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“Drew doesn’t listen to anyone. Well, that’s not true. She listens to you.”
“Sometimes,” Maisie scoffed. “After she’s exhausted all other options.”
“Compared to the rest of us, getting her to listen sometimes is a pretty big deal.” They were entering the city limits of Gillette, and Hannah put on her turn signal to head in the direction of downtown. “You really think I should apply?”
“I do. If we have to battle Drew together, we will.”
“You’d really help me?”
“As long as you promise me it’s what you want. Not something to do just to spite Drew. This is your life, Hannah. You have to make the right decisions for yourself, not out of frustration or anger. Think long and hard if it’s something you really want. If it is, don’t let anything stop you.”
* * *
“You can let me off here,”Maisie said, pointing to a storefront with some metal cafe tables outside and a sign announcing artisan roasted coffee.
As Hannah pulled over, Maisie could feel the exhaustion in her bones, despite not having done a single thing that Drew would consider work. Of course, Maisie suspected if Drew had attempted a similar heart-to-heart with her sister, it probably would’ve killed her. As it was, while Maisie was glad to have had the chance to talk with the girl, she was in dire need of some alone time. When she’d worked in an office every day, Maisie had been able to handle these types of interactions easily. Now, they wore her out.
The scent of fresh coffee hit Maisie’s nostrils as she walked through the door, along with a delightful array of bakery smells that she couldn’t quite identify individually but, taken together, were the definition of heaven. She walked to the counter, searching the menu that was posted on the wall for inspiration. After months of simple country cooking and plain coffee, Maisie was in the mood for a treat.
“Could I get a latte?” Maisie asked of the young man behind the counter.
“Anything else?”
“Yes. A cinnamon roll, please.”
“You know, that’ll go right to your hips,” said a woman’s voice from behind her. Maisie whirled around to see a middle-aged woman with unnaturally blonde highlights and an artificial tan. In other words, everything about her screamed outsider.
“I’m sorry?” Maisie kept her tone even, deciding to give the stranger the benefit of the doubt, even when it was hard to figure out how what she’d said could be construed as anything but rude. “Have we met?”
“Jolene Davis.” The woman’s lips twisted into a cool half-smile as Maisie let out an almost silent gasp. “I see you’ve heard of me. You must be Maisie Campbell.”
“That’s Sullivan,” Maisie corrected, willing herself not to shake. “Maisie Sullivan.”
Jolene stared at her, unblinking, and Maisie could tell that what she’d said had been no mistake. “I’m aware of who you are, andwhatyou are to Drew Campbell.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m a marketing intern spending a few months on the Lazy C ranch. That’s all.”
“Interesting. I’ve seen some documents from the Clark County Marriage License Bureau that make me think it’s more than that. In fact, I think we should sit down for a minute and chat. Who knows? We might become friends.”
“I really can’t.” Maisie’s eyes darted behind the counter where the server was putting the finishing touches on her order. “I only stopped in for a pick-me-up and to see if Claire was here. It appears she’s not, so I should be on my way.”
“I really think it’s in your best interest to stay.”
Maisie tried one more time to convince the woman she had it all wrong. “Look, I told you already. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do, but if I were you, I’d play stupid, too. I’m well aware Drew doesn’t like me. She never did. If she found out you were here, talking to someone she would melodramatically declare her sworn enemy, you’d never hear the end of it.” A flicker of victory shone in Jolene’s eyes as Maisie failed to keep a perfectly straight face at that description. She couldn’t help it. As serious as Drew was, she did come off a bit melodramatic at times, if you really got to know her. “Your coffee’s ready. Will you be joining me?”
Maisie took her coffee and cinnamon roll with a sigh. “One minute. That’s it. After that, I have errands to run.”
“Of course.” Jolene ushered Maisie to a table for two. Maisie was thankful the shop was empty because if anyone had been there to see this exchange, Drew would probably already know about it.
Once they were seated, Maisie looked Jolene square in the face, her anger rising. She felt like a trapped animal, ready to lash out. “What is it you came here to say?”
“Settle down.” Jolene put up her hands as if to signal she meant no harm. “Contrary to what you may think, I’m on your side.”
“Sure, you are. Sneaking up on people, hinting you plan on outing sensitive personal information, that’s totally what people do when they’re on your side.”
“I admit it probably came across a little scary, and I apologize.” To her credit, the woman did look properly contrite. “I wouldn’t dream of telling anyone what I know about you and Drew. I only shared it because of what it told me, which is that you and I aren’t very different.”
