Devil in Texas

by Calista Fox

  “None taken,” Jack said, though his nose was a bit bent. “I warned you I had plenty of opposition.”

  “This is ridiculous.” George said. “At any rate, I went directly to Paul Lawyer and he said he absolutely could do it. But it’ll take two weeks. He’s been taking orders from Austin and he’s backlogged. Although,” George added, brightening at what was obviously a new idea. “We could go to Austin and find someone who can meet our timeframe. Either there or San Antonio.”

  “No,” Jack said with the shake of his head. “Let’s keep the business here in town. Folks need it.”

  “You’re right,” he conceded. “Good thinking.”

  Setting aside the knife he was using to slice limes, Jack washed his hands and then reached for a towel. “Be prepared for more push-back. I had a message on the machine this morning from Myra Brighton.”

  He’d been hoping it was Liza calling. She hadn’t stopped by the bar last night so, in turn, he hadn’t stopped by her cottage. There’d been a strange air between them following his tell-all in her bathroom and he wasn’t quite sure how to proceed from here.

  As much as Jack wanted to see her—and God, how his body had ached for her last night!—he’d decided to back off. Let things simmer. They’d gotten off to a hot-’n-heavy start and maybe that hadn’t been wise. Not when all this other mayhem was brewing. He didn’t want her caught in the middle, though he sensed it was too late to keep that from happening.

  His own doing, which made him want to kick something. Maybe himself.

  “What’d Myra have to say?” George asked, drawing his attention.

  “Something along the lines of ‘how dare you try to unseat an incumbent? This town has a tradition. It’s always been run by the Brightons and the Parsons and the Bains of Wilder, not the Wades’. Blah, blah, blah.”

  “Crazy old bat,” George muttered. “Well, it’s time to break tradition.”

  The sentiment still lingered in the air as Lydia Bain came through the door. George glanced at her over his shoulder, then turned back to Jack. “That’s my exit cue. I’ve got to get to the office anyway. We’ll talk later.”

  “Thanks for your help.”

  “No problem.”

  He greeted Lydia politely as they passed. She approached the bar as though it were a confessional and she was debating over which sins to spill.

  “Pull up a stool,” Jack said. He poured her a glass of ice water. “Don’t think you’ve ever been in here.”

  “No, I guess not.”

  Funny, considering they’d always been the best of friends. He set the glass before her and asked, “To what do I owe the honor?” Though he already knew, making his words more mocking than complimentary.

  She set her purse on the bar and took a sip of water. Then she said, “I came for a favor.”

  “All right.” He was never above offering his help to a friend in need. Provided it was a reasonable request. He had his doubts about this one.

  “It’s Jonathan, Jack. He’s just beside himself with…everything. You running around town with this woman who dresses like, I don’t know, she should be in a New York City nightclub or a music video. And this bid for a seat on the City Council. Jack…” She stared at him, her light brown eyes imploring him to roll over and play dead.

  Jack fought his mounting temper. “First,” he said as he went back to slicing limes, only to completely mutilate the first few. He set the knife aside once more. Safer that way. “Who I see is my business. Even if we’re in public. And I happen to like Liza, so you’re gonna have to get over it and give her a chance.”

  “Jack, she doesn’t fit in here.”

  “Why, because she doesn’t dress like you and your friends, Lydia?”

  She huffed. Her mouth worked like a fish trying to spit out a hook. Eventually, she found her ground and said, “Jack Wade. The last thing this town needs is more controversy.”

  “I beg to differ. It’s been twelve years since anyone has stirred up a hornet’s nest in this town. I think it’s high time we do just that. Get people thinking about what’s really going on here. See what’s happened to our town.”

  “Nothing has happened to our town!”

  “Lydia.” It took as much willpower not to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. “I’m going to be out of business soon. So you can damn well better believe I’ve got a stand to take.”

  It seemed the air was sapped instantly from her sails. “I didn’t realize it was that bad for you.”

