Something to Talk About, page 6
“Word spreads fast,” Grey said from the seat next to her. “All these city folk coming up from Phoenix are excited to get themselves some pumpkins in some cooler weather.”
“I guess so,” Corey said.
“That and all the advertising in town seems to have helped a bunch.”
“True. Remind me to thank everyone.”
“You won’t need reminding, but okay.”
Corey rounded a kettle corn vendor and then parked beside one of the two face painters.
“Who knew we’d need all this to sell pumpkins?”
Grey chuckled. “People expect to be entertained these days. Or didn’t you get the memo?”
“I guess I’m out of the loop.”
“Yeah, well, Miley Roberts may be a lot of things, but she was right about you having all this. Without it, people would be bored.”
“We have the goats and the baby chicks. And some of Mrs. Pettigrew’s peach preserves for sale. Isn’t that enough?”
“Boring,” Grey said.
They sat and stared at the bouncy castle across from the barn. Kids were jumping and shrieking with joy. Corey couldn’t help but smile.
“You check in with Ryan lately?” Corey asked.
Grey spit out some sunflower seed shells. “Yep. He’s doing fine. Says sales are going well.”
“Well, that’s good, I suppose.”
“Good? Hell, ain’t this what you wanted?”
Corey took a long look around at all the people. She inhaled the scent of kettle corn and the cotton candy. Watched as a few kids fed the pygmy goats, laughing as the goats knocked the food from their hands. Then she watched as parents pulled wagons full of pumpkins toward the front, on their way to the cashier. All in all, it was a beautiful scene and she couldn’t be more proud.
“You know, it is. It’s exactly what I wanted.”
“Good, cuz I was beginning to worry you’d lost your damn mind. Settin’ all this up and then not being happy about it. I was about to smack you upside the head.”
Corey laughed. “I’d like to see you try, old woman.”
“I’d love to try.”
Just then Ryan came on over the radio requesting backup at the checkout stand.
“I’ll go,” Grey said. “Seeing as how you’ve got company and all.”
“Sorry?”
Grey elbowed her and nodded toward Brin and Laken who were headed right for them.
“Right.”
Corey crawled from the Mule and Grey slid behind the wheel and took off toward the front of the ranch, leaving some dust in her wake.
“Hi,” Brin said as she approached, holding Laken’s hand.
“Hi.” Corey knelt and got to Laken’s eye level. “Hi, Laken.” She was wearing Corey’s hat and it nearly melted her heart. “I like your hat,” she said, straightening once again.
Laken promptly removed the hat and extended it to her.
“Ah, thank you. But you keep it, okay? It looks good on you.” She winked at her and Laken returned the hat to her head.
Brin seemed beside herself. “She only ever does that with you.”
“What’s that?”
“Interact.”
“Oh.” Corey shrugged. “Maybe she just likes me.”
“Maybe,” Brin said with a small smile. Her gaze traveled beyond Corey back toward the front of the ranch. Corey turned and saw her staring at Grey.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Brin finally said. “With your partner and all.”
“Who, Grey? Nah, she’ll get over it.”
Brin blinked at her. “She will?”
Corey laughed. “Of course. She had to go help out up front anyway.”
Corey studied Brin as she studied her, looking back and forth from Grey to Corey.
“Wait,” Corey said. “When you say partner, you don’t mean…”
“As in,” Brin said.
Corey burst out laughing. “Uh no, you got that all wrong.”
“I do?”
Corey laughed so hard she could feel herself reddening. “Uh, yeah. Definitely. Grey’s an old friend. And she’s been married for years to a woman who would kick my ass if I even thought about hitting on her.”
Brin appeared to be embarrassed. She shifted her feet and blushed. “Oh.”
Corey shook her head. “You really thought…”
“I did.”
“Oh, geez. Grey’s gonna get a kick out of that.”
“Glad I could be a little comic relief,” she said with a smile.
