She scowled at him, but there was no heat in it. Actually, it felt, well, good to play it down like this. Even if it shouldn’t. The effects of this could be very real. Very harmful. And that’s why, despite what’d happened in the shower, she needed to tell him that she should leave town.
“Don’t go,” he blurted out as she stood. He slapped his beer on the table, went to her and pulled her to him. “Don’t run because you think it’ll spare me some gossip. It won’t,” Austin assured her.
McCall had an argument for this. No, her leaving wouldn’t immediately spare him gossip, but “out of sight, out of mind” might soon apply to those doing the talking about her. That would eventually spare Austin from hearing it. From having to explain it to his girls, too, if somehow the talk got back to them.
But McCall didn’t get to voice a word of that well-thought-out argument.
That’s because Austin kissed her. There was just as much heat in this one as the others, but there seemed to be something else. Some emotion that frightened her. And drew her right in.
“Give it a week,” he said, their mouths still touching. “One week. Then decide if you want to stay or go.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
MAIN STREET WAS now her own personal fishbowl. McCall had no doubts about that when she came out of the lawyer’s office.
One step outside the door, and it was as if all conversations and movement stopped, and McCall figured the dozen or so people milling around had been waiting to get a glimpse of her. Maybe even more than a glimpse. Perhaps they were trying to hear some snippet to clue them in to why she’d had an appointment with the town’s attorney, Rick Downing.
If that’s what the townsfolks were after, they’d be sorely disappointed if they learned this had nothing to do with Peekaboo. Her visit to the lawyer was about the other scandal. The first one Cody Joe had set into motion with Miss Watermelon. And now, McCall had started the process to sever foundation ties with him.
Whether or not Cody Joe would actually agree to do that was anyone’s guess, but McCall was hoping, now that he’d done his best to ruin her life, he’d also washed his hands of her in all areas, including the foundation.
“I’ll have the paperwork ready for you to sign later today,” Rick told her in a voice low enough to let her know that he, too, was aware people might be trying to listen.
He’d walked her to the door and now looked out on Main Street as if gauging what she might face. Judging that she still had a lot to “face,” he gave her a pat on the back. “Hang in there,” Rick murmured before he stepped back in his office and shut the door.
At least he hadn’t tried to reassure her that all of this would die down soon. It wouldn’t. Her sister Hadley had taken a joyride in a stolen car nearly two decades ago, and people still brought it up. Apparently, there were no issues with memory loss when it came to her and her family.
McCall pulled in a long breath. “Does anyone have a question or something they want to say to me?” she called out.
Well, that was one way to put a stop to the stares and the behind-the-hand whispers. Everyone suddenly got very interested in something else. Of course, if Hattie or Tandy had been on Main Street, they would have taken her up on that offer. Someone would likely call them to let them know about it, which meant they could still show up before she walked the two blocks up the street to the parking lot.
McCall almost wished for conversation. Anything to get all of it more out into the open. Then she wouldn’t have to think about the request Austin had made the day before.
One week.
That’s what he’d asked her to take before making up her mind. One week to make a decision that would change her life forever.
If she left Lone Star Ridge, it would pretty much put an end to any relationship she might have with Austin. If she stayed, it could do the same but in a much messier way. Either way, Austin would likely end up getting hurt. Ditto for her, but there was no likely about it. Somehow, the kissing, lusting and the shower sex had caused her to feel more for him than kissing, lusting and shower sex.
She was falling in love with him.
And that wasn’t good for either of them.
Her phone rang, and she groaned softly when she saw Mr. Bolton’s name on the screen. Since they didn’t have an appointment, she considered letting it go to voice mail, but it’d been several days since he’d contacted her, so she didn’t want to blow him off. Especially since she thought she could lose clients once they heard about Peekaboo.
“One hour?” Mr. Bolton demanded the moment she answered.
McCall immediately thought she knew what this was about. Mrs. Eidelman. Judging from Mr. Bolton’s snappish tone, the woman and he had gotten together and he wasn’t pleased about the time delay she’d suggested for foreplay.
“Some women need more time,” McCall pointed out.
“One hour,” he repeated in a protesting grumble. “That’s too long. I fizzle out by then and go a little limp. Do you know what I mean?”
Yes, she’d deciphered his complex code of communication. “Some men need help in that area. If it continues to be a problem, there are medications—”
“I don’t need no stinkin’ pills. I just need to get on with it before the fizzling happens.”
“Well, maybe your partner needs that time to take her from fizzle to sizzle.”
McCall groaned. Mercy, had she just said that? Apparently so, and judging from the way Sherman Graham’s head whipped up, he’d heard it even though he was a good fifteen feet ahead of her on the sidewalk. He looked back over his shoulder at her, his eyebrows raised, but the shift in his position allowed her to see something else.
Edith.
The woman was ahead of Sherman and was making a beeline toward McCall. Okay. Be careful what you wish for. McCall had wanted conversation, and she was apparently about to get it.
“See if your partner will be willing to reduce the time for one hour to forty-five minutes,” McCall advised Mr. Bolton. “Call me tomorrow morning at ten, and we can talk more about this.”
