He didn’t know how Shirl, Ty or anyone else could be so sure. He sure as hell wasn’t, but he hoped like hell she was safe and unharmed. He muttered a gruff, “Thanks,” and drank his coffee. Losing the girls had been his biggest fear since bringing Abby and Andie home from the hospital. After Marissa’s death, it had only worsened.
“Daddy!” Andie shouted for him as soon as she entered the diner with Dylan trailing behind her carrying her Little Buzzers uniform since she wasn’t quite old enough for the Bees. “Did you find Abby yet? Uncle Dylan said she has to be around here somewhere.”
Jack smiled and wrapped his arms around his favorite little six year old. “She definitely is sweetie and Ty and Dylan will find her.” He looked down into those bouncy golden curls and hazel eyes that reminded him of Marissa every single day.
“I can’t believe she’s not at Trixie’s. She always sneaks away and goes there. Oops!” Andie covered her mouth and looked up at her father, big gold and brown flecked eyes on the brink of tears. “Sorry Daddy.”
“It’s okay pumpkin, show me.” He took Andie’s hand letting her lead him out of the diner and across the street. He didn’t know anyone called Trixie in town but a bad feeling settled in his stomach, which only worsened when his daughter stopped in front of the display with scraps of silk and lace lingerie.
“This is it,” she sang like it was a prize. “Is Abby in trouble?”
Hell yes. “I don’t know yet Andie.” It depended on who the hell this Trixie was and what she was doing with his kid inside this kind of shop. Andie pulled him inside and Jack felt Dylan and Ty behind him but he didn’t dare turn around to look at them as they passed all kinds of colors and patterns of slinky garments meant to drive men wild. Grown men who loved seeing grown women in these things. Not little girls like Abby. As they drew closer to the back of the store soft music played and Abby’s voice spoke excitedly.
“What do you think Trixie? It’s a little uneven right here but otherwise I did okay, right?”
Trixie smiled and hugged Abby. “You did better than alright kiddo, that looks like you paid good money for it.”
“Really?” She beamed.
“Of course,” the curvy redhead ruffled his daughter’s hair. “I wore that hairstyle in college,” she joked, making them both laugh.
Jack watched silently, fuming that this sexy woman had the gall to…do this. “What in the hell is going on back here?” He stepped through the lace and velvet curtain that separated the back from the front.
“I just finished making a shrug Dad. It’s the first thing I’ve ever made! Isn’t it cool?”
He was too furious to care about some article of clothing. Whirling on Trixie, he pointed a finger at her. “And you, where do you get off holding other people’s kids back here in your, your…dungeon of perversity?”
She gasped and Jack willed his gaze to stay above the neck. “First of all I wasn’t holding anyone anywhere. Abby came to visit me and asked for some help with her knitting, I said yes. The same way I’ve done every damn day for the past month, so the next time you stick a finger in my face,” she leaned close enough he could see the flecks of silver in her blue eyes, “be prepared to lose it.”
Damn that was hot. It was the most inappropriate thought to cross his mind but there it was. She was a sexy little spitfire, which he didn’t not care about. Not at all. “Don’t take my daughter again without my permission,” he growled.
Blue eyes rolled skyward and she sighed heavily. “Fine.”
“Fine. In this town we check in with parents.” He stood closer than was necessary for such a tiny thing, but her scent wrapped around him. Apples and vanilla swirled in the air, making it hard to breathe in anything except her sexy scent.
“I know. I grew up here.” Then she turned her back on him and said goodbye to his daughter. “See you soon, kiddo.”
“Bye Trixie. Thank you for everything.”
Jack stood rooted to his spot, stunned speechless as realization sank in. Trixie was Beatrice Robinson, the awkward redhead who grew up next door to him.
Little Beatrice was now all grown up.
Once Jack and his entourage left her shop, Trixie retreated to the back once again to lick her wounds. It was no surprise Jack didn’t remember her, she was nothing but a pest to him back then, a bug to be swatted. Jack didn’t know she was alive back when she pined after him, wished on the moon and the stars that one day he would hers. Nope, he’d only had eyes for Marissa back then. And later.
