Chapter 8
8
L ila hurried home with her groceries and had just put the last can in her pantry when the sound of a car engine drew her to the window. The girls had parked in her driveway and were heading up her sidewalk.
One of them knocked. Before she could answer, the front door opened, and her friends pushed their way inside.
“You ready to go?” Capri hollered.
Lila grabbed the jean jacket draped over her sofa, then reached for her purse. “Ready. I haven’t been to Jackson in a while. This should be a blast.”
As they set off, the drive was nothing less than spectacular. The landscape had transformed into a breathtaking palette of rich, vibrant colors. The aspens and cottonwoods that lined the river had turned a stunning shade of gold, their leaves shimmering in the crisp autumn breeze.
In the far distance, the Teton mountains rose dramatically from the valley floor, their sharp, rugged silhouettes etched against a crisp blue sky. Snow had begun to dust the highest summits, adding a touch of frosty white to the dramatic granite faces. Below the peaks, the slopes were adorned with vibrant bursts of fall foliage, where golden aspens and fiery orange sycamores created a striking contrast against the dark evergreens and rock formations.
Tourists frequently confused the City of Jackson with the broader valley called Jackson Hole. Locals often used these terms interchangeably, which only added to the confusion for visitors trying to get their bearings. The nearby ski resort also shared the name Jackson Hole, further complicating matters.
The drive was filled with conversation, and Lila shared how busy she’d been lately. “But I’m loving it,” she said. “I hate to admit this, but with Doc Tillman gone, I’m able to practice some veterinarian medicine without second-guessing every decision I make.”
“Do you think this health scare will force his retirement?” Capri suggested.
Charlie Grace tapped her thumbs against the steering wheel and laughed. “Are you kidding? Doc retired? That will never happen.”
Lila groaned from the front passenger seat. “That’s what I fear. That I will be working in that man’s shadow until I’m old and gray myself.”
Her friends knew the clinic was her life. Her dream of becoming a full-fledged big animal vet would never allow her to resign and move on.
Capri huffed from the back seat. “Start your own clinic.”
Lila shook her head. “You know I can’t do that.”
Capri’s eyebrows lifted “Why not?”
Charlie Grace turned down the radio. “Money, for one. I can attest that starting your own business brings a plethora of financial issues.”
Lila looked at her, a bit surprised. “But you had a great first season. The cabins were full nearly the entire summer.”
“True,” Charlie Grace admitted. “But there were expenses and bank loan payments. My point is it’s not easy to start your own business.”
“It’s not that hard,” Capri argued. “I bought Grand Teton Whitewater Adventures against a lot of advice, and it’s been a great run. Despite the high liability insurance premiums and getting all the permits.” She leaned forward, straining against her seatbelt. “You should just go for it,” she urged.
Lila shrugged. “Maybe someday.”
They all exchanged glances in silence, knowing Lila could be stubborn when it came to change. Her someday would likely never come.
Lila dug in her purse for some gum, hoping to change the subject. “Well, sounds like you have a new guest out there at the ranch—a romance author?”
“How’d you hear the news so quickly,” Charlie Grace asked. “She barely checked in two days ago.”
“Nicola,” they all said in unison, then laughed uncontrollably.
“Seriously, that new woman is a little strange,” Charlie Grace told them.
Lila offered her friends the package of gum.
Capri took a stick. “How so?”
Charlie Grace shook her head. “No thanks. And to answer your question—first, I don’t think Roxie Steele is her real name.”
Lila shrugged. “That’s not so uncommon. I hear authors use pen names all the time.”
Capri blew a bubble with her gum and snapped it with a pop. “What makes you so sure Roxie isn’t her real name?” she asked, her words slightly garbled as she chewed. She frowned as she pulled the wad from her mouth, opened the window, and tossed it. “How old was that gum?”
Ignoring her, Lila repeated Capri’s question. “Why don’t you think it’s her real name?”
“She checked in under Roxie Steele and paid with a credit card with a business name. I couldn’t quite make out her signature, but it wasn’t Roxie Steele. It looked like Mary something.”
Lila met her gaze. “Again, not that uncommon. I read somewhere that a lot of authors publish their own work these days. They make more money and have more control.”
Capri giggled from the back seat. “Well, that makes sense. I heard she writes smut.”
“Meaning?” Lila asked.
“Meaning she doesn’t have to answer to anyone but herself. She can take whatever—uh, liberties—she wants to with her stories.” She grinned. “If you know what I’m getting at.”
Charlie Grace glanced at Capri in the rearview mirror. “She dared to leave some of those books on the coffee table inside the lodge. I’m no prude, but let’s just say Aunt Mo saw the covers and quickly hid them.”
Lila took up the argument. “Okay, so she writes suggestive stories.”
“Smut,” Capri repeated.
Lila sighed with impatience. “Like I was saying, that might not be the fare most ladies in Thunder Mountain would be seen reading, but it’s a free country. People can read what they want, right?”
“Tell that to Pastor Pete,” Charlie Grace suggested.
“And to Aunt Mo,” Capri added.
Charlie Grace raised a hand from the wheel and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “I’m afraid that’s not all. She dresses a lot like those women on her book covers. Roxie Steele is very proud of her cleavage. And get this, the woman made a pass at my dad.”
Lila’s eyebrows lifted. “At Clancy?”
Charlie Grace visibly winced. “Yeah, she ran her fingers along his back as she walked behind him at the dinner table and suggested he take her for a ride sometime.” Her face twisted with disgust. “And I don’t think she meant on his wheelchair.”
“Gross.” Lila wrinkled her nose.
“Seriously,” Charlie Grace agreed. “And she did it right in front of my daughter.”
“That’s double nasty,” Capri chimed in.
As they drove closer to town, ranches and wooden fences dotted their route. To the left, a paved path with occasional cyclists and pedestrians ran parallel to the highway. To the right, off in the distance, was the Jackson Hole Airport. Eventually, the familiar “Welcome to Jackson” sign appeared.
A brief silence settled in the car until Lila spoke up. “Well, we’ll see what comes of Roxie Steele’s visit. But it looks like Nicola Cavendish has finally met her match in the inappropriate department.”
The others nodded in quick agreement.
“You can say that again,” Capri said, laughing.