CHAPTER 1
DELILAH
I removedmy rhinestone tiara as I ducked into the vintage trailer I’d been living in for the past few months. As the reigning Miss Lovin’ Texas, my most pressing official duty was judging the state tourism board’s search for the most romantic small town in Texas. Thirty days had been more than enough time to determine that the tiny town of East, which ironically happened to be located in the westernmost corner of the state, wasn’t going to win. I’d already been to Hartwood, a charming little town located in the Hill Country and the clear favorite to take the title.
With only one more town to judge, I was looking forward to putting my time as Miss Lovin’ Texas behind me. Living in the hot-pink branded trailer provided by the pageant’s main sponsor was getting old. I just had to spend the next thirty days in Swynton—the final contender—before I could trade in the trailer for my condo and get back to pursuing something more meaningful than deciding which town would secure the title.
“Well that was a nightmare.” My manager, who also happened to be my mother, or “momager” in pageant terms, came in behind me and pulled the door shut.
“Two stops down, one to go.” I lifted my sash over my head and hung it in the tiny closet.
“Just think, a couple of months from now, and this will all be behind you.” My mother unfastened the eye hook at the back of my dress and slid the zipper down to where I could reach it. “Next time you might want to smile more and talk less.”
“Thanks for the feedback, Stella.” I had been banished from calling my mother anything but her given name. God forbid someone actually mistake my mom for anything but my older sister—a game I had grown tired of playing.
My fingers closed around the zipper pull, and I stepped into the tiny bedroom area to change into something a little more comfortable and a lot less sparkly. Tonight’s final farewell appearance marked the end of my time in East. Tomorrow we’d start the trek to the southeast Texas town of Swynton, where I’d spend the next month evaluating their efforts to win the title.
I’d be glad when this gig was up. I not only could use some time away from Stella but also was ready to move onto bigger and better things. Once I wrapped up my stay in Swynton, I’d just have one final appearance to make—the ceremony where the board would award the title to the most romantic small town in Texas.
At twenty-five, I was ready to retire from pageant life and use my connections to make a difference in the world. Some of my competitors might not believe in the causes they promoted on their personal platforms, but I did. And once my current reign came to a glittering end, I had plans to put my money where my mouth was and start doing something to support my cause of empowering young girls, instead of just talking about it all the time.
I carefully slipped the glittery gown onto a hanger, then pulled on my dressing robe. As I slid a headband in place to start my long makeup removal routine, my cell rang.
“Want me to pick up for you?” Stella asked. Even with the door between the bedroom and the living area closed, it sounded like my mother was standing right next to me.
“I’ll get it.” I moved through the trailer and reached for my phone. “Hello. Miss Lovin’ Texas speaking.”
“Good evening, Ms. Stone. It’s Marty Plum. We’ve had a change of plans as to your travel itinerary tomorrow.”
“Oh? What kind of change?” I had spoken to the contest chair only a few times since I started my term.
Stella leaned against the counter next to me. “What’s going on?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know yet,” I whispered.
Mr. Plum cleared his throat. “Seems Swynton has been disqualified from the competition.”
“Disqualified?” I shot a glance to Stella. “What did they do?”
“That’s right. They’ve been accused of bribing a member of the committee. We can’t have any kind of scandal touch the competition, so we’ve taken them out of the running.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” I couldn’t care less about Swynton, Texas. Didn’t matter to me which town they sent me to, as long as I’d be done by the date my contract specified.
“What’s happening?” Stella asked.
I held up a finger. “Does that mean my judging obligations are complete? It’s just between Hartwood and East?”
“Not exactly.” Marty cleared his throat again. “The committee wants to let the runner-up town take Swynton’s place. It’s a fairly convenient swap since it’s right across the river. Instead of spending thirty days in Swynton, we’re going to have you spend the next month in Ido.”
“Ido? Where’s that?” I had never heard of the town and as a lifelong pageant participant, I’d traveled back and forth across the great state of Texas more times than the Pony Express had in its heyday.
Stella whipped her head back and forth, turning her giant earrings into weapons. “No. You’re not going there.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Plum. Could you hold for just a moment?” I put my hand over the mouthpiece and studied my mother. “What’s in Ido?”
“It’s where I grew up. You’re not spending any amount of time in that place. I barely escaped alive, I’m not sending my only child back there. Traveling to Swynton was close enough. No, you can’t do it.”
“Ms. Stone, are you there?” Marty asked. “Is there a problem?”