  “How could it not be?” he demanded, his temper getting the best of him. “With Friday and Saturday night curfews and having to close on Sundays? How long do you think my saloon can stay afloat when I can’t sell any alcohol?”

  Her lips pressed together as she seemed to consider her own stand. Then she said, “It’s just that…. Well, Jonathan… He’s just been so upset over all of this. The Council elections, this newcomer to town. He’s been ill, Jack. Sick to his stomach. He doesn’t think anything good is going to come of what’s going on right now.”

  Jack gripped the edge of the sink behind the bar as he glared at Lydia. They’d been friends since he’d had a memory. He’d been the shoulder she’d cried on when things had gotten too intense at her house. He’d been the one she’d confided in when she’d gotten pregnant. He’d been the one to offer her sanctuary, even offering to help raise her illegitimate child.

  And this was the friendship she offered in return?

  Shaking his head, he said, “I really miss the person you used to be, Lydia.”

  She stared at him, dumbfounded.

  Jack continued on. “The non-judgmental, free-spirit. The one who had big plans and high hopes. The one who said she’d break free of her parents and never treat anyone so poorly, because she knew how bad it felt.”

  “Jack Wade!” The look she gave him was positively indignant. She stood and reached for her purse. “I don’t treat anyone poorly! I would never do that!”

  “What about Liza?” he countered.

  “I… She…” Lydia shook her head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I haven’t said anything cruel to that woman.”

  “You completely dismissed her on the street, Lydia. And there has to be some reason why she’s doing her own highlights. I mean, have you seen what she did to her hair?”

  Lydia crossed her arms over her chest. “I thought she did that on purpose. Some sort of New York thing.”

  Jack laughed, though without humor. “She didn’t think you’d allow her in one of your chairs, Lydia.”

  “Well, I would never!” She bristled. “I wouldn’t shun someone from my salon. Jack Wade, you know me better than that.”

  He inclined his head to one side, taking in the buttoned-up, prim and proper woman before him with the tight lips and the stiff shoulders. “I used to know you, Lydia. But now…” He shook his head. “I’m not so sure.”

  “Jack.” Her look softened. She opened her mouth to speak, but the door to the saloon swung wide open and Liza swept in.

  “I have the perfect idea for how you can stay open on Sundays and increase business! It came to me this morning when—” She pulled up short, her mouth clamping shut. Her bright green gaze shifted from Jack to Lydia and back. “Oh,” she said. “Looks like I’ve interrupted something. I’ll come back later.”

  She turned on her high heels, but Jack was quick on his feet. He vaulted over the bar and rushed after her.

  “Hey, wait!” He gripped her by the arm and brought her back around to face him. “No need to leave, darlin’.”

  Her gaze didn’t land on him. It shot straight to Lydia. “Think I’ve had enough of this.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Her eyes snapped to him. “What were you talking about?”

  Jack’s jaw tightened for a moment. He said, “We were just discussing…things…” He shook his head. He couldn’t lie to her. “Politics and you, darlin’. That’s what we were talking about
.”

  She wrested her arm free from his loose grip. She stared up at him, the betrayal painfully blatant in her eyes. “I told myself I was starting fresh. Not letting anyone tell me who I should be or how I should act. And yet, all I’ve done since I got here is try to win people over who don’t like how I dress or what I have to say.” She shook her head, looking hurt and disappointed. Not just with him, but with herself.

  “Liza, just take a step back with me, sweetheart.” He needed to get a grip on the situation before it got too far out of hand. Because something told him she was this close to walking away for good.

  “You were right, cowboy. I am getting more than I bargained for. And I’m just…done with it.” She turned and walked off, saying over her shoulder as she passed through the door, “You can keep my rent.”

  “Jack.” Lydia’s voice was quiet on the still air. “Maybe this is all for the be—”

  He whirled around to face her, his anger flaring again. “Not a word, Lydia. Not another goddamn word from you.”

  Her mouth gaped and her eyes grew wide with shock.

  Jack stormed out of the saloon, but was too late. He stood in the cloud of dust kicked up by the Mercedes as it raced out of sight.

