He didn’t think she expected an answer from him, but obviously she did as she leaned against the hood, jerking her thumb in Ted and Fred’s direction. “You were there. Tell them.”
Gage rubbed a hand along his jaw then turned to the two men standing on the porch. “Ted, Fred, she didn’t have a lot of clothes on, but she did have clothes on.”
“Real helpful.” She scowled at him as he held open the door.
“That one’s trouble, Gage. You better keep an eye on her,” Ted said.
Before Gage closed the door, Madison leaned past him. “I am not trouble, and I do not need a babysitter.”
“Yes, you are. You need a keeper.”
Gage closed the door on her response.
“None of this is my fault, you know,” she said, as soon as he got behind the wheel. “Nell set me up, those boys were tormenting Annie, and I saved Ted.”
She was right about Nell, and damned if he was going to bring up her hanging out the window half-naked again. “Yeah,” he said, starting the engine, “you only nailed a kid with a snowball.”
She turned to look out the window. “I barely hit him.”
“And that’s what I’m going to tell everyone who’s calling for you to be charged with assault. Including Trent’s mother, Brandi.”
“Maybe Trent’s mother should be more concerned that her son is bullying a young girl and making her life miserable than getting bent out of shape about a teensy tiny snowball that grazed her son’s shoulder.”
Gage frowned. “Is that what Annie told you? I thought yesterday was an isolated incident.”
“No, from what I got out of her, this has been going on for several months.”
His fingers tightened on the steering wheel. If what Madison said was true, it went a long way in explaining the changes he’d noticed in Annie. “I don’t get it. What is it about you? You’ve known Annie for less than twenty-four hours, and she tells you things I’ve been trying to pry out of her for the last few months.”
Madison shifted in her seat, searching his face. “And that makes you angry, hurts your feelings?”
“I’m not a damn girl.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “All right, sure. Maybe you can tell me why my daughter confides in a stranger and not her father?”
“Let’s just say we found out we have some things in common. As for her not telling you, she’s a smart kid and probably has a pretty good idea how you’d react. Having her dad, who just happens to be the sheriff, confront those boys would be pretty embarrassing for a twelve-year-old girl.”
He turned onto Main Street, casting her a sidelong glance. “So how’d you get so smart? I know you’re single and don’t have kids of your own.” Once Nell had found out the name of the woman who’d put together the report for Hartwell, she’d done a little investigating on her own. She’d been happy—maybe too happy—to report Madison’s single status to Gage and Ethan.
“Surprising as it may be, I was one once.”
Gage grinned. “You know what I mean. I can’t imagine someone like you was ever bullied.”
“No? Then you’d be wrong.” There was no amusement in her eyes now.
Something about her made him want to push and find out what had caused the light to go out of her eyes. “Let me guess—the girls were jealous because you were beautiful and stole all the boys’ attention.”
“Wrong again, Sheriff. I know you think there’s nothing better than living in a small town, but when you don’t fit in, or God forbid you’re from the wrong side of the tracks and have a father who’s a drunk and a mother…” Her lips flattened.
And the puzzle that was Madison Lane started to click into place. Some of her reactions and comments began to make sense. He pulled in front of Naughty and Nice, then turned off the engine. Her eyes met his, and his chest tightened at the pain he saw reflected there. “Just like people, not all towns are the same, Madison.” Unable to help himself, he lightly brushed her hair back from her face. Fighting an urge to tug those silky strands from their unflattering confines, he curled his fingers into his palm.
“Sorry to break it to you, Sheriff, but so far Christmas hasn’t given me much reason to change my opinion of small towns.”
Considering what she’d had to deal with in the last twenty-four hours, he understood why. “Give us a chance. We might just surprise you.”
Aw, hell, that sounded like he wanted her to give him a chance. And maybe for a minute there he had, but only for a minute. That is, until she nervously ran the tip of her tongue over her upper lip. Not the Kewpie-doll mouth from the day before; now her lips looked delectably full and kissable.
As if she could read his thoughts, she jerked her gaze from his, angling her head to get a better look at the window display. “Umm, I’m not sure this is the right store for me,” she said slowly.
