“Morning, Nora,” she said cheerfully, dropping a pastry box on my counter. “I brought you croissants because I feel guilty for what I’m about to do.”
“Oh?” I blinked. “What are you about to do?”
She smiled like a fox with a matchbook. “Visit the Rangers.”
All three Magnolia Ladies groaned in unison.
“Riley, absolutely not,” Agnes scolded.
“You leave those boys alone,” Mabel warned. “Especially Trigger.”
Riley twirled a strand of hair around her finger. “Why, especially Trigger?”
“Because he’s impressionable,” June said.
I snorted so loudly I almost choked on my coffee. “Trigger? Impressionable?”
The ladies nodded gravely.
Riley grinned wickedly. “All the more reason.”
She shot me a wink, scooped up the pastry box, and sauntered out the door.
Agnes clapped her hands on her knees. “This is going to end in disaster.”
“Oh absolutely,” Mabel said. “I love it.”
I lastedten minutes before curiosity yanked me to the window.
Across the street, Riley leaned casually against a support beam, her shirt tied at her waist in a way that should have been illegal before noon.
Trigger froze with a hammer mid-swing.
Saint walked into a ladder.
I thought I even heard Havoc mutter something that probably violated town decency laws.
Wolf stepped out onto the porch, narrowed his eyes, and crossed his arms like he was deciding whether to arrest her himself.
Even from here, I saw Riley’s grin widen.
Oh no.
She strolled toward Wolf.
Said something.
He replied with a curt, “No.”
She said something else.
He repeated, “No.”
Then Trigger chimed in.
And Riley lit up like Christmas.
Wolf looked like he’d swallowed a lemon whole.