Still it did hurt to know that she was so completely forgettable to him. She swiped at a few stray tears that managed to leak out just as a tiny little girl body came barreling at her. “Trixie I forgot to tie it off!”
She turned and smiled down at a pair of glittering hazel eyes, ignoring the three pairs of grownup, very male eyes studying her curiously. “Sure, come have a seat real quick.” Trixie set down behind her, hands poised to help if they were needed, but otherwise simply saying the steps aloud. “Pull it a bit tighter. There you go, and it’s done. That’s just one of the ways you can tie off, I’ll show you another soon, okay?”
Abby nodded and she couldn’t help but smile. The little girl was so full of life and energy it sometimes left Trixie exhausted, but mostly it left her feeling fulfilled. “Thanks Trixie, you’re the best!”
“Thanks Abby.” She squatted down so they were eye to eye, balanced precariously thanks to the pencil skirt and high heels she wore. “Now you have to promise next time you stop in here, your father knows. It’s important.”
She watched the little girl pout while she made her promise. “I will.”
“Great. And you’ll make a shrug for Andie so she doesn’t turn green with envy.”
She nodded and patted her shrug. “Okay,” she giggled and went to grab her sister’s hand. “Bye Trixie.” She waved and her little sister mimicked the gesture.
Ty winked and gave her a dashing smile, which she happily returned. Dylan hugged her and ducked out quickly, his big body moving uncomfortably in a store full of delicates. “See you guys,” she told them both with an affectionate smile. Jack stood in front of her, glowering silently. Hands up in the air, Trixie stopped him. “Don’t worry I heard you loud and clear. You were loud enough.” She turned her back to him and fled to the far corner of the store to unpack a new shipment of thongs. When she turned again they were all gone and she could finally relax.
This was her favorite time of day, when the shop was empty and it was just her and the slinky things. One day those shelves would hold her designs. Lingerie for all women in sexy cuts, vibrant colors and new pieces women would love. It was her dream and now that she was on her own, away from the oppressive discouragement of her ex-husband and his family, she would pursue it. Mustang Prairie was the perfect place to find her creative inspiration, start designing and creating. Selling. She smiled.
This was the year.
Sometimes her confidence waivered and in those moments she wished her parents were closer so she’d have some type of support as she took the steps to start her clothing line. Then again her parents were many things—dyed in the wool hippies, excellent farmers, providers, sage and even adventurous—but they were not emotionally present, not for her at least. It was probably a good thing they were in their brand new RV somewhere in South America. It was their dream and they were nine months into a let’s see when we get sick of seeing the world tour. They could come back tomorrow or in eight years, she never knew.
So while yes it would be great to have her parents around, they weren’t. There were no parents, no domineering husband with a hidden cruel streak and no prominent family to pressure her into being someone else. No, the big fat check and her married name were all she got—and all she wanted—from her short but doomed from the start marriage. So she was on her own.
Again.
Ready for her silent pity party to end, Trixie finished up the new display and locked up the store. She was running behind on Tequila Tue
sday which Alex was hosting. Her daughter Max was six months old and the doctor had given her the all clear to drink again so she insisted on hosting tonight. Stopping at the market for limes, more ice and whole wheat tortilla chips at Alex’s request. Even though she’d only been in town for about a year, Trixie couldn’t help but smile thinking about the way the wine based gatherings had quickly morphed into just cocktail get togethers. She appreciated the chance to get together with other women and just have a good time. She was close to Sadie but between new love and a new album, she had her own life to worry about.
And Trixie had no one to answer to so she could drink as much or as little as she wanted. That’s right, no one to answer to. No one to love. No one to hold you when storms shake the place down around you.
“At least I’ve got margaritas,” she muttered as she carried a green canvas bag up the steps leading to the house Alex shared with Baxter.
And tequila.
Table of Contents
(Untitled)
(Untitled)
From the Author’s Desk
(Untitled)
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Epilogue
About the Author
Thanks
It Must Be Love
Chapter ONE
Best Of My Love: (Love in Emerald Creek) Page 23