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Bridger looked away. “Randall Dressler.”
Jane’s mouth dropped open. Randall was helping the pastor? The sleek trust-fund baby was the last person in town she would have picked as a savior.
“Surprised us too,” Bridger said. “Guy seems like a lightweight, but apparently he’s got a big heart.”
Apparently. She had to force herself not to glare at the two men.
She wasn’t shocked that they ran off to investigate without her. She just didn’t expect it to happen so quickly. One day in, and they dropped her like a hot potato.
Resentment, and a dose of good old-fashioned hurt, squeezed her chest. It wasn’t polite of her, or gracious, but she was just plain mad.
They were only trying to help. Still, she hated being relegated to the sidelines. People in The Creek looked after their own. Besides, she’d never been one to sit back and let others do all the work.
Still, she had no right to be so ungracious. She grabbed a pen from the canning jar next to the register and tapped it on the counter, her fingers pistoning up and down like a sewing machine needle. “I get that Randall felt more free to talk without me there. No problem. But you should have told me you were going.”
Bridger’s cheeks bulged as he held in a breath. After a minute, he nodded. “Fair enough. It won’t happen again.”
She hadn’t expected him to cave so easily. “Okay.”
He met her gaze. “Okay.”
The anger drained away. She had no right to be mad. They were helping her. Helping Jason. “Did you ask Randall about the county fair?”
The fleeting look Tai and Bridger exchanged was clearer than any denial. Score one for her.
“It was years ago,” she said. “The week the pastor and his wife got into town. They went to the fair. Randall was there, too. He saw a pretty woman and proceeded to flirt with her.”
She paused for effect, waiting for her audience to lean in before she continued. Growing up in cattle country had given her a strong appreciation for a story well told.
“Randall was the town bad boy back then. He was still drinking in those days,” she said once she sensed she’d let the tension ratchet up enough. “Doing drugs, too, is my guess. Anyway, he talked the woman into walking around the arena. As it turns out, the woman was Evangeline Myles, the new pastor’s wife. By the time the pastor found them, she was trying to fight Randall off. The pastor ended up with a broken nose and Randall spent the night in the drunk tank.”
Bridger whistled between his teeth. “Not a great introduction to Redemption Creek.”
She straightened the pens in the jar. “Nope. Randall apologized, but the damage was done. He caused the pastor and his wife a lot of unnecessary embarrassment. Word around town for the longest time was that he and Evangeline planned to meet all along.”
It was years before the older townsfolk believed Vangie. Some probably still didn’t, though most people, including Jane, had been won over by Vangie’s willingness to pitch in. She was the ultimate pastor’s wife: helpful, kind, and generous with her time.
Bridger stared into the distance, rubbing his knuckles over the day-old stubble on his chin. “And now the guy bails the pastor out of a huge hole. I guess I can see where old Randall might feel obligated to help.”
Jane had always had a soft spot for the reckless Randall, not to mention a powerful high school crush on the older boy. It wasn’t his fault his parents spoiled him rotten. She had always hoped he felt badly about his mistake. The Randall she’d known in high school would have. After he had a good laugh about the situation.
Tai scrunched up his nose. “Prob’ly woulda been helpful to know about this before we barged in on the guy.”
Bridger shot his friend a look. “Copy that. I guess I miscalculated.”
If that was what he wanted to call hiding information from her.
She cocked an ear in his direction. “Is that an apology? Because if so, it’s sub-par.”
Tai made a soft, choking sound. “The little lady lands a bull’s eye.”
Bridger muttered something she couldn’t hear. “I’m sorry.” He repeated when it became obvious she’d missed his mumbled reply.
She nodded regally. “Thank you.”
She might have gotten their attention, but she could see how things would go from here. They’d make command decisions and she’d continue to play catch up, running after them like she used to chase Jason and his friends when they were small.
Always two steps behind.