“I don’t know,” Gage said, taking in the scantily clad mannequin. “Looks a bit like what you had on this morning, only in red.”
She swung her gaze back to him. “None of you are going to let me forget that, are you?”
“Nope, probably not.” He knew he sure as hell wouldn’t be able to. “Give me your phone. I’ll put my number in. That way you can call when you’re finished shopping, and I’ll pick you up.”
“Thanks, but it might take me a while. I’ll walk back to Nell’s.”
“You’re forgetting you have a date with some gingerbread men.”
She sighed and handed over her phone.
“Now remember,” he said once he’d finished entering the number, “if anyone ticks you off, you call me. No nailing them with a snowball.”
“I’m a big girl, Sheriff. I can take care of myself,” she said, as she got out of the Suburban. “Besides, I plan on keeping a low profile from now on.”
Chapter Eight
Madison focused on the store window in front of her, afraid that if she looked back, she wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to climb into the Suburban and throw herself into Gage’s arms, letting him take away that small ache—the one that crept up on her whenever she took a trip down memory lane.
He was getting to her. Dammit. Physical attraction was one thing—and she was attracted, all right. She’d have to be dead not to be. But beyond his gorgeous looks and panty-melting voice, the man was the real deal.
She heard him pull away from the curb and, unable to help herself, looked over her shoulder to watch him drive down the snow-dusted, cobblestone street. One week, she reminded herself, only one week, and she’d be back in the city, enjoying the comfort of anonymity.
She opened the red door, refusing to think about the fact that being comforted by Gage would be much more satisfying. As she took in the glitz and glamour of the clothes lining the racks, her first thought was: keeping a low profile while being outfitted by Naughty and Nice would be next to impossible.
A heavily accented voice called out, “I will be right with you.” Madison turned to see a woman wiggling her way beneath the red satin drapery that formed the backdrop to the window display.
“No problem. I’ll just look around.”
There was nothing small town about Naughty and Nice, with its white marble floors, white leather lounge chairs, and poinsettia trees standing sentry at the fitting room entrance. It was as upscale as any Fifth Avenue boutique. Not that Madison shopped in upscale boutiques. She could afford to, but she preferred to save her money rather than spend it. Skye and Vivi had been known to call her cheap on occasion, but Madison liked to think of herself as fiscally responsible. If she didn’t have at least a year’s salary sitting in her accounts, she broke out in hives.
Madison hadn’t made it more than two feet into the store when the woman behind the curtain let loose a string of incomprehensible words.
“Sophia, watch your mouth,” a petite strawberry blonde said, as she walked beneath a plastered archway that connected two stores. And if the delectable scent perfuming the air was anything to go by, the other shop sold chocolate.
<
br /> Madison’s stomach rumbled loud enough for the woman approaching her to hear.
Wearing a brown apron with sparkling pink writing that read “Sugar and Spice,” the woman grinned. “Today’s sample.” She offered a crystal platter laden with chocolates.
The curtain rustled, and another string of what Madison thought might be Spanish blistered the air.
“Sophia, you have a customer.” The woman smiled an apology. “Don’t be shy, take one.”
Madison put a hand on her stomach. “I couldn’t. I haven’t eaten breakfast yet.”
“So I heard.” She chuckled. “Chocolate’s the breakfast of champions, don’t you know?”
Of course she did. “Thanks.” Madison chose a chocolate cup with an intricate white lace design on top. Taking a bite, she closed her eyes and hummed her appreciation. “I’ve never tasted anything this good. I-It’s…”
“Orgasmic?”
Madison nodded enthusiastically. “That’s it exactly. I’ll take a dozen before I leave.” The woman laughed. “No, I’m serious.” Who needed a man when you had chocolate this good? Unless the man was Gage McBride… At the thought, she helped herself to another.
When she opened her eyes after devouring the second, equally delicious chocolate, the most beautiful woman Madison had seen outside of a magazine stood before her. She had a waterfall of long, dark hair, her exotic features enhanced by warm mocha skin.
