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The clothes she purchased at the small western-wear boutique still weren’t quite right. What better place to shop for more normal garments than this place?
There was safety in numbers too—well, at least she thought so when she hooked up with the rodeo. Now her photo was plastered all over the papers, and she would be easily recognized, even if she was only the local celebrity of the day.
She reached for her oversized tote bag where it rested on the floor on the passenger side and set it on the seat. Rummaging through the contents, she shoved aside tubes of lipstick and gum wrappers to locate the baseball cap at the bottom.
After her rodeo friend gave her the logo cap, of course she thanked him, but now she wasreallygrateful she had it to conceal herself even if only a little bit.
When she pulled her hair back in a tie and settled the cap on her head, the effect was pretty decent. She might be any woman in Stone Pass, Montana.
She climbed out of her Hummer and hit the key fob to arm the security system. So far, her vehicle’s system had kept her far safer than any of those in the homes her mother owned.
Now I own them.
Each time she thought of her mother and how they left things, Trinny experienced a sharp pang. So much was unsaid. All she had left was the legacy her grandfather built and the few things in her truck.
As she crossed the parking lot, she still kept a vigilant watch of her surroundings, and even tossed a glance back at her truck just to be sure no one lurked around it. After all, four of the homes her mother—no,she—owned had been broken into and ransacked.
Once she learned of the break-ins, she didn’t stick around to find out where they’d strike next—she hit the road.
The automatic doors opened for her, and she passed through them. The new chemical scent that came with the rush of retail therapy acted like a soothing balm on her senses.
She stopped just inside the entry and looked around. There were shopping carts on one side and a display of candles a few feet away, but she didn’t see any salespeople.
Gripping her purse tight against her side, she waited for someone to approach her.
No one came.
Okayyy, this is awkward.
Maybe the salespeople were busy helping everyone else.
A woman slowly made her way over to Trinny. Her red top with the same bullseye logo proved she worked here, and she had a small limp to her step as though her knees hurt, and they probably did after years working on her feet.
Trinny continued to wait for her to approach so they could get on with the shopping.
The woman offered a smile, her eyes kind and crinkled behind her glasses lenses. “Can I help you with something?”
Trinny hoped she didn’t recognize her from the paper and ducked her head for extra measure. “Where are all the salespeople?”
The woman pointed at the checkout. “Over there.”
“No, the people who bring you clothes.”
The lady chuckled. “Are you making a joke? Filming one of those videos?”
Trinny stared at her.
The woman’s smile faded a little. “You’re serious, aren’t you? Oh honey, you’ve got the wrong store for that. Didn’t you see the bullseye? You just grab one of those shopping carts for yourself and load it up. That’s how it works.”
Trinny swallowed. “Oh. Okay. Thank you.” She offered her a smile of thanks and moved toward the shopping carts. It was a struggle to yank one free, but she finally managed, though the wheel squeaked and flipped in a broken circle instead of rolling.
She paused to take in the candle display, lured by the fruity summer smells. She had no use for pretty candles on the road and on the run, but there was no harm in browsing, was there?
She selected a blush pink one and pulled off the lid. Magnolias and a hint of vanilla. Nice for a bedroom—if she had one to go to.
Setting it back on the shelf, she latched on to the cart and moved down the main aisle until she hit the clothing section. Of course she’d shopped off racks at Bloomingdales and Saks, but this was a different experience.
She flipped through some plaid shirts—something that seemed to be a staple in this town and so many others she’d passed through with the rodeo.Oh, the navy blue one is nice. So is the white with small yellow stripes.
