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And then there were times when she was absolutely certainlaw enforcement was standing right behind her, ready to take her in for a crimeshe hadn’t committed.
“You okay, honey?” Christa Wade looked up from the deepfryer. They were light on staff this evening, so she was helping out in theback. Her current employer was an older woman with what seemed like endlessenergy and enthusiasm. And kindness. “I sent Lance out to clean up. I’ll have atalk with Sharla Simmons. Her son cannot use my condiments for impromptu artprojects.”
It was so different from the cities she’d lived in. “Thekids are feral here. They scare me.”
That got her boss smiling. “Oh, a lot of our children live abit of a free-range experience.”
“Are they like wild animals? More afraid of me than I am ofthem.”
Christa’s head shook. “Nope. Country kids fear nothingexcept their momma’s wrath. You’ll get used to them. The good news is whenthey’re misbehaving, their parents will take care of it if you point it out.Now you didn’t answer my question. Are you okay? Milly said you slipped.”
Oh, yes, and she’d seen a broken bone in her future. Or atleast a lot of humiliation.
And then all she’d seen were deep green eyes and a jaw madefrom granite. It wasn’t like she hadn’t noticed the gorgeous cowboy. He’d beenin a couple of times, and it took a lot to not drool over him.
But she was smarter than the average girl because she’d beenway stupider in the past. She knew exactly what a man could do to a woman.
But they weren’t all alike, and you’re not going to behere a month from now. What would it hurt to blow off some steam? It’s not likeyou’ve been to bed with a man in…years. God, it had been years. Her lifewas getting away from her, and she wasn’t enjoying even the smallest part ofit.
Her heart ached because it wasn’t like she could go outthere and flirt with him.
Or his incredibly intense and hot brother. He hadn’t said adamn thing, but the look he’d given her had told her all she needed to know. Ormaybe they were cousins. She wasn’t sure. It was the first time she’d seen themystery cowboy with his family. The dark-haired older man was definitely hisfather, and she thought the red-haired woman was probably his mom, making heryounger version his sister. But she wasn’t sure where the gloriously gorgeousblond man fit in. He was older, too, but those two men were timeless.
“I’m fine. I didn’t fall or anything. And I know I’m clumsy,but I’ll get better.” She had to. She couldn’t afford to lose this job becauseher car was in desperate need of repair. She’d had to dump her original car andpay too much for a piece of crap since she’d had to find someone who would takecash and not request the normal paperwork.
Now the car needed work or it would break down entirely, andshe was stuck in Willow Fork. That was sort of good and kind of bad. In theweeks she’d been here she’d discovered the town was split in two. One side wasfriendly and welcoming, and the other looked at all strangers as potential…shewasn’t sure. Enemies. Criminals. Women who might lead the men astray. It wasweird.
Christa was definitely part of the good side of town. Sheput a hand on her shoulder. “I know you will. You’re already better. Youhandled the dinner rush this evening with ease.”
She wouldn’t say ease, but she was going to get through it.Of all the jobs she’d had over the last two years, this was the one she feltsafest at. She’d bartended at a couple of places in LA where they were willingto pay her under the table. She’d done a lot of housekeeping work, but she’dbeen surprised to find exactly how many people thought the women who scrubbedtheir floors were less than human.
All in all, Christa’s Café was a good place despite theferal children. It had nothing to do with that freaking gorgeous cowboy becausethat was going nowhere.
She looked out over the counter to where the cowboy waspushing back his chair. The auburn beauty—the younger one since the older onewas stunning, too—rolled her eyes at something he’d said. Definitely a sibling.
“That’s Josh,” Christa said quietly. “He’s a good kid.Though I guess he’s not a kid anymore. I love Josh. He calls me Aunt Christa,but you should know he’s a little on the wild side.”
“He’s mean?” Her brain went there. Immediately. Every singletime she thought of a man, her first question was would he turn into a freakingmonster. She knew that wasn’t what wild meant, but the words were an impulse.
Christa frowned her way, though it wasn’t an irritatedexpression. It was more curious, and that felt dangerous. “No, honey. Josh isthe least mean kid I know. However he has been known to go through women. Andhe has some…nope. I’m not talking about that. You should know that he and Grimare both lovely men, but they have bad reputations when it comes to the amountof women they can run through, though I’ve also heard no one’s complaining. Andthat is my lecture since you are obviously a whole-ass adult woman who likelycan spot a charming player from a mile away, no matter how good intentioned hemight be. You seem a little fragile.”
She was beyond fragile. She’d been broken and put backtogether so many times she wasn’t even sure where her original parts were. Itdidn’t matter because she couldn’t exactly start a relationship with anyone.Not when there was a warrant out for her arrest. For murder.
Once her car was fixed up, she was going to finally make herway to Mexico and then further south. She would lose herself in a big city andtry to find some kind of a life.
The cowboy named Josh looked her way as he held the dooropen. Their eyes met, and he tipped his hat toward her. He was big and broadand now she understood the phrase sex on two legs.
What would it hurt to be the next in line to try this Joshguy out? It wasn’t like she was going to be here in another two weeks. Three,tops.
Then the other guy looked her way, his dark eyes findinghers, and she swore she could feel the man’s hunger. It didn’t scare her theway it should have because she was apparently extremely horny and incapable ofbehaving like the walking Dateline episode she was.
Nicole forced herself to turn, picking up her notepad. Thelast thing she needed to do was get in between two relatives and potentiallystart a fight that would bring a whole lot of attention her way. It was onething when she’d thought she could hop in and out of Josh’s bed, but anotherwhen his brother/cousin/relative to be discerned later also made her heartpound and looked at her like he could eat her up. Still… “Why do they call himGrim?”
Christa waved at the woman who was likely Josh’s mom, andthen leaned over as the door closed behind them. “His real name is Jared, butI’m afraid he got that nickname in school and it stuck. His stepfather is a bitof a fire-and-brimstone type, if you know what I mean. He’s happier where he isnow. But he’s still got some family around I would tell you to stay away from.”
She felt her eyes widen. “Like the ones who stand in frontof the library at the community college and call all the girls who walk bywhores? I took that catering order out the other day and they were obnoxious.”
Christa’s eyes rolled and her head shook. “That sounds likethem. Look, hon, this place is full of church folk, and like all folk there’sgood and bad. Most of the churches here are loving and kind. One is a littlesnooty, but the one Jared was raised in is dangerous, in my opinion. He gotout, but they’re still around. Be careful around Ezekiel Smith and his boys andanyone in his church.”
