Chapter Fourteen
“I thought that was you I saw coming in here.”
Justice looked up from the display of paint samples. “Hi, Lanah.” She didn’t have anything against the pert woman, but they just never had anything much in common.
“Congratulations on the wedding. Looks like you’re going to be painting?” There was an edge of snarkiness in her tone.
“I’m painting Ilene’s bedroom at the farmhouse. She asked for purple.”
“Oh, that’s right. Jinx and his sister have moved into the Sagebrush Rose house. That’s very cozy.” Her smile didn’t quite reach her gaze. She looked…different. Usually, not one hair was out of place, but not only was her hair disheveled, but so was her clothing.
“Are you okay?” Justice asked. Things were feeling a bit tense.
“Wonderful.”
“I should get back to picking out a color.” Justice didn’t want to be rude, but she had a full day.
Lanah didn’t move.
Her hands were braced at her waist and she was wringing her fingers.
Obviously, Lanah had explicitly come in to speak to Justice.
“Can I do something for you?” Justice asked.
“You and I need to have a girl chat.” Some of Lanah’s chirpiness vanished. “I’ll meet you across the street at Naomi’s Coffee Grind.” She swiveled on her flats and left the hardware store, not even responding to Harley Watts as he passed her coming through the door.
Now what did she want to discuss with Justice?
Grabbing the three paint samples, which were in the purple family, she took them to the counter. “Mavis, can I get three sample cans of these three colors?”
“There are interesting colors,” Mavis remarked.
“Yeah. Daddy should be really pleased that I’m painting a room purple. When we were kids, we had three color options. Pink. Dark pink. Or white.”
“Oh, your father is a hoot. I heard he and Trinity broke up. It’s none of my business, of course, but they were starting to grow on me as a couple.”
Justice cleared her throat. “You know I try to make it a habit to stay out of his love life.”
“But congratulations are for you, honey. There will be some sad women in Sagebrush Pine. Another hunky cowboy is off the market,” Mavis said.
“Thanks.” Justice stepped over to the window and looked across the street. Lanah was sitting outside, and she was staring straight ahead. “Mavis, I’ll be back to grab the samples. I’m going to go grab a coffee.”
“Max is charging for the samples now, darlin’. He counts every dime these days.”
“No problem,” Justice said as she headed for the door. “See you in a bit.”
“Sure thing, Justice.”
She waited for the red light and crossed the street. When she approached the table, Lanah lifted her chin, her expression far away.
“I don’t have much time,” Justice told Lanah.
“Time for coffee, I hope,” Lanah said robotically. “I took the liberty of ordering us each one.”
Reluctantly, Justice sat down. Once they had their coffee on the table, Justice asked, “What do you need to speak to me about?” The two hadn’t spoken more than a sentence to each other in years. Most of the drama had been around Liberty and Lanah. Those two were always picking fights with each other.,
Lanah looked down into her coffee and when she brought her gaze up she appeared drained. “I’m not sure how to tell you.”
“I’m really unsure what’s happening here—”
“I’m pregnant!” she blurted.
Justice blinked in surprise. “Congratulations.” But why was she sharing this news with Justice? They weren’t friends, barely even acquaintances.
Lanah looked more uncomfortable with each second that passed. “I’m almost ten weeks.”
“That’s wonderful. I’m not quite following, though…”
“Jinx didn’t tell you?” Lanah chuckled, but it quickly faded.
“Tell me what?” The air became thicker around Justice, making it harder to breathe.
“That he and I…well, that we slept together. The baby…it’s Jinx’s.”
Those words had such strong force behind them that they almost knocked Justice off her chair. Her body became micro-sensitive. She took in every sound. A car horn blared in the distance. Kids laughed. Nelly sweeping the sidewalk at the candy shop. “I…no, he didn’t tell me that you and he were…” She couldn’t complete the sentence.
“Yes, we were.” Lanah tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Honestly, I thought Jinx and I got along very well, but I guess he prefers a Rose.” Her smile was stiff. The woman who was Miss Sagebrush Pine three years in a row looked defeated.
Justice stared blindly, trying to process what she was being told. “Why are you telling me and not Jinx?”
Lanah slunk back into her chair. “You’re his wife now. I’m doing this out of courtesy. Your husband is the father of my unborn child.” She laid her hand on her flat stomach as if to drive home the fact. “These things happen, though. I believe if something’s meant to be it will be.” She cleared her throat delicately.
“What are you wanting?” Justice felt numb. A fly buzzed around her head, and she didn’t have the motivation to shoo it away.
“We’re all adults here. I’m willing to do the whole co-parenting thing,” she said so casually as if she were talking about the weather. “I didn’t expect this or plan this. I’ve only recently found out myself and I’m still figuring out where I go next.”
Justice couldn’t speak. Her tongue wouldn’t work.
Lanah didn’t seem to care.
She slurped up more of her coffee and then stood. “I’ll be around. I’m sure you and Jinx will have some questions at some point.” And then she flounced away as if nothing had happened.
