“You’re way off base about us ‘churchy’ people.”
“I don’t think so. You’re all judgy, even though you have people like Veronica and Landon showing up trying to fool everyone. Even Shane.” His name made me want to throw up in my mouth.
He glanced my way as we drove down Main Street. “You think you have to be perfect to go to church?”
“Nobody is perfect. I know most of the dirt on everyone in this town, but some are better than others keeping up the facade.”
“For most people, going to church isn’t an act. It’s their way of trying to be better.”
“Doesn’t seem to work on most. And I know lots of you Bible lovers look down your nose at me, including you.”
The steering wheel was getting a workout. Aidan’s grip intensified as the muscles in his face tightened. “I don’t.”
“You did.”
His sigh was full of regret. “I made a mistake.”
“I agree, but you don’t want a woman like me.”
He turned my way. “I just let everyone believe that I’m having a baby with you. What does that say to you, Cheyenne?”
“That you have a sense of humor under your serious exterior.”
“I hope that’s true, but regardless, I could have denied it.”
“Are you saying you want to have a baby with me? Because I’m definitely not the woman for that.”
The red in his cheeks made an appearance again. I found I liked it. “I’m saying I don’t mind if people think we’re together.”
That was a problem.
~*~
That wasn’t the only problem. Veronica reared her ugly head, and the miserable scorned woman was looking for company. She’d been in hiding since word of her divorce had gone live. I was only glad she showed up after Jessie and Abby left my salon. My friends had wanted a face-to-face, firsthand account of the morning. And, of course, all my employees were salivating over the fake pregnancy news. I didn’t deny it. I figured they would all know it wasn’t true eventually. Abby and Jessie knew the truth, but they wanted to see if my feelings for Aidan had changed. And Jessie gave me a lecture about faking a pregnancy and how for women like her, who couldn’t conceive, that was painful. So maybe I felt a twinge of guilt, but after Veronica’s appearance, even Jessie would admit that my declaration could end up doing some good.
After the lecture, they were all about trying to get me to admit how I felt about Aidan. I would give him that he made it hard not to like him. He had some crazy notion that he was coming over tonight to make dinner for me and for us to get to know each other better. I was contemplating it, at least the getting to know him better. He didn’t need to get to know me. But that all went out the window when the bimbo showed up.
I knew right away she was there to stir up trouble. You see, she was the one person I absolutely refused to have as a client. She always played it off like there were more qualified stylists in town, but even she couldn’t say it with a straight face. So her showing up was a calculated move. And since it was warm, she was sporting the usual tube top that she no longer had the body for. She had gone overboard on the boob job. Those guns needed duct tape and Lycra. And she wasn’t doing justice to the short shorts anymore. Those babies were so tight she was going to give herself an infection.
I saw her through my mirror first. I was back to working on a stool. Not my favorite, but I could be obedient sometimes. Even if it required that Felicia be present at all times. She had to move my stool and hand me my crutches when necessary.
Veronica straightened her tube top—not that it did any good—and set her sights on me. She marched right over even though I was with a client.
“I told you, we won’t see you here.”
A snide smile filled her over-botoxed face. “Here I came to offer my congratulations, and to say how sorry I was.”
I turned in my stool so I could meet her face-to-face and not through the mirror. My client, Betty, and Felicia each focused on her too.
I hoped she was talking about the pregnancy rumor, but I had a sinking feeling it was more than that. Two could play her game. I looked her over. “Are you sorry you didn’t check the mirror before you left the house?”
That wiped the smirk off her face, but she rallied. “We’ll see who will be laughing when she’s nine months pregnant with stretch marks in places you had no idea they could appear.”
I laughed and started to turn back around. “Believe me, I’m not worried about it.”
“You should at least be worried about Abby.”
I stopped mid turn. I felt the whole salon freeze. It made my insides bubble with hatred. “Why would I need to be worried about Abby?” I hoped with all that I had she hadn’t been clued in. I was hoping I was calling her bluff. I looked at her pathetic figure in the mirror. And I wasn’t talking about her size. It was her personality.
Her smile was full of unadulterated glee. It was then I knew she knew. “It was so sad to hear Connor talking to Maddie in the park about Shane’s—”
“Stop it right there.” I stood up and immediately had to lean on the styling chair; my leg wasn’t having it.
“Why? Everyone will know sooner or later about Shane’s affair.”
Silence fell across the salon in a swift but semi-permanent moment. It was like the air had been sucked out and replaced with a shock that no words could accurately convey.
“Go home and take care of your son, Veronica.” I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of confirming the truth. “And I would be very careful if I were you about what you say.”
“Yeah,” Felicia stood next to me to lend emotional and physical support. “I would hate for those pictures of you dancing drunk on a table at the Red Barn wearing less than what you are now to surface. I’m sure the judge in your divorce proceedings would love to see those when he’s deciding custody.”
I’d never loved Felicia more. I hoped that meant that everyone would rally on Abby’s side, or at least most. Most importantly I hoped it meant people were going to keep their traps shut.