  Jack stared after the sports car, his gut clenching tight. Subconsciously, he’d known the minute Liza had walked through his door, less than a week ago, that he didn’t want to let her go.

  Today, she’d let him go.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Packing her meager belongings didn’t take nearly as long as she thought it would. She’d figured that by the time she had her two suitcases stuffed to the gills and crammed into the small trunk of the Mercedes, followed by the three oversized Louis Vuitton totes nearly bursting at the seams and shoved into the passenger side of the car, she’d be calmer. Ready to take a deep breath and regroup. Maybe sit down with a glass of iced tea or wine and chill out. Rethink the day. Make a different choice.

  She couldn’t say what, for sure, set her off today. Perhaps it was Lydia’s visit to the flower shop the day before. Her blatant snub, her veiled insults about Liza not fitting in. She had to admit that if it’d been anyone else treating her like shit, she probably would have told her off and been done with it. But it wasn’t just anyone. It was Lydia Bain. Jack’s dear friend. A woman he cared about and protected. A woman whose opinion he valued.

  That thought alone had brought on more insecurity today than Liza could process at once. When she’d seen the two of them together, alone, and he’d admitted they’d been talking about her, she’d hit her bullshit threshold.

  Just as she’d explained to Jack, she’d come to town with the need to be herself. To not cater to someone else’s whim. To not let them dictate who she was for their own purposes.

  She’d faltered along the way. Had felt self-conscious about wearing clothes she liked. Had obsessed over Lydia Bain shunning her. Had wanted desperately to please the Ladies Who Lunch. Not just for Jess’ sake. Not for Jack’s. But because she’d wanted to belong.

  But she didn’t, did she?

  The thought did not sit well with her. Emotion welled in her throat. She really didn’t seem to fit in anywhere. Not the big city. Not a small town.

  Why, exactly, was that?

  Two hours had passed since she’d left the saloon and she was nowhere near calm. Nor was she anywhere close to reasoning with herself on what had gone so horrifically awry today. Add to that the fact that Jack had left her cottage on Sunday night without making love to her and hadn’t called or stopped by last night and she really felt she’d never figure out this town or life in it. She’d sensed the other night that she’d killed the romantic buzz with him and clearly, she was right.

  Leaving her with a whole lot of “why am I still here?” thoughts.

  This town had serious issues to reconcile. Politics she understood, but really had nothing to do with. She was an outsider. The people who lived and worked here, with embedded roots, were the ones in need of figuring out how they were going to keep the town alive, keep themselves in business, while placating the saints at the same time. This wasn’t her fight. She was just here on a whim, after all. Looking for a good time.

  A good girl turned wicked woman experience.

  She’d succeeded in finding that. So now, maybe, it really was time to move on.

  Though…she had no idea where she wanted to go from here. Certainly not back to New York. Not back to her former life. She was long past that. She had sent her mother enough text messages to confirm she wasn’t coming back, though her mother still reminded her of routine social engagements she expected Liza to attend.

  With a sigh, Liza locked the cottage door and slipped the key under the mat. As she stood on the front porch, staring out at the lake, she considered her options. Austin, maybe? San Antonio? Dallas?

  Not sure where she wanted to go, she descended the steps and traversed the pathway that led to the back of the cottage where her car was parked. When she slid behind the driver’s seat, she caught a glimpse of herself in the rear-view mirror. Those crazy highlights. Jack had never said a word about them. He’d accepted them the way he’d accepted everything else about her.

  Which made her frown. He accepted her. So too did Jess and Ginger. Even Ruby.

  But Jack and Lydia were thick as thieves and, eventually, he’d side with his lifelong friend over a mere fling, wouldn’t he?

  What, exactly, had he said to Lydia when they’d been talking about her? Had he agreed with whatever derogatory thing Lydia might have been ranting about? Or had he stood up for her?

  Her heart wanted to believe he’d stood up for her. But it’d been Lydia he’d been talking with. Liza didn’t expect him to turn his back on that friendship for a girl he’d met less than a week ago.