Corey finally settled down and held out her hand for Laken. “Come on, let’s go pick some squash.”
Laken allowed her to take her hand and they walked over to the patch where there was a table set up with dozens of squash. Corey released her hand and pointed.
“Take your pick, kiddo.”
Laken began playing with squash after squash. Corey retrieved a basket and gave it to Brin.
“You’re spoiling her,” Brin said with a chuckle.
“Hey, imagine if all kids only wanted squash. What a world it would be.”
“You’ve got a good point.”
Brin held the basket out and Corey grabbed the squash that Laken discarded and set them inside. She knew she couldn’t decide, so she’d give her as many as she wanted to take home.
“I think that’s enough,” Brin said.
“Not yet,” Corey said, watching Laken. Then, finally it happened. Laken settled on two squash that she didn’t want to put down. “Bingo.”
Brin shook her head. “How did you know?”
“I just pay attention.” She took the basket from Brin and carried it for her as they continued to walk the ranch. “I knew she’d eventually find two she wanted to hold on to. And the others, she can keep to play with when she gets bored with those two.”
“You’re so good with her,” Brin said. “My sister, she’d be so amazed.”
They walked quietly for a few moments with Laken concentrating on her squash.
“You know, when we get home, she’ll line all the squash up with her pumpkins.”
“No kidding?”
“Yep. She loves to line things up. Entertains her for hours.”
They came upon the pygmy goats and Laken began to shriek with excitement.
“Guess this means we’re stopping here,” Corey said. She led them into the fenced off area and set the basket in the barn. Then she scooped out a large handful of feed for Laken and called her over. Laken ran to her but seemed to struggle inwardly with what to do with her squash.
“Would you like me to hold them?” Corey asked.
Laken shifted a little and set the squash on the ground. Then she held out her hands for the feed. Corey gave her the food and the goats immediately hurried over and buried their faces in her hands. Laken giggled with delight and dumped the feed on the ground, already wanting more.
“Laken, you’ve already had some,” Brin said.
“That’s okay,” Corey said. “Laken, can I lift you up?” Gently, she lifted Laken and set her up on a grated platform. Then she placed the bucket of feed next to her and showed her how to toss the food down to the goats. Laken at once went to the bucket and grabbed a handful of feed. But she didn’t toss it down on the ground. Instead, she sat and dropped pieces of the food through the grates, watching as it fell down to the goats. She seemed mesmerized.
“Looks like she’s entertained,” Corey said, sitting down on the edge next to her. Brin eased down on the other side.
“It doesn’t take much,” she said. Brin once again smiled at her as she squinted into the sun and Corey noticed just what an incredibly attractive woman she was. With her blond hair and deep green eyes, she was a stunner. And then there was her body. Curved in all the right places and thick with muscle, it was no wonder her heart rate was starting to increase whenever she caught sight of her. But damned if she was going to tell anyone. Grey would give her all kinds of shit, and as for anyone else, they’d just bring up Dawn and that was something she wasn’t willing to get into.
“Well, look who it is!”
Corey cringed as she recognized the shrillness of her voice.
“Hello, Miley.”
Miley hurried up to them and reached for Laken’s head, which she gave a good roughhousing. Laken balked and pushed her hand away.
“Oh, sorry, little one,” Miley said, but she didn’t sound sorry at all.
“She doesn’t like touch a whole lot,” Brin said, her voice sounding tight.
Corey recalled what Brin had said about Miley showing up at her house after the party, apparently saying things about Laken. It seemed she was still upset over the matter. Corey couldn’t blame her. Miley seriously knew how to rub people the wrong way and butt in when she had no business doing so.
“No matter,” Miley said, seemingly oblivious. “Let’s talk about this shindig,” she said, waving her well-manicured hands around. “Talk about a success!”
“It has turned out nicely,” Corey said, wishing she would go away.
“Nicely? Come on, Corey, this is fabulous. You’ve got cars lined up to get in.”