Veronica’s face turned a shade of green. Felicia had hit a nerve. I’d heard Veronica wanted full custody and a butt-load of alimony so she didn’t have to work. And since Landon had been caught cheating, a judge would be more willing to grant her both. Though poor Landon Jr. would be the loser either way. Maybe his grandparents could get custody of him. The Riley’s were good people, even if they raised a loser.
Veronica didn’t say another word. She hightailed it out of there.
All eyes turned toward me as soon as she was gone. I only had these words for everyone. “Remember there is a sweet, wonderful person behind that rumor, and Veronica isn’t the only person I have information on.” My words were lined with steel, and I meant every word. Aidan was right, I could do damage, and I had no problem inflicting it on anyone who thought of hurting Abby or her kids. Shane, on the other hand, I would pay for someone to injure, physically or otherwise.
Chapter Twenty
Now that the word was out about the Parkers and spreading like wildfire, Jessie and I split up our efforts that night. She took Connor since he was glued to Maddie, and I went to Abby’s to be with her and the girls. Connor needed some loving from someone outside the situation. It sounded like Blake may even step in. That was unexpected. Something about teaching him how to build a bookcase. But Jessie thought she’d stay there just in case Blake had some other ideas. He had never been a fan of Connor and Maddie together. It was good of Blake, though. Connor probably needed a man to talk to. I hated saying that or even thinking it. Because who really needed one? Look at all the problems they’d created.
Admittedly, sometimes I felt like I still wanted one. Maybe more than sometimes. I mean, they are good for some things. Things I really, really missed. But I was coping. Sort of.
I snuggled on the couch with Avery and Isabelle while Abby talked to Pastor Bates—aka Nate—outside on the porch. She said that she had been praying about what do
and needed some spiritual guidance. I’m not sure what God had to do with it. I mean, we didn’t even know if he existed. And seriously, where was he if he did? Why didn’t he stop Shane or, even better, tell Abby not to have married the cheating pig in the first place? She didn’t need Nate—I could tell her everything she needed to know.
I was surprised how well she was handling this new twist in the plot. She said she knew it was inevitable and she didn’t want to make Connor feel bad. But the kid needed to learn where he lived. There were eyes and ears everywhere in this town, even the park.
Isabelle, though too big, sprawled across my lap. I had my leg propped up on pillows on the coffee table.
Avery was glued to my side, sniffling. She was refusing to say a word.
I put my arm around her. “Avery, I hate when people—”
“Mommy says hate is a bad word,” Isabelle interrupted me.
I stared down at her tear streaked face. These girls tugged on my unused heartstrings. “Only if you say it when you don’t mean it.” I let her think on that while I talked to Avery. “Beautiful, I’m not going to make you talk, but I want you to listen to me. I know how you’re feeling right now.”
“Was your daddy naughty too?” Isabelle jumped back in.
“Uh-huh.” Very.
“My daddy said he was bad but he loves Mommy. I don’t want them to get divorced,” she wailed.
“Well, maybe they should.” Avery spoke up, shocking the crap out of me and, I think, Isabelle.
That didn’t stop Isabelle from being Isabelle. “Shut up, Avery.”
“We aren’t having that tonight. Avery is allowed to feel how she wants, just like you, cuteness.”
She scrunched her face so well. It was freaking adorable. At least it was until she wailed some more, but even that I could handle.
“Avery, why do you think they should?” I asked above the high-pitched cries.
She buried her head into my shoulder. “You’re not supposed to do those things when you’re in love.” Her stream of tears bathed my bare shoulder. “I hate him for hurting my mom.”
“But you love him, too.”
She nodded against me.
I knew exactly how she felt. It’s a horrible feeling that no child should have to feel. “Remember this, Avery, and even you, Isabelle. Find out who you are. Make your own way in this world. And always love yourself. You can love yourself better than anyone. And the more you love yourself, the less other people can hurt you.”
Not much was said after that. Although it was against my no snot rule, I let them sniffle all over me. It was for a worthy cause, I supposed.
Abby finally came in an hour later. She too looked like she’d cried the snot out of herself. Down with men, I say.
She looked at the pathetic scene in front of her and gave a weak smile. “Girls, why don’t you give Cheyenne a break. And I could use a hug.” It was a good call; I needed to shift my leg, which was still aching despite the anti-inflammatory medication.
Both girls jumped up and ran to their mother. She wrapped them up as if her life depended on it, and they clung to her in the same fashion. It was the first time I ever had a pang that I was missing out on something. The girls loved me, but it was different with their mom. I could almost see the emotional bond. It must have always been there, but I had never recognized it before. Maybe because I had nothing to compare it to in my own life. I loved my mom, but not like this. And she never loved me like Abby loved her kids. I wasn’t sure she was capable of it. You see, she never loved herself. And how can you love someone else if you’ve never loved the one person you should?
Abs caught me staring at the scene. “Pastor Bates is out front and wants to talk to you.”
“Why?”
“Maybe he heard he’s going to be an uncle,” she teased.
