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“I’ll pass it on.”
“Ryan Lawrence?”
The woman before him was dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved white shirt that hugged her curves. She was beautiful, but he didn’t get that zap of heat he got looking at Faith.
“Shelly, how are you?”
Dammit, why did he have to run in to her here?Just when he was starting to unwind again.
“What are you doing in a place like this?” She looked horrified.
“I was going to ask you the same thing.”
“My brother lives in Brook. I was staying with him, and he made me come here today to watch the game.” She shuddered.
Shelly was in the music industry, a promoter, and had tried and nearly succeeded to get him into bed about four years ago. He’d wised up at the last minute.
“Why are you here, Ryan?”
“I was born here.”
She laughed. “No way is Mr. Cool from a little hick town backwater like this!”
“It’s not a hick town,” he said calmly. “And I’ve never hidden the fact I’m from Lake Howling.”
“You must be bored silly. I’m struggling with Brook, but this place….” She shuddered again. “Let’s go and get a drink somewhere.” She looked about her as if a glass of champagne would magically appear. “There must be somewhere that serves something worth drinking. You and I have unfinished business.”
“No, thanks.” He knew what business she meant, and he wasn’t interested. “I’m here with my family and friends.”
“Don’t be silly.” She slipped her arm through his. “We can spend time together and alleviate the boredom. I mean, it’s not like this is our kind of place.”
He saw Faith then; she was standing a few feet away with Annabelle, and he knew both women had heard Shelly’s words by their narrowed eyes. He had a feeling of impending doom.
“Kind of place?” Annabelle said, slowly moving forward. “Hick town? I’m not sure I like the way your friend is talking about my home, Ryan.” She was smiling, but small children were running for cover.
“She didn’t mean to be rude, Annabelle.”
“Well now, I’m just sure she didn’t,” Faith said with the same smile on her face.
Together she and Annabelle packed quite a punch. No makeup, both in ball caps, beauty deep in their bones.
“Who are you?” Shelly looked at the two women in that sizing up kind of way women did that made men uncomfortable.
“These are my friends.” He stepped away from Shelly and out of the firing line, coward that he was. “Annabelle and Faith, this is Shelly Munro She’s a music promoter.”
The women acknowledged each other with a brief nod, but the hard edge in their eyes told him they were not happy. He looked around for help in any form.
“Ryan and I are close friends,” Shelly said, her husky voice suggesting there was something between them.
“It’s nice to have close friends,” Annabelle said. “But we had him first,” she added, still smiling.
It was an art, Ryan thought, to be able to keep that smile in place and talk.
“Time to go.” He moved to Annabelle and Faith. With a hand on each shoulder, he propelled them forward. “Later, Shelly. Have a good trip back to Brook.”
They didn’t want to move, but he wrapped his hands around their wrists and kept walking.
“I’m not sure I like your friend, Ryan.” Annabelle stated.