“I stabbed myself,” the woman whined.
“You’re such a baby, Sophia. Let me see.” The chocolate lady handed off the platter to Madison, then pulled the woman’s finger from her mouth. “It’s a… pinprick.”
“Yes, but it hurts,” Sophia pouted.
With a roll of her eyes, the other woman turned to Madison. “Sorry, I should’ve introduced myself. I’m Autumn Dane. I own Sugar and Spice.” She pointed in the direction of the shop on the other side of the archway before retrieving the crystal platter from Madison. “And this is Sophia Dane. She owns Naughty and Nice.”
“Yes, she is the nice in naughty, and I am the spice in sugar.” Sophia let loose a throaty laugh.
Madison looked from one woman to the other. “Sisters?”
Autumn laughed. “Sisters-in-law.”
“Are you married to the Danes who own the ski hill and lodge?” Madison asked tentatively. If they were, keeping her identity to herself might be best. Coulter Dane hadn’t seemed to mind that the resort deal had gone south, but she didn’t think his great-grandsons and great-nephew would be as understanding. Madison had heard that it was Rick Dane, his great-nephew, who’d first approached Hartwell, but she’d never had any dealings with the man.
“Yes, but my husband, Bryce, he died two years ago. It was very sad.” Sophia sniffed. “And Logan, the ass, he divorced Autumn.”
“I’m sorry. I—”
Autumn patted Sophia’s arm. “I’m sure Ms. Lane didn’t come in to hear our life story.”
So much for keeping her identity a secret. “I didn’t realize you knew who I am.”
Sophia recovered quickly, her deep laugh booming through the shop. “Yes, you are the Grinch lady. The one the town hates.”
“Sophia,” Autumn groaned. “Don’t mind her,” she said to Madison.
Hands on her hips, Sophia rounded on her sister-in-law. “What? That is what they call her.” She turned to Madison. “Do not worry. They hate me when I come to town, but now they lo-o-ove me.” Her smile faded as her dark eyes narrowed, her nose wrinkling in distaste. “Why do you dress like this?”
“Sophia,” Autumn muttered, then gave Madison an apologetic shrug.
“I… well, it’s practical for work, and—”
“No, no more practical. I will make you beautiful.” She flicked Madison’s black coat with a long red fingernail.
Autumn gave a resigned shake of her head and walked away to place the platter on a glass counter.
“Um, I don’t need beautiful. Just maybe—” Madison shot a desperate look at the racks “—jeans… jeans and a couple of sweaters.”
“I will dress you. I know what I am doing. I was a model.” Taking her firmly by the hand, Sophia dragged Madison to the far end of the store. Madison shot a desperate look over her shoulder at Autumn.
Autumn grinned. Miss January, she mouthed.
An hour later, Madison stood in a fitting room overflowing with clothes. As she pulled a red knit dress over her head, she struggled to retain her balance in a pair of black leather thigh-high boots with five-inch needle-thin heels.
“Sophia, I don’t know why I’m trying this on.” Madison raised her voice to be heard through the fitting room door. “I’m not going to need a dress while I’m here.”
“Yes, you do. You are coming to the Penalty Box with us on Friday night. Let me see the dress.”
Madison didn’t bother to argue. She’d quickly learned the Latina beauty talked right over you if you tried. Unaccustomed to wearing heels, Madison wobbled out of the fitting room. She promptly lost her balance and clung to the door.
Sophia, who sat on a white leather chaise filing her nails, looked up and tipped her head back. “Autumn!” she yelled, before returning her attention to Madison. “Come here.”
“I don’t think I can, not without falling.”
With languid grace, Sophia rose from the chaise and came to Madison, prying her fingers from the door. “Walk like this.” Hips swaying, Sophia sashayed across the marble floor.
“If I walk like that, I’ll fall on my butt.”
The door chime cut Sophia off mid-laugh. She waved at the tiny gnome of a woman who entered the store.
“Teach Maddie to walk in her boots while I look after Mrs. Tate,” Sophia said to Autumn, who’d come up the steps from her shop.
