
"Hey, I'm the only one last night who said out loud, I'm not searching for love. The rest of you are looking for a man."
"You don't owe him anything," Meghan said while Kelsey raised her brows.
Trouble lay ahead for Taylor if she dated Ryan. Big trouble in the form of a cheating boyfriend. Then again, Taylor seemed to attract cheaters like a magnet.
"After he didn't take me to the pokey, I merely offered to cook for him since he doesn't get many home meals. You guys should appreciate the fact I put my naked butt on the line with the law while the two of you ran off."
"And who suggested we do the Cupid dance?" Holding up her hand, Meghan said, "But I will say it was good of you to take one for the team. Make sure it's only dinner. Remember your last love interest."
Pushing her straight dark hair away from her face, Kelsey smiled. "A lawman, a cheater, who is on his honeymoon at this moment, celebrating with his cheating spouse."
Taylor sighed. "You're right. Don't worry. I'm not taking Kelsey's seconds. I'm returning a favor and this will be the end of it."
Kelsey shrugged. "Ryan was my first love and I thought I would die when we ended. He's a risk for women's hearts. He'll break yours as quickly as he shattered mine. Be wary, very wary."
The bell above the door rang and Taylor stood. "The lunch crowd will be coming in soon and I've got work to do. You guys?"
"There is a high school Valentine's dance. I'm one of the chaperones. Ugh," Meghan said, shaking her head.
"Painting is in store for me today. There is still a lot of construction to do before the grand opening. Y'all will be at the opening? Right?"
"Wouldn't miss it. When is it?" Meghan asked.
"Hell if I know. Whenever my brothers are through with the changes I'm making."
Standing, Taylor glanced at her friends. "Ladies, I had a great time last night, even if it didn't end the way we'd envisioned."
Meghan laughed. "It was fun. Though tonight, the coach and I are the school chaperones. Yuck."
"I'm waiting for the phone call from my brother where his head explodes in my ear." She hoped and prayed Cody wouldn't tell Jim. Telling Jim would make him treat her even more like a child. Then she would have no choice but to leave Cupid to prove her independence.
Cody's image shimmered in her mind and the memories of what they'd done made her restless. Oh no, she didn't believe that old wives’ tale. No rock statue was going to find her true love.
What if it did?
* * *
Later that afternoon, Jim walked into the boutique and looked around at the progress the painters had made. Part of her wondered if he'd learned what happened last night and was here to reprimand her.
"Hey, sis," he said, glancing around. "They're doing a great job. But I thought you said you wanted pink and they're painting everything yellow."
Inside she wanted to scream. No, Jim thought because she was a woman, the walls should be the color of most little girls’ bedrooms. He thought following the whole pink breast cancer thing was excellent marketing and she should follow their branding. Kelsey wanted to lead, not imitate.
The breast cancer branding was beautiful, but she would create her own path. Not piggyback on a charity.
"No, I wanted yellow," she said.
"You're making a mistake," he said. "Women like pink."
"And younger women, my target clients, want to be unique. Have you seen the kids with the purple hair? That's my clientele."
Like a commander perusing a ship, he walked around checking out the craftsmanship of the workers. "Why did you buy those antique wardrobes? How are you going to use those?"
Kelsey had found a few unique dressers at a sale and snatched them up. Thinking them a perfect find for her shop, she planned on using them as displays and keeping extra stock in the drawers. "You'll see they will hold scarves and different jewelry and perfumes. They'll work."
A skeptical look crossed, his face, before he changed the direction of the conversation. "Bert sent me the final paperwork."
Inside she cringed. Why in small towns was no one's business their own. "Since I'm the owner, he needs to send all paperwork to me."
"You're right, but I dropped in to talk to him about another matter and since you and I worked on the loan together. It's no big deal."
No big deal to her brother, but to her, it made her see bright red stars. The finalized documents on her business loan were her responsibility, no one else’s. Did Bert not realize who was his client? Maybe they needed to chat about the expectations in their working relationship.
"Where were you last night? I kept waiting to hear you come in?"
