Chapter 39
CHAPTER 39
KAREN
E arl Hoyt’s presence was like a dark cloud. I could practically feel the chill coming off him. The guy was a creep. I refused to let him intimidate me, not with my friends around.
I crossed my arms, giving him the coldest look I could manage. His eyes swept over my friends like he was sizing up cattle. It was disgusting. I knew my friends well enough to know none of them would appreciate the way he was looking at them. And Rylee was very likely to tell him exactly what she thought about it.
“Can I help you, pal?” Lauren asked in a haughty voice.
Earl’s gaze lingered on her, a sleazy smirk on his face. “Just appreciating your…” He trailed off, letting his eyes roam up and down her body. “Well, everything. A sight for sore eyes, I’d say. A man gets sick of looking at the same pairs of hips twenty-four-seven, seven days a week, three sixty-five days a year, you know? You guys aren’t from around here. I know every beautiful woman in this county. And the ugly ones, but they don’t matter. You certainly do.”
Lauren blinked slowly, completely unfazed. “No. I don’t. My man stares at my ass day in and day out, and he’ll never get tired of it. Granny panties and all.” Her smile was wicked. “I’m not as nice as I look, mister.”
I bit back a grin. I wanted to high-five her so badly. “Earl, can you leave us alone? We’re here for some good company—not yours.”
He chuckled, looking at me with that smirk still plastered on his face. “Cassidy’s rubbing off on you, huh? You two getting cozy? I can practically smell him on you.” He sniffed the air dramatically, rolling his eyes. “Piss and vinegar. You’re too pretty for an ass like him.”
Rylee was up before I could even blink, staring him down. “Beat it, shrimp dick.”
If I didn’t know Rylee, I would be afraid of her. She didn’t weigh much, but she had a look about her that was scary. In a previous life, she had worked as a bartender, dealing with drunk assholes. She knew how to handle herself.
Earl’s smirk faltered. He adjusted his aviators, looking more annoyed than anything. He shot me a look. I stared right back at him.
“See you around, Karen,” he said.
He turned and walked away. The minute the door shut behind him, my friends exploded into laughter.
“What a fucking loser,” Rylee spat, collapsing back into her chair. “Who the hell was that?”
Lauren shook her head. “Did he seriously think we’d melt if he looked at us long enough? Dumb shit.”
“Slimeball,” Jenny said.
“Total creep,” Mary Ellen chimed in.
I glanced out the window and watched Earl drive away. He slowed down as he passed and waved. I sighed. “You guys don’t know the half of it.”
“Who is he?” Jenny said.
“Easily one of the biggest assholes you’ll ever encounter,” I said.
“Does he know Cassidy?” Rylee asked.
“Oh yeah,” I said. “They have some serious beef. Earl is always everywhere. The last time I saw him, he was running away screaming from the mean girls.”
Mary Ellen looked confused. “Mean girls? The chickens?”
“Yep.” I laughed at the memory. “He was trying to intimidate me. It worked. He made me very uncomfortable. Then the chickens attacked him, and he ran.”
Rylee burst out laughing. “You’re kidding! That asshole was chased out by chickens?”
“That he was,” I replied. “Just like you ladies, those girls had my back.”
We tried to go back to our meals, but Earl’s visit had left a sour note. The man always found a way to ruin a day. We left the café and meandered around Wind Ridge for a bit longer. To Mary Ellen’s absolute delight, we found a bookstore. The musty smell was powerful but pleasant.
“She’s in her element,” Jenny said in a whisper.
We all watched Mary Ellen run her fingers over the books on the shelves. She stopped and pulled out one here and there, staring at the cover before carefully sliding it back into its place.
“Look at this one,” Mary Ellen whispered.
I didn’t have the heart to tell her this wasn’t actually a library and we were the only people in the store. I had a feeling the place didn’t do a lot of business. But this was her thing, and I wasn’t about to take it away from her.
“Hold this,” she said and shoved a book at me.
