Miranda just nodded but didn’t seem like she was in a rush to join the ladies’ luncheon and her smile faded like an actress once the cameras turned off.
“How about you?”Shelby asked.
“Well I did manage to leave for college, but then my father died so I’ve been back taking care of the ranch.And I recently got engaged.I’ll be Miranda Sutton Dubois, next month,” Miranda said, holding up her left hand where a huge rock that doubled as an engagement ring sat.
“Congratulations,” Shelby said.“Charles Dubois?”She recalled her mother saying Miranda was going to marry into the wealthiest family in Sandy Point.
“Funny story that didn’t work out after I caught him with several other girlfriends, at the same time.But his daddy proposed.”Her fake smile was back in place.
“Oh, well I’m sure it’ll be nice to be settled down.”Shelby didn’t know what else to say, considering Mr.Dubois was old enough to be Miranda’s father and she would be his third wife.
“Maybe if you’re in town for a bit you can come out to the ranch and see the horses, didn’t you ride in high school?”
Shelby was surprised Miranda knew that about her but smiled at the idea.“That sounds fun.”Shelby picked up a welcome gift bag and the table assignment where Miranda should sit and handed it over to her.
“In case I don’t see you,” Miranda leaned in, “whatever you do don’t let your mama rope you into joining the committee, trust me.”Miranda winked.
She couldn’t help but wonder if she and the former popular girl had more in common than she’d realized.
Shelby just nodded.“Thanks.”
Her mom had driven them to the event so she was going to be stuck there unless she wanted to walk back to her parents’ in these pumps.Something she wasn’t ruling out.For now she pulled out her phone to call Pops and check on him.She hadn’t planned to be out so long.She shot him a text to let him know she’d be home late but there was chicken dumpling soup in the fridge for him.
He replied with a smiley emoji and told her to have fun.Then she scrolled through her emails.One from her editor about her looming deadline for the first book in her new series and an email that caught her eye from W.Hart.
Shelby, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re too busy to use that number I gave you and call me, or that you failed to mention you’re a big-time successful writer.But in case you lost my number, or you’re also replaying our time together and can’t get a good night’s sleep, I wanted to extend my offer again.Please call me, I need to see you.Wes.
It was simple, and a little romantic that he’d resorted to looking her up on the internet, found her email, and reached out to her.But his offer still stood as just a hookup, no request to take her on a date.
She laughed at herself.As an author of middle-grade fantasy adventures you’d think she wouldn’t be such a sap looking for romantic gestures from the man she had a crush on all through adolescence.But here she was.
Before she could think of a response a text rolled in from her mother.
Get in here so you can help me enjoy the festivities!
After being stuck on desk duty she was hoping to hide, but it looked like her mother had other plans.Stepping into the large dining room, she saw that her mother was at the front of the room with a microphone and Shelby groaned at the thought of sitting through the next few hours.She just needed to wait for a good window to slip out, and she could walk the few hundred feet back to her parents’ home to retrieve her truck.Even a walk in the snow, in heels, would be better than spending all evening with this snobby crowd.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Wesley
Lucky Shot
The last thingWes expected to find as he drove along Beach Boulevard was a woman walking in a sequined gown and heels in the snow.Pulling up beside her, Wes put down his window and stopped his truck while he grinned at his good fortune.
“Excuse me, can I give you a lift somewhere?”Wes said.
Shelby had her hands in her coat and her face tucked down as low as possible to ward off the cold, but she looked freezing.He leaned over and opened the passenger door.
“Get in before you get hypothermia in those ridiculous shoes.”
She did as instructed, and he turned the heat on full blast.Then reached out his hand to grip her bare knee and began to run his hand up and down her freezing leg.
“What the hell were you thinking going out in this cold with nothing on?”
“I’m wearing a dress and a coat,” she said through chattering teeth.
“Not appropriate for forty-degree weather, and why would you try to walk in the snow in those shoes?”