Sitting there longer, Justice stared down at the lid of her cup.
Lanah is pregnant. Jinx is the father.
The thought was so foreign.
Justice and Jinx had only been married for a week. Seven days of starting to build a routine. Seven days of making love each night. She’d been so wrapped up in making Ilene feel at home that her life had been blissful. Now things would change.
Numbly, she stood, grabbed her coffee, and started heading back toward…where?
She knew there was something else that she needed to do.
She walked quickly, trying to gather her thoughts, when she crashed into Rigs Fletcher. Her cup collapsed, spilling coffee all over his T-shirt and jeans. “Oh, no. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t even watching where I was going.” She barely registered that he had his hand on her waist. She took a step back.
“It’s okay, ma’am,” he assured her, flashing a wide smile.
“You have coffee all over you.” She picked up the crushed cup and dropped it into the nearest trashcan. She looked at the stain on his shirt and shook her head. “I hope you weren’t heading off anywhere important. I mean, I’m sure you were…” She slumped her shoulders. “I’m sorry. It has been a rough day.”
“It’s no problem.” Concern filled his gaze. “You seem a bit frazzled.”
“I…y-yes, I am.” Suddenly, she couldn’t think straight as emotion bubbled up and overflowed within her. Tears fell down her cheeks and she couldn’t control them. Humiliated, she wanted to run but her feet were frozen.
Rigs looked concerned. “Here. Have a seat.” He led her to the bench.
She sat down before she fell. “I don’t know what’s come over me.” She dabbed at her tears, not wanting to draw any attention to herself.
“I’ll be right back,” Rigs told her, but she barely heard him. When he returned, he had a fresh cup of coffee. “I thought you could use another cup. Cream and sugar. I hope that’s okay.”
She accepted the cup. “Thank you.”
“Is it okay?” He pointed at the bench.
“Sure, of course.” What could she say? He’d been nice to her.
He sat down next to her. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“Please, call me Justice. Ma’am is so formal.” She took a sip of the coffee and hoped it would calm her nerves. “I’m usually not this emotional.”
“I’m guessing you have your reasons.” He swiped off his hat and hooked it on his knee. “I guess we don’t know each other very well, do we?”
“No, I guess we don’t.” She cupped the takeout cup in her palms, absorbing the heat.
He laid back on the bench. “Jinx Weathersby. Wow. I didn’t realize.”
The turn of the conversation gave her a little startle. “When you know you know.”
“That’s the truth. He’s a lucky man.” Rigs chuckled.
She nodded, feeling slightly uncomfortable. “I’ve kept you long enough. I remember I have to pick up some paint samples.” She pushed up from the seat, feeling a little less frazzled. “Thank you for the coffee. Again, I apologize for the stain.”
“These clothes have seen much worse trust me.” He laughed it off.
“See you around.” She hurried across the street toward the hardware store.
*****
Pok stayed seated and watched Justice cross the street. He grinned in satisfaction. He loved watching the disgraced fall from their throne. To him, Justice Rose was as low as dirt. She fucked Downs. She’d lain with the devil. And now she was married to Jinx, who should be dead.
When she disappeared inside the hardware store, Pok pushed up from the bench and headed down the sidewalk toward the park. With each step, he felt more vindicated. Alive. Destruction made him overjoyed.
He followed the narrow path into the park until he reached a spot concealed by a grove of trees and bushes. Lanah was waiting for him, appearing as anxious as Justice had been.
“Good work, Lanah,” he said as he approached.
She faced him, her bottom lip quivering and her eyes red as if she’d been crying. “There was nothing good about what we did.”
“Calm down, sweetheart.” He smoothed the backs of his knuckles across her cheek, but she jerked away. He laughed. “Quit acting like you care about any of the Rose family.”
“I’m not evil like you are.” Her voice was weak. “I did what you asked. I don’t want to have anything more to do with this.”
“Then you shouldn’t have allowed yourself to get pregnant,” he said through tight lips.
“It takes two to conceive a child.” Her chin tilted with a bravery that didn’t fit her innocent looks.
“You should be very pleased that Jinx is the father of your child. Bastards like him can’t abandon a child.”
She snorted. “Jinx isn’t the father of this child. You are. I told you from the beginning. Once this baby is born—”
He wrapped his hand around her throat and squeezed just enough to get her attention. Her eyes widened and filled with tears. “I warned you. Do not mention that I’m the father again. How would you know? You lifted your skirt for every Tom, Dick, and Cowboy in Sagebrush Pine.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“What was that?”
“Okay,” she said louder.
He released his hand, but anger stayed rooted in his expression. “Because you did such good work, you’re safe, and your family is safe. Just remember that can change at any point if I suspect you suddenly grow a conscious and want to be honest.”
She lowered her gaze to the ground. “I did what you asked me to do.”
“Good, girl.” He smoothed his hand over her hair like he was petting a dog. “Don’t fret. This will all be over soon.”
He simply needed Lanah for a bit longer to bring his plan to fruition. Then he could get rid of her, and the town that he hated.