Hang Tough(62)
“Jade was crying?” Tilda said with horror.
“Of course she was crying. Her grandmother’s best friends, who she met for the first time today, subjected her to a freakin’ lie detector test. She took that to mean that you all think she’s capable of emotionally hurting her grandma, which couldn’t be further from the truth. And you grilled her on other personal things about Miz G that are very much not any of your business.” He got in Vivien’s face. “You have a granddaughter. How would you feel if all your friends descended on her, dragged her out to the damn barn, hooked her up to a machine and asked her a bunch of questions?”
“Well, when you put it that way . . . no. I wouldn’t be okay with it.”
“Vivien!” Pearl snapped. “We’re supposed to stick together.”
“What Pearl said,” Miz Maybelle chimed in. “This was a group decision.”
“But Jade was crying,” Tilda said. “Not to mention none of you were in the house with Garnet. She has no control when it comes to that magazine. And to make it worse . . .” Tilda’s chin wobbled. “She was picking out gifts for us!”
“This is why she was not allowed in with us when we were asking Jade questions,” Bernice scoffed. “She’s a soft touch.”
“If you’d just been asking her questions, you’d’ve done it in the house over lemonade and cherry crisp.” His angry gaze moved from Bernice, to Miz Maybelle, to Pearl, the ones who seemed to be the least apologetic. “And where in the hell did you get a lie detector machine anyway?”
All eyes zoomed to Vivien.
“I found it by the side of the road.”
“Bullshit.”
She shrugged. “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”
Miz Maybelle smirked at Tobin. “Don’t you want to know what Jade said about you during the lie detector test?”
“Why would you ask her about me?”
Bernice snorted. “Because even before you showed up here, raging like an angry bull because you think we done your lady wrong, it’s obvious you have the hots for her.”
“Jade said some pretty juicy stuff,” Miz Maybelle said slyly.
Wrong. Your interference today ensured there’d be nothing juicy going on tonight.
Vivien rolled her eyes. “It is not juicy, Maybelle. Jade said Tobin’s kisses were juicy.”
“No, she admitted his body was juicy,” Pearl argued. “Like she drooled whenever he took his shirt off.”
“Are you sure she didn’t say juicy when he took his pants off?” Tilda asked.
All eyes swiveled to her.
“What?” she asked indignantly. “I just wanted clarification since I wasn’t there.”
Jesus. He oughta grab the fucking Taser and turn it on himself.
“So why are you here?” Bernice asked. “To make sure we don’t spill the beans to Garnet that you’re sneaking around with Jade?”
“I’m here to make sure you never mention this incident to Miz G, because it would break her heart.”
They all nodded.
“That’s it?” Pearl asked suspiciously.
“No, that’s not it. You’re each gonna do something really fuckin’ nice and special for Jade. And yes, I’m mad enough that my language is warranted, so deal with it.”
“What kind of special things are you expecting us to do?” Vivien asked.
Dammit. Just as he started to berate himself for not thinking this through, an idea clicked. “You’re gonna talk to your buddy in Casper—the one who runs the music department, or the symphony or whatever it is—about the talented young woman living outside of Rawlins. A violinist with a degree from Columbia who is looking to connect with other musicians in the area.”
Vivien’s eyes turned shrewd. “This is a serious favor, Tobin. “
“Oh, I know. But trust me. When you hear Jade play? You’ll thank me for doin’ you the favor because the woman is an outstanding violinist.”
“Since when is Jade going to be living here permanently?”
Tobin flashed his teeth at her. “Since she and I became serious.”
It might’ve been the first time he’d shocked them all into speechlessness.
Vivien cleared her throat. “I’ll get right on it.”
Next he leaned in front of Bernice. “If Jade wants a full salon treatment, you’ll give her the works. No charge.”
Bernice squirmed. “How about at a reduced rate?”
“How about if I tell your husband about the birthday spanking you got—onstage—at the Lumberjack Jamboree strip show in Casper two months ago?”