Just as she’d explained to Jack, she’d come to town with the need to be herself. To
not cater to someone else’s whim. To not let them dictate who she was for their own
purposes.
She’d faltered along the way. Had felt self-conscious about wearing clothes she
liked. Had obsessed over Lydia Bain shunning her. Had wanted desperately to please
the Ladies Who Lunch. Not just for Jess’ sake. Not for Jack’s. But because she’d wanted to belong.
But she didn’t, did she?
The thought did not sit well with her. Emotion welled in her throat. She really
didn’t seem to fit in anywhere. Not the big city. Not a small town.
Why, exactly, was that?
Two hours had passed since she’d left the saloon and she was nowhere near calm.
Nor was she anywhere close to reasoning with herself on what had gone so horrifically awry today. Add to that the fact that Jack had left her cottage on Sunday night without making love to her and hadn’t called or stopped by last night and she really felt she’d never figure out this town or life in it. She’d sensed the other night that she’d killed the romantic buzz with him and clearly, she was right.
Leaving her with a whole lot of “why am I still here?” thoughts.
This town had serious issues to reconcile. Politics she understood, but really had
nothing to do with. She was an outsider. The people who lived and worked here, with
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embedded roots, were the ones in need of figuring out how they were going to keep the town alive, keep themselves in business, while placating the saints at the same time.
This wasn’t her fight. She was just here on a whim, after all. Looking for a good time.
A good girl turned wicked woman experience.
She’d succeeded in finding that. So now, maybe, it really was time to move on.
Though…she had no idea where she wanted to go from here. Certainly not back to
New York. Not back to her former life. She was long past that. She had sent her mother enough text messages to confirm she wasn’t coming back, though her mother still
reminded her of routine social engagements she expected Liza to attend.
With a sigh, Liza locked the cottage door and slipped the key under the mat. As she
stood on the front porch, staring out at the lake, she considered her options. Austin, maybe? San Antonio? Dallas?
Not sure where she wanted to go, she descended the steps and traversed the
pathway that led to the back of the cottage where her car was parked. When she slid
behind the driver’s seat, she caught a glimpse of herself in the rear-view mirror. Those crazy highlights. Jack had never said a word about them. He’d accepted them the way
he’d accepted everything else about her.
Which made her frown. He accepted her. So too did Jess and Ginger. Even Ruby.
But Jack and Lydia were thick as thieves and, eventually, he’d side with his lifelong friend over a mere fling, wouldn’t he?
What, exactly, had he said to Lydia when they’d been talking about her? Had he
agreed with whatever derogatory thing Lydia might have been ranting about? Or had
he stood up for her?
Her heart wanted to believe he’d stood up for her. But it’d been Lydia he’d been
talking with. Liza didn’t expect him to turn his back on that friendship for a girl he’d met less than a week ago.
Starting the engine, she reviewed her options again. Maybe Austin, since it was
where her dad had been born. A bigger city than Wilder. Perhaps a bit more
progressive.
As she turned the car around, she caught a glimpse of the lake in her side mirror.
She’d miss that pretty scenery. As she passed by the farmhouse at the top of the hill, she thought about Jack.
His scorching-hot kisses. His half-assed grin. His too-hunky-for-words body. His
sexy lovemaking.
She hadn’t set out to find love or romance here in Wilder. Just a hot hookup. She’d
found all three, though, she realized as she drove past his house. Because, as much as he’d helped to mend her broken heart and had even protected it on occasion, he’d also stolen it.
In five short days.
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* * * * *
Liza still had her directions from when she’d driven here from New York and
would simply reverse them to get back to the bigger cities in Texas, starting with
Austin.
She thought of how she’d ended up in Wilder in the first place.
Such a crazy thing to do. Throw a dart at a map and think it was possible to build a new life in an unfamiliar town where she knew no one. And yet… As she reached the
end of Wilder Lake Lane, she stared at the signs ahead, conflicted. There were only two ways to go.
If she turned right, the road would take her out of Wilder.
If she turned left, she’d end up in town.
She gnawed her lower lip a moment, the decision not an easy one to make. She
considered the past several hours. The fury she’d felt. The hopelessness over not fitting in. The betrayal over Jack talking about her with Lydia and likely taking Lydia’s side.
But she didn’t know for a fact that he’d taken Lydia’s side. And, sure, maybe she
stood out like a sore thumb in this tiny Texas town, but hadn’t she made a few friends while she was here? Jess and George. Ginger and Ruby. Sean. The mayor and his wife.
Even Jack. Though the romance might have fizzled because of her prodding, she had a
feeling they were close enough to remain friends.
Not that she relished that idea. She’d miss his lasciviousness. His wicked ways. But
still. She liked him too much to never speak with him again.
And what about Jess and Ginger? She’d promised to help both of them with their
new business plans. She didn’t want to let them down. They were good people. Good
friends.
Staring straight ahead at the signs, one pointing north, one pointing south, she
debated her options again.
Austin. San Antonio. Dallas.
Or Wilder.
She pulled in a deep breath, let it out slowly.
Sure, there might be sexy cowboys in those other cities. But not one who looked like
a Devil in Blue Jeans.
Heading south, she drove through town and parked along the main drag, close to
Ginger’s shop. She stepped out of the car and locked it behind her. A little perspective was in order and she thought Ginger might be an objective sounding board. If she
didn’t resolve her issues today, she could always head out of town tomorrow.
Crossing the street, she walked into the lingerie shop.
“What perfect timing!” her new friend squealed in delight as she clasped her hands
together. “I just finished the window display!”
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Liza turned back to the window, which was covered by a thick curtain in the front,