Beauty's Kiss(33)

McKenna finished buttoning her coat and slipped her gloves on. “And I don’t know why I didn’t fall for Troy,” she added thoughtfully as they started for the door. “Troy is everything Trey isn’t. He’s good, he’s kind, he’s responsible. Successful. He doesn’t drink too much and he doesn’t get into bar fights—” She broke off, pursed her lips, and shook her head. “No. He’s nothing like Trey, which is why he doesn’t make my heart race or my pulse quicken or make me feel special, and beautiful, and new. And Trey made me feel that. From day one. From day one Trey made me feel like I was the most amazing girl in the world.” Her shoulders lifted and fell. “How can you not love a man that makes you feel like a goddess... absolutely divine?”

And then she was walking, quickly, and Taylor followed behind her, processing everything that had happened, and everything she and McKenna had talked about, realizing that McKenna Douglas wasn’t just beautiful and talented, she was also surprisingly wise.





Chapter Eight





Troy was glad that the uncomfortable ninety minute dinner with Judge McCorkle at the Graff was over and he was now free to sit at the bar at Grey’s and just relax.

Ninety minutes wasn’t long when you were dining with friends or a beautiful woman, but ninety minutes was endless when you were being solicited for a loan.

Judge Joe McCorkle found himself on the wrong side of a business deal and was in financial trouble. Of course he didn’t want anyone in the community to know he’d made some mistakes with his investments, and that he’d already taken out a second mortgage on his house to sort things out only to have just dug himself deeper into debt. He’d already approached both local banks and Big Sky Credit union  , and all three had turned him down. Judge McCorkle was a risk. He was also nearing retirement. How could he ever pay the loan back?

For that matter, how could he save his house? His wife had no idea that they could soon lose their home, and everything they’d worked for.

Troy had listened to all this over a dinner of steak and whiskey. He paid for the dinner. The Judge had no money.

The Judge knew Troy had money.

What was a two hundred and fifty thousand dollar loan between friends? Hadn’t Troy gone to school with his daughter Susie? (And no, Troy hadn’t. Brock had.)

Troy hadn’t told the judge yes. But he hadn’t told him no. He had to think about it. Had to figure out where the money would come from, and be realistic about McCorkle’s ability to pay him back.

The Judge might not ever be able to pay him back.

This wasn’t the first time Troy was approached by a Marietta individual needing assistance. It wouldn’t be the last.

As Troy entered Grey’s, he spotted a half dozen different people he knew. Callan Carrigan was in the far back, shooting pool, with a couple of Brock’s young hired hands. Dawson O’Dell and a young off duty sheriff were eating burgers at a table on one side, while McKenna and Taylor were having drinks on the other side.

Interesting, seeing McKenna and Taylor together. Troy hadn’t known they were friends. Taylor certainly hadn’t said anything last night at the Diner to indicate that she and McKenna were close.

He didn’t have a problem with them being friends. If anything, he thought it’d be good for Taylor to have someone like McKenna in her corner. You couldn’t ask for a better friend than McKenna. McKenna didn’t bullshit and she wasn’t superficial, and she was the first to stand up for the underdog.

What did surprise him was seeing McKenna head his way. He’d only just ordered a beer when McKenna arrived at his side.

“Hey,” McKenna said, greeting him.

“Hey, yourself,” he said, sliding off the bar stool. “Hello, Taylor,” he added, nodding at the librarian who was hanging back, as if to give them space. Troy turned his attention to McKenna. “You okay?”

She tucked a long dark red strand of hair behind her ear. “Sorry about last night.”

“It’s fine.”

“I wanted to talk to you, but its... weird.”

“I get it.”

She shook her head, jaw set, frustration evident. “It’s always such a shock... seeing you... even now. I know you can’t help looking like him, the rat bastard.”

Troy reached out and folded McKenna into a quick hug. “The curse of being an identical twin,” he said, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

“I should hate you,” she said, her voice muffled against his chest.

“You should.”

She looked up at him, smiling faintly, crookedly. “I don’t.”

“That’s good.” He released her, and watched as she stepped back, moving closer to Taylor. McKenna had been a very pretty girl and she’d grown into an absolutely stunning woman with long auburn hair, light green eyes, high cheekbones and a perfect chin, beneath perfect lips. But beneath her beauty was sadness. Her fire and courage didn’t completely mask her pain. McKenna had lived through a terrible tragedy and then she’d fallen in love with a man who couldn’t get his shit together long enough to protect her properly so that her wounds could heal. Instead Trey just kept hurting her, making the scars and pain worse.