I had a feeling she was about to buy enough to make the owner’s whole damn year. After what seemed like an hour but was probably less, Mary Ellen headed for the counter with a stack of books.
“You’re going to have to buy a suitcase just for books,” Lauren said.
Mary Ellen paused. “Can I buy a suitcase here in town?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
The old man behind the counter slid the books across the counter. “You can get one at the feed store.”
All five of us stared at him.
“The feed store?” Rylee repeated.
“Down the road,” he said. “It’s got clothes, food, feed and I’d bet a suitcase or two. They sell everything at the feed store.”
I had to hide my smile. I was getting a bit more used to the way things were done here, but they all looked shocked.
The man told Mary Ellen her total. Mary Ellen looked at the books and then the man. “Are you sure? Did you get them all?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Mary Ellen fumbled with her wallet and handed him two twenties. He counted out her change and handed it back to her with a receipt. “Enjoy your reading, miss.”
We left the bookstore. Mary Ellen was grinning like she’d just won the lottery.
“Can you look up where this feed store is?” Lauren asked.
I laughed. “There’s one road through town. I don’t think we’re going to miss it.”
We piled back into the Tahoe. As expected, the feed store was pretty prominent. The place was huge, like a Costco. We parked and made our way into the store. We all paused just inside the doors and stared. I felt like I had stepped into a mall with no walls. Every store was under one roof.
“Holy shit,” Rylee exclaimed. “Is this real?”
“People at the ranch always say they’re going to the feed store,” I said. “I always wondered why we needed so much feed. I get it now.”
“Alright, let’s find a suitcase,” Mary Ellen said.
The hunt for the suitcase took forever. We all kept getting distracted. Once again, Rylee was drawn to the racks and rows of western wear. Lauren found the gardening section irresistible, disappearing among rows of colorful tools. Jenny got caught up with a small crowd watching a live demonstration on how to properly saddle a horse. I took a few pictures of them all, to remind us of this little trip. Mary Ellen, not surprisingly, found books about farming that she was certain she needed.
It was a lot like visiting an amusement park. This was the best entertainment I could remember in a long time. It was a different world. One I had barely dipped my toes in.
“Look what I found!” Rylee skipped over to us with her hands behind her back.
“I don’t know if we want to know,” I said.
Mary Ellen drew back. “It better not be a gun.”
She produced the tiniest pair of cowboy boots I had ever seen. Tears immediately sprang to my eyes. They were cute and made me want to snatch them up, but no. I couldn’t.
“This is my early gift to you,” Rylee said. “Rather my niece or nephew.”
“No,” I said.
“Why not?”
“Because what if Cassidy sees them? What if…”
Rylee’s smile fell. She tucked the boots back behind her. “Alright, I understand. But you know they’d be adorable.”
“They would be,” I admitted. “And thank you, Rylee. That’s really sweet of you. Maybe later. I just feel like I would be inviting trouble if those were at the lodge.”
“Like hiding the body in the backyard,” she said absently. “Smart thinking.”
I scowled. “Uh, I don’t know about that.”
We moved on and ultimately found a suitcase. It wasn’t fashionable, but it was durable. After our long day in town, I was exhausted. It was surprising how quickly I had become accustomed to the peace and quiet of the ranch.
I spotted Cassidy before we even made it down the driveway. I would recognize that body from eight miles away. I watched as he chopped firewood near the woodshed. He was shirtless, showcasing every muscle that stretched across his back. His biceps flexed and his abs worked with every swing. He was practically steaming with his body heat hitting the cold air. Every chop landed with more force than the last. Even from the truck, I could see the tension radiating off him.
The girls immediately started giggling.
“Damn, that’s some serious dedication to ranch work,” Lauren said.
“He definitely has some stuff to work out,” Jenny added.
Rylee whistled. “No wonder you ended up pregnant. Good for you, girl.”
I cleared my throat. “Can you let me out here? I’ll catch up with you guys later.”
They exchanged amused glances but didn’t argue, dropping me off with a few knowing smiles and waving as they drove on.