Page 30 of The Cowboy's Downfall
Posey McGregor, Jake McGregor’s sister-in-law, emerged from Jax in the Box, the children’s custom-made clothing store sandwiched between the Rage Room and Mayhem’s Private Moments. Posey owned the town’s daycare and was one of the law firm’s real estate clients, although George handled her business. He’d been the McGregor family lawyer for as long as he’d been in practice.
Posey smiled and said hello as the two women crossed paths, but Posey always seemed so shy, as if trying to avoid drawing attention to herself, and rarely spoke unless spoken to first. Shauna hadn’t been in Grand long enough to form too many friendships, and she’d steered clear of Posey so far because sometimes, business was better off staying business.
A bell above the door tinkled when Shauna entered the lingerie shop. A stunning, chestnut-haired beauty, at least six feet of physical female perfection, greeted her upon entry. Dark, liquid gold eyes captured the stream of light from the open door.
Meredith Quinn—the Mayhem in the shop’s name—was another real estate client. Shauna had handled the shop’s mortgage and identified her as someone she’d like to get to know better. She was so beautiful that she’d be easy for other women to dislike, except she was also so adorably gentle and kind only a monster could hate her. She could be counted on for discreetness, which was good, considering the line of business she was in. Shauna would love to know why her family called her Mayhem, but didn’t know her well enough yet to ask.
“Hey, Shauna,” Meredith said. “How can I help you?”
Just because the other woman was discreet didn’t mean Shauna had to spill her life secrets. “I’m looking for items to wear under a business suit that make me feel feminine but would also scandalize a few older male clients if they knew.”
Meredith nodded. If she questioned the truth of the story, she didn’t let on. “I hear that a lot. A silent protest of sorts. It keeps the workday interesting.” She reached for bright-colored scraps of cloth in a bin and withdrew a handful. “Have you considered string panties?” She sifted through a pile of neatly stacked lace. “What about a balconette bra in a color to match?”
Meredith had a good eye. She’d picked out Shauna’s cup size with unerring ease. “This mint green would look good on you. So would the periwinkle.” Shauna chose both.
As Meredith was ringing up her purchases, she casually said, “These styles are popular with the girls from the high school who sometimes drop by on their lunch hour.”
Which was her polite way of letting Shauna know that Taryn was one of those girls, and that maybe lunch wasn’t the best time for her to be doing her own intimate shopping henceforth.
She felt a headache coming on. Was Taryn buying string panties for Remi?Don’t go there.On the positive side, at least she was making new girlfriends—none of whose parents had called Shauna yet to complain. Give it time.
She tucked her own wrapped purchases into her purse, out of sight, because nothing screamedI’m having hot sexlike a small, discreet package withMayhem’s Private Momentsemblazoned on it. Despite the breathtaking price, they didn’t take up much space.
The sun threw enough heat on the return walk to her office that she unbuttoned her short jacket.
She stopped at the Wayside Café for a takeout coffee and sandwich she could eat at her desk. She waited next to the counter while her sandwich was made. The patio overlooking the river remained open because of the warm weather, but the air off the water held enough chill to keep patrons close to the building and out of the wind. The door to the patio was next to the counter, meaning Shauna had no difficulty in hearing every word of the conversation taking place at one of the tables outside.
“Meredith Quinn should know better than to sell sex toys to children,” an indignant voice said.
Meredith sold sex toys? That came as news. Shauna had just left the shop and seen nothing of the sort. Maybe Meredith had a back room—not that it mattered. She’d never have worked up the nerve to make such a purchase from someone she knew. She’d need to head to Billings for that. First, she should find out if Nix was into that sort of thing. Her own experience was zero.
“I blame that new little tart. What’s her name…Taryn?” someone else said. “She likes to tell the girls how much more progressive things are in California. Did you know she’s sleeping with one of the cowboys at the Endeavour? The one in charge of the bull riding clinic? I wonder if Dan McKillop knows. The man should be fired.”
Oh, Taryn.
Shauna’s stomach slid to her toes. Nix didn’t deserve this. And yet, her heart twisted in pity for her little sister. She had no idea how much damage she’d done by bragging about Nix to win friends. And winning friends was why she had done it. Shauna should have asked herself how Taryn had gotten so popular so quickly in a small rural school. It wasn’t by being friendly and kind.
Behind the counter, the barista’s ears shone a bright red. She’d overheard the conversation too, and she knew who the women were talking about, and that Taryn was Shauna’s sister. How to salvage the situation in a way that would save reputations and not cause further embarrassment?
Shauna thanked the barista for the coffee and sandwich and took them to the patio outside. She glanced around, eyed all the empty wrought iron bistro tables, and turned to the one under the awning by the door and the three women who occupied it. She paused a beat.
“Do you mind if I join you? I hate eating alone and it’s too nice to spend the whole day inside,” she said, smiling brightly.
There was the briefest of pauses while the women exchanged glances.
“Not at all.”
A pretty brunette in her early forties who clearly spent a few hours in a gym slid over to make room for a fourth chair. Shauna set her sandwich and coffee on the table and sat. Her new companions gave no indication that they knew they’d been overheard, which was perfect. They weren’t wrong about Taryn. She really was a bad influence on their daughters, as well as pretty much everyone else she encountered. And she’d lied big time about Nix.
But Taryn could only lead girls astray in a direction they were willing to go, and Shauna had no intention of allowing her sister to bear guilt for it alone.
She introduced herself, but the women, who worked in an office nearby, already knew who she was—thanks as much to her connections to the county sheriff and the law firm as her sister.
“You must be Nora’s mom,” she said to the pretty brunette who’d made room. “She looks just like you. She’s lovely. So polite and well-mannered. She’s been to my house a few times with Taryn.”
No mother could resist a compliment to her child, but Pam Harvey’s struggle to return a sincere one was real. “Thank you. Taryn is a very pretty girl. Nora talks about her a lot.”
Ouch.Was that the best she could come up with to say? Poor Taryn.
