“You know Sharon? The principal?” He gave a grunt letting her know he did. “Well, some vicious rumors have been spreading about her husband Thomas. I’m going to go and see if any of them are true.”
“What are you going to do?” he asked, smiling.
She was a spitfire. Kitty Cat had grown to love her as a friend as much as the club had. She’d sucked them all in, showing them all love and attention.
“I’m going to find out if she’s just being a bitch, or if there’s any truth in it. I care about Sharon. She’s my boss, but she’s a good woman. I don’t like to see good women getting screwed over. I never have, and I never will. Do you think you can wait around for me?” Cora asked.
“Sure. If you want I can go ahead and make dinner.”
“Okay. Stop by the school and I’ll give you the key. Take care, love you, bye.”
Cora hung up the phone, and James stared at his cell.
“Love you.” He spoke aloud, and not entirely sure why he did.
Love you.
Love you.
Love you.
Over and over the two words went around his head, driving him insane. She didn’t love him. Crap, he pushed the words to the back of his mind.
You love her as well, you fucking idiot.
James picked up several of the negligees and took them to the counter. The redhead was trying to work with Pixie flirting with her. Her face was a deep red like a ripe strawberry.
“Would you gift-wrap these for me?” James asked.
“Yes.”
“We’ve got to head to the school. I need to pick up the key.”
“No problem. Suzy, will you give me that date?” Pixie asked.
“I’m sorry, sir, we don’t date customers.” Suzy didn’t look up from her work.
James waited, pulling out his card when it was time to pay. He didn’t say anything to his brothers as he drove back to the school. The moment Cora spotted him, she nibbled her lip and looked so damn petrified. James made a decision quickly. Closing the distance between them, he slammed his lips down on hers, taking the keys from her grip.
“Love you, too,” he said.
He didn’t give her a chance to talk to him. James was already out of the door.
Chapter Nine
Love you, too.
Love you, too.
Love you, too.
“What are we doing again?” Stacey asked, pulling Cora out of her thoughts.
“What?” Cora asked. The moment she’d said “love you” to James, she’d been panicking. The words had been natural. They’d slipped out of her mouth of their own accord. What had surprised her was his response. That kiss had been pussy meltingly good. She’d never been kissed like that with so much possession, and love.
“Why are we going to get our hair done?” Stacey asked.
“Oh, I talked with Sharon today. She’s suffering, poor woman. You know I like Sharon. I don’t want her to be hurt by anyone. Misty has been spreading these awful rumors, and I want to know if they’re true or not. I don’t think they are.”
Stacey let out a sigh. “It really does suck. I like Sharon as well. She doesn’t deserve to be treated the way Misty is.”
“She’s always wanted Thomas. In the last three years I’ve been in town, she’s always tried to get Thomas. It’s not fair, and I for one won’t stand for it. It’s wrong.” Cora tapped her fingers on the steering wheel.
“You know Misty’s a bitch, right?” Stacey asked. “She’ll lie about everything.”
“Yeah, I know. We’re going to persuade her in our good old fashioned way,” Cora said.
“Well, well, well, you want us to kick her ass?”
Cora had watched Sharon deteriorate in the last month. If Misty was calling her and talking shit, she wanted to know about it, and to put a stop to it. She wouldn’t stand by and let anyone get fucked over by another person. Misty would tell the truth, and if Cora had to press just a little harder, she would.
Cora parked her car around the back in the parking bay for the beauty salon. Entering the shop, Stacey booked them in, and Cora saw Misty immediately. She’d made sure to book her appointment for when Misty was working.
The woman was wearing a tight little mini skirt, bending over and showing the world her ass.
Cora didn’t like her. Biting her lip, she took a seat.
Fanny, the woman who owned the shop, came over. “Cora, it’s so good to see you. It has been a lifetime. What’s happening with you?” Fanny asked.
Hugging the other woman, she gave her a smile. Cora liked Fanny. She was a nice woman, a kind woman.
“I want to get to the bottom of some rumors,” Cora said.
She’d grown up in Greater Falls, and when she’d come back to handle her father’s affairs, she’d been greeted with open arms. The locals loved and had missed her. She was really hoping to work on that, in the next couple of hours.