“Wow, you look amazing, Maddie.”
“Yes, and she is wearing that dress when she comes out with us Friday night,” Sophia yelled from the front of the store.
“That’s great. I’m so glad you’re coming with us,” Autumn said warmly.
“I wish I could, but I’m leaving Friday morning.” Madison enjoyed hanging out with the two women, but that didn’t mean she wanted to stay in Christmas any longer than she had to. Thoughts of what her to-do list would look like when she returned to work was giving her hives. And worrying about what Harrison was up to while she was away wasn’t helping.
“Why don’t you stay for an extra day or two? We’ll—” Autumn began when a shrill voice from the direction of Sugar and Spice cut her off.
“Autumn, where are you? I need chocolate. Now,” a woman’s strident voice demanded.
“Maddie, get in the fitting room.” Autumn gave her a push. “Be right with you, Brandi.”
A sinking feeling came over Madison. “Autumn, Brandi wouldn’t be—”
As heels clattered up the stairs, Autumn gave a panicked gasp and went to shove Madison through the fitting room door.
“What are… What is she doing here?” a woman with bleached-blonde hair demanded, glaring at Madison.
“Sophia, I can’t believe you allowed her in your shop after what she did to Trent,” another woman, this one with a cap of spiky black hair, said as she marched to the blonde’s side.
“Enough, Hailey,” Sophia called out, heading in their direction.
“Ignore them,” Autumn said under her breath before she walked over to the two women, taking them by the arms.
“Let me go.” The blonde pushed Autumn’s hand from her arm, glowering at Madison. “Who the hell do you think you are, picking on my kid? You want to pick on someone, pick on someone your own size.”
Perfect. Just as Madison had suspected, the belligerent blonde was Trent’s mother. The only way to defuse the situation was to apologize. “Look, I’m sorry—”
“No, I will take care of them,” Sophia cut Madison off and stared down the two women. “Sugar and Spice is that way.” She pointed. “Get your chocolate fix. You need it.”
Brandi snapped her gaze t
o Sophia. “I swear, Sophia, if you take her side over ours, you’ll regret it.”
Madison wasn’t about to let Sophia suffer on her account. “Hey, don’t threaten her. You have a problem with me, that’s fine, but leave—”
“Is that right. Whatcha going to do about it?” Brandi shook off Sophia’s hand and took a step in Madison’s direction.
Well acquainted with small-town bullies, Madison figured the faster she got out of Sophia’s shop the better, for everybody. Holding on to a naked mannequin for support, she leaned over to unzip the boots.
“Yeah, show us what you got. You’re not looking so tough now,” the dark-haired Hailey jeered.
Autumn threw up her hands. “Oh, come on, ladies. This is—”
Sidestepping Sophia, Brandi bumped into the mannequin. The arm Madison was holding on to broke off in her hand. She stumbled. Her arms windmilling as she struggled to remain upright, the mannequin’s hand clipped Brandi’s shoulder. Hard.
“Oh, shit,” Madison gasped, as she fell back against the wall. “Sorry, I—”
“You hit me!” Brandi cried, reaching for her.
“Hija de puta, it was an accident. Do not touch my friend.” Sophia inserted herself between Madison and Brandi. Planting both hands on Brandi’s chest, she shoved her back.
Brandi lost her balance. Cursing at Sophia, she grabbed her hand as she went down. The two women ended up sprawled on the slippery, marble floor.
Hailey hip-checked Autumn out of the way and reached for her friend.
“Stop that! You’re going to—” Madison winced when the two women ended up falling on top of Sophia and Brandi on the floor. She bit her lip to hold back a nervous laugh as she leaned over to help Autumn up.
“You think it’s funny, do you?” Brandi muttered, and with an outthrust foot, she brought Madison to the ground. In a tangled heap of arms and legs, the women fought to free themselves amidst a chorus of grunts, groans, and curses.
“Say cheese, ladies.”
Madison looked over her shoulder, blinking into a camera’s flash. She rubbed her eyes, trying to clear away the spots.
“No more pictures, Dane,” a familiar voice ordered.
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