Beauty's Kiss(16)

“Perfect. Sounds like a great night out.”

And it did, Taylor thought, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table, since there were no spots open near McKenna.

McKenna was something of Marietta’s golden girl. People loved her, and were extremely protective of her. McKenna was also influential. Her opinion mattered, and when some folks were critical of Jane back in December, ridiculing her and the Great Wedding Giveaway, McKenna wrote a letter to the editor at the Copper Mountain Courier, publicly siding with Jane, stating that the Giveaway would be good for the community, the economy, and particularly the local merchants, and that she not only threw her full support behind the Wedding Giveaway, but she’d also volunteered to co-chair the Wedding Giveaway committee with Paige Joffee, owner of Main Street Diner, to ensure the Wedding Giveaway’s success.

After that, there’d been a lot less dissension.

A lot less.

Like... none. If some folks still weren’t happy about the Giveaway, they kept their negativity to themselves.

That was when Taylor learned just how much sway McKenna had in this town. It also made McKenna and Trey Sheenan’s relationship that much more intriguing to Taylor.

McKenna was clearly the town’s golden girl, but Trey Sheenan was by all accounts, Marietta’s bad boy... so what did people make of that?

Paige called the meeting to order then, and welcomed everyone. She shared that the Valentine Ball was still shy of its goal with regards to tickets sales, but on the plus side, another twenty had been purchased over the weekend, bringing the expected attendance to 170. Jane still hoped that a few more tickets would sell before Friday, and she’d also given ten pairs to the local radio stations to use as giveaways, in exchange for some last minute publicity.

Paige was answering a question about which radio stations Jane had approached when the board room door opened. A tall man in a sheepskin coat and black felt cowboy hat walked in and all conversation died.

He removed his hat, dipped his head. “Sorry I’m late,” he said, his voice deep, husky.

Troy.

Taylor sat up straighter, her stomach flip flopping wildly.

He looked so... different.

“Welcome,” Paige said, smiling at him. “Glad you’re here.”

“Join us,” Tricia said brightly.

He nodded again, his narrowed gaze scanning the room, looking for an available seat.

Taylor hated the way her pulse suddenly danced. There was no reason for her pulse to race. It was embarrassing, actually, to feel anything. So ridiculous that she did.

But she wasn’t the only one who seemed affected by Troy. Tricia couldn’t take her eyes off him, Risa had a touch of pink in her cheeks, and calm, practical, unruffled Paige suddenly looked almost nervous.

It’d been several years since the Copper Mountain Courier had named Troy Sheenan Marietta’s Most Eligible Bachelor, but apparently he hadn’t lost any popularity with the ladies since then.

Only McKenna didn’t look thrilled to see Troy. Taylor wondered why.

Troy headed to the table. Last night he’d looked like a city slicker in his cashmere sweater, tailored trousers and black wool coat but tonight he looked imposing in the thick shearling sheepskin coat and scuffed cowboy boots, snowflakes dusting his wide shoulders and long sleeves.

Tonight he wasn’t the technology tycoon from California, but a Paradise Valley rancher with Montana running deep in his veins. Tonight he looked like a Sheenan.

Taylor had met two of the other Sheenans in the past month. Louise had introduced Taylor to Brock, the oldest Sheenan, when he and Harley, his fiancé, had brought the twins to the library to do some research. And then just a few days later Taylor met Dillon, the youngest Sheenan, one night at Grey’s Saloon. Dillon and Callan Carrigan had been hanging out together, drinking too much, arguing a lot, and apparently enjoying every moment of it.

Brock and Dillon were both big, dark, ruggedly handsome men. And now Troy looked just as tough. Montana tough.

Taylor couldn’t believe that she found this new Troy rather appealing. She didn’t want to find him appealing.

He was Jane’s ex. Jane’s man. Jane’s love.

Taylor couldn’t forget that, either.

Suddenly Troy’s gaze met hers, and held. It was just for a split-second but that split-second was enough to send a rush of blood to Taylor’s cheeks.

She dropped her gaze, embarrassed, and flustered. It’d been bad enough telling him she couldn’t be his date to the Ball, but now to spend the next hour in the Crawford Room with him?

She prayed he’d take the empty seat next to Tricia.

He didn’t.

He took the chair on Taylor’s right.

Taylor’s heart did a quick staccato as he pulled out the wooden chair and sat down next to her, stretching his legs out beneath the table, boots crossing at the ankle, his denim covered thigh practically touching hers.