"Meghan asked me to stay the night. She didn't want me driving back out to the ranch, so I did. Why? Did you need something?" she asked. Her being twenty-six, big brother still listened and waited up for her? Even her father had never done that before.
"No, just wanted to make certain you made it home okay."
"If I needed you, I would have called," she said.
Of course, since her purse and phone stayed with Taylor, she couldn't call. But she'd been in really good hands.
"I know," he said. "When does your inventory arrive?"
"Next week. Hopefully we'll be open in two weeks."
Or sooner, she thought. If she could keep everyone moving and block out the distractions - like Cody - then soon she would be earning money and could find her own place.
Kyle and Drew walked in the door. "Knew we'd find you here," Drew said looking around.
"What happened to the pink?" Kyle asked.
Shaking her head, she wanted to bang it against the wall.
"She doesn't like pink," Jim said.
"All girls like pink," Drew replied like an expert on women and what they favored. Perhaps he was, the man was certainly the playboy. Where Jim needed help dating, Drew needed to learn not to chase every pretty face.
"I like pink. Just not on the walls of my shop," she said.
"You need to be thinking of the client, not your likes," Drew intoned like a judge serving a sentence.
Why did it feel like there was an echo of testosterone in the room? In fewer than ten minutes, the atmosphere transformed from peacefully working to wanting to sweep the room and her siblings right out the door.
"Where's the naughty room going to be?" Kyle asked, and at that moment, she thought she would kill them all.
Jim had no idea about the tiny room in the back where she sold things that women her age loved, but not everyone needed. Kyle, her middle brother, was often considerate and playful. One night, she confided in him and now his lips were moving telling her very straight laced conservative sibling her plans.
"What are you talking about?" Jim said, staring at Kyle like his brother had lost his mind. "Naughty room?"
"Thanks, Kyle," she said.
Smiling, knowing he'd stirred up a stink, she glared at him. Of all her brothers, he was probably the most devious of the three. Why she trusted him, she didn't understand. After being fired in Dallas, she needed someone to talk to, but again, why did she trust any of her siblings?
Jim gave her his best parental
disapproval stare that let her know he wasn't happy. "What is he talking about, Kelsey?"
Sighing, she gave Kyle a glare that clearly said paybacks would be hell. "The back closet, I'm going to sell creams, lotions, toys, and even nightgowns for women. In order to gain access, you must be eighteen."
His eyes widened and he gulped. "Are you crazy? We're a small town in a conservative state and you want to sell sex toys?"
"Come on, it's the twenty-first century. I'd rather provide dildos if it kept women from sleeping around. People are having sex. You should try it sometime, Jim."
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. Years ago, he lost his fiancée in a tragic automobile accident not long after their father passed away. Since then, he hadn't dated much.
Sometimes she wished she could help him loosen up a little. Date a woman and get laid.
She sighed. "I'm sorry, that was mean."
Not responding to her apology, he said, "The first time you are boycotted by the church ladies or a news van is sitting outside or anything that draws attention to your boutique, I'm shutting you down."
"You can't do that," she protested. "This is my store. I run it and I will do things my way," she said, raising her voice.
"And I co-signed the note," he said and turned and walked out the door.
After Jim stormed out, she glared at Kyle. "Are you happy now?"
"Guess, you better get to selling those dildos so you can pay off the loan on the store," he said with a grin.
At the age of five, she would have given him a swift kick in the shin. Right now, that option appeared enticing.
Drew stood to the side, smiling at her, enjoying the sibling rivalry.
"Why are you so happy?" she asked.
"Sitting back and thinking how interesting you're going to make this town. A sex shop, lingerie. Are you going to open up a massage parlor?"
"Now, that's a thought, don't tempt me. Now, don't the two of you have something more interesting to do besides aggravating me while I work?”
* * *
Kelsey's car just seemed to drive itself out to Cody's place. After the showdown with Jim, she didn't want to go home. Plus, she needed to return his sweat suit.
Cupid's Dance: Western Small Town Contemporary Romance (Return to Cupid, Texas Book 3) Page 4
