Page 2 of My Cowboy Kiss
I scroll down the page and there’s another picture. Then another. Each of them saying I come on to men whether they’re in a relationship or not. The last photo is one of me laughing while talking to Junior York when we were waiting in line at the hardware store. His wife hates my mama because she thinks Junior was involved with her.
Who the hell was taking these photos?
“Is this who you werebusydoing?” Stacy puts her hand to her mouth and bats her eyes.
Ah…mystery solved.
“I squeezed him in right after your boyfriend.” I smirk back refusing to show weakness.Hold it together, Courtney.You can cry later.
She flounces off and the rest of the morning passes in a blur. When it’s lunch time, I’m grateful for the excuse to finally leave the office and the whispering of my colleagues behind. I put on an oversized pair of sunglasses I unearth from the trunk of my car and keep my head down as I walk along the sidewalk.
In front of the library, I get a glare from a woman after the man she’s walking hand in hand with leers at me.I guess he’s read the lies.
“Don’t you look at my husband,” the woman snarls, hands on hips, her eyes flashing fire.
“Hold onto your tongue, Courtney. No good comes from fighting backwhen you’vegot a mama like yours.The school counselor’s advice pops into my head. She was wrong. Keeping quiet never did me a lick of good. The hyenas grew bolder, ripping my skin to get to my heart. Once I left Clover County and transferred to Lucky River High, I thought all that drama and hurt was behind me.
“Why are you mouthing at me when he’s the sleaze?” I look the woman in the eye. “Trust me. He’s safe. I’m notthatdesperate.”
She says something hateful about me as I walk away. Nothing I haven’t heard before. Haters are never original when they spew insults.
Crossing the street, I put some space between me and Snarly and Sleaze. People are looking at me a little too long and the back of my neck is burning. I need to get out of sight.
My stomach growls and I decide to grab a quick snack and hide out in my car while listening to my favorite songs. Destressing with music has been one of my go-to self-therapies.
The parking lot of the convenience store only has one vehicle which means I shouldn’t have to face down a crowd demanding I make my mama quit breaking up families. That happened on my fifteenth birthday. Not a gift I enjoyed, that’s for sure.
I step in and the cashier gives me a friendly greeting, then continues stocking chips on the shelf.
Claudia Morris, the elderly woman who organizes the town’s yearly Lasso a Cowboy charity event puts an energy drink on the counter and then notices me. “That drink’s not for me. It’s for my boyfriend so he can keep up with me.”
I laugh because she’s always joking that she gets a new, younger man every week. I only laugh because I know she’dprefer joking like that to anyone feeling sorry for her since she became a widow.
As I move toward the beverage cooler, she says, “Don’t you pay that talk any attention. Most of those gab bags are from Clover County or they’re not originally from Lucky River. Folks who grew up here don’t treat people like that.”
“I know.” I choose a cold soda, some chips, then a big chocolate bar because calories don’t count when you’re feeling down. I get in line behind her and continue the conversation. “But the comments are?—”
“Designed to hurt.” Claudia takes her items, then pats the back of my hand. “You square your back, Sugar. You haven’t done anything wrong. Concentrate on your own life and not what morons say.” She jabs me with her elbow. “Especially concentrate on River.”
I hand my debit card to the cashier after she tells me the total. “River? He’s my best friend.”
“He might be your friend but he’s a hell of a hottie.”
“He is,” I agree. River is handsome and as tempting as sin. He’s sweet with a mesmerizing smile and a body built by hard work. I’ve seen him when his jeans were tight and riding low showing off a nice bulge.
I don’t—okay, Itrynot to—think of seeing that bulge. Time to change the subject before I overheat and turn my cold drink into a heated one.
“I’ll bet he’d be the sweetest boyfriend.”
I can’t think of a woman in this town who’d deserve him. “It’s a wonder why he’s still single,” I say just to keep from dwelling on how much I hate that thought.
Claudia smiles as I put my card back into my pocket. “I said something similar about my late husband before we ended up together. I have a feeling River won’t be single long.”
A guy I once worked with on a design collaboration gets in line behind us. “Who cares if River’s still single. He’s not here and I am.” He grins at me, his gaze resting on my chest. “I hear you’re looking for someone, Courtney. Why don’t I get your number?”
I wince at Claudia, then sigh and say, “I’m not interested.”
Before he can say anything else, Claudia points to her chest and says, “Me and my boobs aren’t interested either.”