“Ha, ha. Funny.” Though I offered to keep up the lie to take the heat off Abby. Me having Aidan’s baby seemed to be more interesting than Shane cheating on Abby. Not sure why, but hey, I was going to do my part. Like I said, even Jessie found merit in it.
“Are you going to go talk to him?”
“No.”
“Cheyenne.”
“What?”
“He says he’s been trying to get ahold of you. He mentioned he could drop by your salon.” She gave me a mischievous grin. She knew that would get my butt off the couch.
“Fine.” I grabbed the stupid crutches and pulled myself up. I didn’t need the pastor showing up. It was bad enough I couldn’t get his brother to leave me alone. Not saying there weren’t times that I didn’t like it. He was entertaining and attractive. Let’s not forget he fed me.
Abby laughed and took my place on the couch with her girls, which were stuck to her like Velcro. I’m glad she could still find something to smile about. Even if she was making fun of me. I’d been contemplating heading over to Aidan’s and ripping Shane a new one. And possibly making sure he never fathered another child. I only had a taste of how humiliating it was to find out that you’d been cheated on. When I first saw the pictures of Paxton and that tramp on some online news site, for a brief moment I felt sucker punched, and I wasn’t even in love. I knew for Abby it was exponentially worse. And for me it really ended up being more of a wakeup call than anything. I’m happy it happened. I knew Abby would never feel that way. All you had to do was look in her eyes to see the agony, but along with that you could see her resiliency. Her determination to make it all right for her children. I was amazed by her.
I took my time making it out to the front porch. Once I made it, I was greeted with a setting sun and the smell of freshly cut alfalfa from a nearby rancher’s field. Fall was in the air. There was crispness with a hint of burning wood wafting in the light breeze. It was the perfect time of year for outdoor fireplaces.
Nate sat on one of the two wicker chairs on the small front porch. He seemed to be enjoying the music from the wind chime that dangled from one of the beams. I found it annoying, but it was a Mother’s Day gift to Abby from her kids several years ago, and she loved it. She loved everything they gave her, right down to what looked like blobs of hardened clay.
Nate opened his eyes with a smile on his face. He stood up looking as shabby as ever. “Cheyenne.” He sounded too pleasant. I was hoping he would be distraught, thinking I had, like the women at Easton’s office had said, ruined his brother.
“Nate.”
That amused him. “Have a seat.” He gave my leg a worried look.
“This isn’t going to take long, is it?”
“As long as you want it to.”
“In that case, I’m ready to go home.” It had been a long day.
He waved toward a chair. “Just a few minutes, please.”
“Okay, fine.”
He helped me into the chair, though I was perfectly capable of doing it myself. He was clumsy at it and almost made me lose my footing. Nate was nothing like his brother, who would have done the job with finesse. I hated that I missed Aidan’s touch.
Nate, before taking his seat, moved it so it was sitting in front me. It was creeping me out, so I scooted back, even though it was difficult with one leg. That made the preacher man lightheartedly laugh. He needed to stop the Ward Cleaver act.
I decided to start off. “If you’re worried about your brother, don’t be. I’m not pregnant and we aren’t sleeping together. But fair warning, if he knows what’s best for him he should stay away from me, because I haven’t really tried yet, and no amount of Bible reading will save him if I decide that’s what I really want.” I said it all for shock value, hoping to scare away the pastor once and for all, and maybe Aidan. But again, really torn on that one.
Nate didn’t flinch, he only slapped his knee and laughed. “I do like you, Cheyenne. I can see why Aidan does too.”
“So you’re okay with me seducing your brother?” Maybe I was wrong about these churchy people.
“I’m not my brother’s keeper.” He laughed to himself as if he told
a joke.
“What does that mean?”
His face said he was surprised he had to explain. “Don’t you know the story of Cain and Abel?”
“Do they live here?”
His laughter reached new heights. “It’s a story in the Bible. Cain kills his brother Abel and when God asks Cain where Abel is, Cain replies, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’”
“I thought the Bible was full of holy crap. Besides, if God was really God, wouldn’t he already know?”
“Of course he knew. He knows everything.”
“If you say so, preacher man.”
“I do. He knows you too, you know?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care to. I thought we’ve already been through this. I hope this isn’t why you wanted to talk to me.”
His lips curled into a smile. It was the first time I could see some family resemblance between him and his attractive brother. Aidan’s lips curled the same way. “Not exactly.”
“You did say I could end our little meeting of the minds at my discretion.”
“Yes, I did, and I would hate to do anything to make us adjourn early.”
“You’re on the borderline.”
He leaned in and rested his hands on his knees, studying me for longer than I was comfortable with. Had my leg been working like it should, I would have stood up, but I was tired and a tad curious, so I stayed.
“You know, I haven’t seen Aidan this happy in a long time. So thank you.”
“It’s not me. If anything, I would think I was causing him a lot of angst about now. At least I hope I am.”
Another deep-throated laugh escaped him. “You keep him on his toes, and that’s a good thing.”
“There isn’t anything between us.”
“I’ll have to disagree with you there.”
“Suit yourself.” I reached for my crutches.
Cheyenne (The Women of Merryton Book 4) Page 14