Hang Tough(65)
“It’s sweet of you to offer, but I have plans today so I’ll just grab GG’s order and be on my way.” Maybe it was ridiculous, but Jade’s gaze scanned the area for tie-down straps.
“Nonsense. Every woman needs a pick-me-up now and then.”
Jade started to back away. “Not me. I’m good. I had a style update before I left New York.”
“Come on, it’ll be fun! We’ll stick around to offer our input,” Miz Maybelle said.
“Input” from a woman who wore a muumuu and had added a fake bun to the back of her head complete with red lacquered chopsticks? Not a confidence booster.
“Have you ever considered cutting your hair short?” Tilda asked. “That Twiggy looked so hip.”
Who was Twiggy? It sounded like a dog. The one thing Jade had going for her was her hair, so a chop job definitely wasn’t happening. “I think—”
“I’m in charge.” Bernice grabbed a new cape off the stack. “Don’t listen to them. Let’s get you situated in the chair.”
“But—”
“Lord, you’re looking at it like it’s an electric chair.”
“Can you blame me?”
The door slammed open and a voice boomed, “What in the hell is going on in here?”
Jade practically did a herkey she was so happy to see Riss.
“Riss. What are you doin’ here, girl?”
“Hello, Aunt Bernice.”
“Aunt?” Jade repeated.
“Yep. Not that she claims me.” Riss put her hands on her hips. “Jade and I had plans today. She texted that she was stopping here for a minute and it’s been fifteen so I thought I’d see if you were trying to force her into a makeover or some damn thing.”
Bernice bristled. “Just because you’ve never had a makeover doesn’t mean other women aren’t interested in one.”
Riss rolled her eyes. “Jade is beautiful. The only thing she’s interested in is a margarita.”
“In the middle of the afternoon?” Vivien asked.
“I’ll pretend I haven’t seen all of you totally tanked at the Blue Lantern before noon—on more than one occasion,” Riss shot back.
“Those were special celebrations. And the mimosas they serve during their pork festival pack a wallop,” Miz Maybelle said.
“Regardless. Jade and I are headed to Rawlins.”
“To the Blue Lantern?” Vivien asked.
“Nope. The Prickly Cactus.”
“That is not a nice place for nice girls,” Tilda said with a sniff.
Riss smirked. “Which is why I’m a regular there. Later, ladies. And Aunt Bernice.” She held the door open for Jade.
As soon as Jade was out of view of her watchers, she hugged Riss hard. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, a million times. I started to worry they were going to strap me in a chair again.”
“Again?” Riss said. “When was the first time?”
“Not important now. I am so ready for a margarita. Or five.”
“Same. Follow me into town. I gotta stop and buy a different shirt since this is the only one I have with me and there’s a streak of cowshit across the girls.”
Jade’s gaze fell to Riss’s chest. Sure enough, she saw a brown smear. “Does that happen a lot?”
“In my line of work? I’d consider this a clean shirt day.”
“Good to know.”
“You seriously ready to get your drink on? Cut loose a little, Wyoming-style?”
“Yes. I need a reminder that I’m twenty-four, not eighty-four.”
She grinned. “Call Garnet and tell her it’s a pixie dust night for you.”
“Pixie dust?” Jade repeated.
“She’ll know what it means. She’ll also know not to panic if she doesn’t see you until tomorrow morning.” Riss dropped her sunglasses over her eyes. “Stick close. I sorta speed.”
Great.
In Rawlins, Riss stopped at the farm and ranch supply store.
Jade wasn’t a shopper, but she didn’t have high expectations about the clothing selection in a place that sold chickens and tractors, so the section dedicated to women’s ranch and leisure wear was a happy surprise. Especially when Riss decided they both needed barhopping clothes.
Riss outfitted Jade in a tight button-up with swirls of glitter across the chest—that actually created the illusion of cleavage—and boot-cut jeans with rhinestones on the back-pocket flaps. Instead of cowboy boots, Jade selected a pair of funky flip-flops with a three-inch wedge heel covered in western beads and medallions.
“Lookit you, New York. Totally countrified.”
Jade took a bow. “I owe it all to you.”