She had just put away her phone by the time Edith made it to her. “You’re still here in town,” Edith greeted.
“For now.” That was all she got a chance to say before Edith continued.
“Austin won’t like me talking to you,” the woman said. “He called and told me to back off, that he didn’t want me pressuring you. Well, I thought pressure was needed so that’s why I went to Em’s to see you.”
“Yes. You made your opinion clear on this.” McCall didn’t say it in anger, but even she could hear the chill in her voice. She had a right to that chilly tone, but Edith also had a right to her concern. “I know it’s uncomfortable for you that I own Peekaboo. Trust me, at times it’s uncomfortable for me, as well.”
Edith gave an acknowledging nod and glanced around, no doubt to see if anyone was listening. Other conversation and movement had stopped again, so yes, people were listening. Or rather trying to do that. It wouldn’t surprise McCall if a few of those folks were attempting lip reading.
“Your assistant, Boo, also called me and gave me an earful,” Edith added, her voice practically a whisper now.
Now, McCall was surprised. She had no idea Boo had done that, nor did she think it was a good idea.
“Boo explained to me the changes you’ve made at the club,” Edith went on. “And explained, too, that you’d considered just letting the business go bankrupt but how that would hurt the...women and other employees who work there.”
Obviously, Boo had gotten very chatty, and it appeared to have given Edith some food for thought.
“I still don’t think you’re good for Austin and my grandbabies,” Edith went on.
So, evidently that food for thought hadn’t changed her opinion about this. “There’ll always be talk about it,” McCall admitted. “But I still have
n’t made up my mind if I’m leaving town or not.”
McCall would have added more, but the footsteps behind her caused her to turn around. It was Leyton, and he was eyeing Edith as if he might want to arrest her.
“Are you okay?” Leyton asked, and McCall realized he meant the question for her.
She nodded. “Thanks, I’m fine.” But she did appreciate Leyton looking out for her.
“I wasn’t badgering her,” Edith insisted. “So, there’s no need to call Austin and tell him I was talking to McCall.”
“No need to call him,” Leyton agreed. He tipped his head to the sidewalk across the street. “Because Austin can see it for himself.”
When she shifted in that direction, Edith went stiff, but then she smiled. McCall soon saw why. Austin wasn’t alone. The girls were with him.
“The fairy lady,” Avery squealed.
Maybe because Gracie and she were too eager to get across the street, Austin scooped them both up, and he made his way toward them. He, too, was smiling. Sort of. He smiled at Leyton and McCall, anyway, but there seemed to be a warning in his eyes when he looked at Edith.
“The fairy lady,” Gracie greeted when Austin set them down on the sidewalk.
Both Avery and she hurried past Edith and greeted McCall as if she were their best friend who they hadn’t seen in ages. They latched on to McCall’s legs for a hug. Since she didn’t think she could pick them up the way that Austin had, McCall stooped down and cuddled them in her arms for a moment. She also automatically checked Gracie’s forehead with her wrist but didn’t feel any fever.
“Can we play fairy tale rules?” Avery asked. “Can we? Can we peaze?”
McCall couldn’t help but smile at that, but clearly Edith wasn’t feeling the love. Her expression had gotten even stonier, and that’s why McCall gave the girls a vague, “We’ll play it soon.” Then she steered the girls in their grandmother’s direction. Edith stooped to give them hugs as McCall had done.
When McCall stood, she practically bumped right into Austin. He reached out, taking hold of her arm to steady her, and just like that, McCall remembered how they’d ended up in the shower. Good grief. She needed to make herself immune to him or at least learn how to put her body in the chill mode whenever she was around him.
“Hey,” Austin drawled, and he leaned in and brushed his mouth over hers.
McCall was certain she wasn’t the only one shocked by that kiss. Even Leyton made a sound of surprise. The girls giggled. Edith looked ready to keel over.
“Can you come over later?” Austin asked McCall, clearly ignoring the other responses.
“Yay!” Avery and Gracie squealed, and that was accompanied by some jumping up and down. Anyone within hearing or seeing distance was definitely getting some gossip fodder right now.
“The girls and I can cook dinner for you,” Austin added as if to sweeten the pot on his invitation. The twins were all for that, too, and started with the pleases while they tugged on McCall’s hand.
Again, that didn’t please Edith.
Neither would McCall’s answer, but she realized she didn’t want to say no just because Edith disapproved. Obviously, Avery, Gracie and Austin wanted her there. And it wasn’t as if an evening with them would sway her whether to stay in Lone Star Ridge.
Well, maybe it wouldn’t.
“I’d love to come over,” McCall said, earning her not just a grin from Austin but another of those short kisses, as well. Short in this case didn’t equal sweet. Even the brief mouth-to-mouth contact was like a flashfire.
“Now that Gracie’s feeling better, I was hoping to get some playtime with the girls,” Edith piped in.
“Maybe you can do that on Saturday,” Austin agreed just as Leyton stepped away to take a call.
Edith would have almost certainly preferred to have the girls today, and that way they wouldn’t be around Austin’s strip-club-owner friend. And that riled McCall. Yes, Edith had a right to be concerned about her grandchildren, but McCall wasn’t going to corrupt them with tales of Peekaboo. Plus, the girls clearly wanted to spend time with her.