  Starting the engine, she reviewed her options again. Maybe Austin, since it was where her dad had been born. A bigger city than Wilder. Perhaps a bit more progressive.

  As she turned the car around, she caught a glimpse of the lake in her side mirror. She’d miss that pretty scenery. As she passed by the farmhouse at the top of the hill, she thought about Jack.

  His scorching-hot kisses. His half-assed grin. His too-hunky-for-words body. His sexy lovemaking.

  She hadn’t set out to find love or romance here in Wilder. Just a hot hookup. She’d found all three, though, she realized as she drove past his house. Because, as much as he’d helped to mend her broken heart and had even protected it on occasion, he’d also stolen it.

  In five short days.

  * * * * *

  Liza still had her directions from when she’d driven here from New York and would simply reverse them to get back to the bigger cities in Texas, starting with Austin.

  She thought of how she’d ended up in Wilder in the first place.

  Such a crazy thing to do. Throw a dart at a map and think it was possible to build a new life in an unfamiliar town where she knew no one. And yet… As she reached the end of Wilder Lake Lane, she stared at the signs ahead, conflicted. There were only two ways to go.

  If she turned right, the road would take her out of Wilder.

  If she turned left, she’d end up in town.

  She gnawed her lower lip a moment, the decision not an easy one to make. She considered the past several hours. The fury she’d felt. The hopelessness over not fitting in. The betrayal over Jack talking about her with Lydia and likely taking Lydia’s side.

  But she didn’t know for a fact that he’d taken Lydia’s side. And, sure, maybe she stood out like a sore thumb in this tiny Texas town, but hadn’t she made a few friends while she was here? Jess and George. Ginger and Ruby. Sean. The mayor and his wife. Even Jack. Though the romance might have fizzled because of her prodding, she had a feeling they were close enough to remain friends.

  Not that she relished that idea. She’d miss his lasciviousness. His wicked ways. But still. She liked him too much to never speak with him again.

  And what about Jess and Gi
nger? She’d promised to help both of them with their new business plans. She didn’t want to let them down. They were good people. Good friends.

  Staring straight ahead at the signs, one pointing north, one pointing south, she debated her options again.

  Austin. San Antonio. Dallas.

  Or Wilder.

  She pulled in a deep breath, let it out slowly.

  Sure, there might be sexy cowboys in those other cities. But not one who looked like a Devil in Blue Jeans.

  Heading south, she drove through town and parked along the main drag, close to Ginger’s shop. She stepped out of the car and locked it behind her. A little perspective was in order and she thought Ginger might be an objective sounding board. If she didn’t resolve her issues today, she could always head out of town tomorrow.

  Crossing the street, she walked into the lingerie shop.

  “What perfect timing!” her new friend squealed in delight as she clasped her hands together. “I just finished the window display!”

  Liza turned back to the window, which was covered by a thick curtain in the front, concealing the scene to the public while Ginger worked on it. Inside the display area was the beautifully crafted scene she’d drawn out on paper. Only live and in-person, it was infinitely sexier.

  “I love it!” Liza gasped. The window display was sophisticated, sensual and smart. Paired ensembles and layers of lace and satin. The pièce de résistance came when Ginger lit the aromatherapy candles in holders of varying heights.

  “You really like it?” she said as she blew out the match and turned back to Liza.

  “Oh yes! It’s gorgeous. Makes me want to strip down and snuggle up with someone!”

  A hunky devil.

  She pushed that thought from her mind. “Really, Ginger. It’s fantastic.”

  “Thank you,” she beamed. “I really liked doing it. And I have you to thank!”

  She gave Liza a hug, which made Liza’s stomach roil. And reminded her that she’d achieved something in this town in a very short period of time. To hell with what Lydia Bain thought. She was helping Ginger and Jess to increase their bottom lines. She’d even come up with a great idea for Jack’s business, to bring in revenue on Sunday’s when he couldn’t serve booze.