“Gotta go,” Austin said. “I’m taking Gracie in for a checkup.”
“Oh, I can go with you for that and watch Avery,” Edith insisted.
Austin didn’t tell her no, but McCall got the feeling that’s because he intended to talk to the woman and make sure she wasn’t bothering McCall.
McCall got a second round of leg hugs from the girls, and she watched as the four of them headed up the street toward the small medical clinics attached to the hospital. She was about to go to her car when Leyton stopped her.
“Hold up a sec,” Leyton said, still talking on the phone.
She waited, expecting some kind of a pep/hang-in-there talk from Leyton, but after seeing his expression, McCall knew something was wrong. “What happened?” she asked the moment he ended the call.
“That was Em. She said Cody Joe Lozano just showed up at her house. He won’t leave, and she wants me to come over and run him off before you get home. She didn’t want him upsetting you. And she especially wanted him gone before Boo got back from running errands. Em thought Boo might punch him or something.”
With each word Leyton spoke, the anger came. Building and building until she felt like a pressure cooker about to spew. She groaned, fisted her hand in her hair and pulled hard. The gesture would no doubt get tongues wagging—again—but she hoped the pain in her scalp would stop her from yelling in anger. The SOB Cody Joe just couldn’t stay out of her life.
“I’ll handle it,” McCall said, but then realized she’d spoken through clenched teeth.
“Uh, I don’t think so. Come on,” Leyton instructed. “You can ride to Em’s in the cruiser with me, and when we’re done, I’ll bring you back into town to get your car.”
Her first thought was to refuse. She wanted to storm over to Granny Em’s and carry out the threat to crush Cody Joe’s balls, and she wouldn’t need a garlic press to do it, either. She could crush them in her fist. But that would only escalate this feud that in no way needed such escalation. Cody Joe had already done the damage, and there wasn’t anything that could undo it. Especially anything related to garlic presses, fists and balls.
On a resigned sigh, she followed Leyton to his cruiser, which was parked just outside the police department. “Thank you for this,” McCall said as they got in.
He didn’t say something like “This is my job,” and even though it was, it hadn’t been his job to come out and check on her when she’d been talking with Edith. That’d been a duty to his brother.
“If you can stand to hear any more advice or interference,” Leyton said, driving toward Em’s, “I don’t think you should leave town because of anything that’s happening. Or leave because of or as a result of an asshole causing trouble.”
“Even if that trouble could affect Austin?” she asked.
“Even then. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my brother truly happy. You make him happy.”
“The jury’s out on that,” she mumbled. “I don’t want him hurt,” McCall added. “Austin’s already been through enough, and he doesn’t need me causing trouble between Edith and him.”
“Edith’s not blind,” Leyton commented. “She saw Austin smile, saw the way Avery and Gracie reacted to you. Oh, yeah. And Edith also saw those kisses.”
Plenty of other people had seen those kisses, too, and by now the brief lip-locks had likely made news in the tricounty area. Austin shouldn’t have done that. Heck, she shouldn’t have stood there and enjoyed each and every one of them.
McCall stayed quiet a moment, wondering if this conversation was meant to cool down her anger or if Leyton was just trying to smooth things over for Austin’s sake. No matter which it was, she thought Leyton might be straight with her.
“Do you think Edith seeing that smile an
d the girls’ reaction will cause her to back off with her custody threat?” McCall came out and asked. “Or will it make her dig in her heels because she’s worried about having to share them?”
He lifted his shoulder and made brief eye contact with her as he took the turn to Em’s. “I think it could go either way. Edith’s still grieving for Zoey, and she lets that grief play into the decisions she makes. And FYI, not all those decisions are anywhere near the right ones for Austin and his girls. Just remember that when it comes to making your own decisions.”
All of that sounded like something a counselor would say. Wise words, yes, but wisdom wasn’t always easy to carry out.
“Since you’re not telling me to mind my own business,” Leyton went on, “I should probably ask if you staying here is even doable. I know you’ve got businesses to run back in Dallas.”
“It’s doable,” she admitted. “But it’s taken some juggling. Boo is fine for now, but she’ll definitely want to go back. Maybe, though, I could talk her into taking a bigger part in running the club.”
Boo would no doubt jump right on that. So would most of her clients if she switched them to phone consults. Still, that was a lot of rearranging and then possibly rearranging the changes if things didn’t work out between Austin and her. Of course, she could just stay for Em. That was plenty enough reason, considering that Em might soon need more help than she was getting from a part-time housekeeper.
However, McCall had to put her decision making aside because Leyton pulled to a stop in front of Em’s.
She immediately spotted Cody Joe. It would have been impossible to miss him because he had a massive bouquet of red roses tucked in each of his arms, and he was pacing across the porch. He appeared to be muttering to himself, but his expression brightened when McCall stepped from the cruiser. He hardly spared Leyton a glance.
“I knew you’d get here sooner or later,” Cody Joe said right off. “Your grandmother wouldn’t let me in.”
Chasing Trouble in Texas Page 18