“I don’t know about that.” She knew Miley was exaggerating, but that seemed to come with the territory where she was concerned. “But it is going very well.”
Miley grinned, showing off her stark white veneers. “And what about you?” she asked, referring to Brin. “You look like you’re enjoying yourself. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, I’d say the three of you look like a little family sitting here feeding the goats.” She looked down at her feet, as if making sure she wasn’t stepping in goat poop.
“Oh, no,” Brin said. “We’re just letting Laken enjoy the goats.” She gave what appeared to be a forced smile. Corey almost laughed at its obvious sarcasm, which seemed to be completely lost on Miley.
“With that hat on she looks like a little Corey Durand sitting there,” Miley said. “Wouldn’t that be a hoot, Corey?”
Corey flexed her jaw, growing frustrated. She didn’t want Miley to scare Brin off.
Why couldn’t she just go away? And why did she always have to run her mouth?
“Corey’s great with Laken,” Brin surprised her by saying. “And I think the matching hat is cute. Laken’s really taken to her.”
Miley’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? Well, I see.”
“There’s nothing to see, Miley,” Corey said, standing, already sensing where Miley might be heading. “Laken’s just feeding the goats.”
“Well, then I guess there’s nothing wrong with Jimmy coming by to say hello to Brin then?”
Corey fought cringing again, but Miley didn’t seem to notice or care. She looked to Brin.
“He saw you earlier and he’s just dying to say hello.”
Brin smiled again, so forced it looked like her cheeks would crumble.
“Jimmy’s free to do what he wants,” Brin said.
Miley bounced a little. “Very good. I’ll send him over. Corey, congrats again on a big success. Hopefully, this little endeavor will line your pockets some.” With that she turned and hurried away, watching the ground carefully as if she were once again worried about the goat poop.
Corey sighed, exasperated, and removed her hat to scratch her forehead.
“Is she always so…” Brin started.
“Offensive? Pushy? Nosy?” Corey laughed. “Not all the time. Sometimes she sleeps.”
Brin cracked up. “Really? I was beginning to wonder about that too.”
Corey slapped her hat against her thigh. “I gave up trying to figure that woman out years ago.”
“I can understand why. It seems to be exhausting.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I just don’t get it. One minute she’s very nice and doing really nice things, and the next she’s stabbing you with daggers right into your back.”
“Sometimes into your front,” Corey said, returning her hat to her head. “Sometimes she doesn’t even try to hide her intentions or her dismay. She just flat out smacks you in the face with them.”
“So, you’re aware of some of the things she says about you?”
Corey scoffed. “Oh, yeah.”
“And yet you still put up with her?”
“I’m not the only one she talks about. And what good would it do to shun her? She’d just talk more. No, I prefer to kill her with kindness. Besides, she’s not all wrong. I am an old spinster.” She winked.
Brin laughed.
“As well as a fanged lesbian predator. So you better look out.”
“Oh, I’m terrified. Truly.”
They both laughed and Brin cocked her head. “So you’re not terribly fond of her either? I was worried you two were friends.”
Corey smiled. “Just like Grey and I were partners?” She nudged her playfully.
Brin shoved her back just as playful. “Shut up.”
“Your powers of perception are somewhat skewed a little don’t you think?”
“No, they’re not. You can’t blame me for thinking that about you and Grey.”
“Why? Because we’re both obviously gay, so we must be together then?”
Brin stared at her. “I guess you got me there.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Hey, at least I admitted it.”
“Yes, you did. And I forgive you. Most straight people make that assumption as well.”
Brin blinked. “Straight? I’m not straight.”
Corey’s throat seized and she blinked back at her. “You…aren’t?”
“Uh, no. Now who’s making assumptions?”
Corey looked into her beautiful eyes, stunned. She knew she shouldn’t be, especially with what Grey had said about her, but yet she was. Her heart raced and she found it difficult to swallow. She opened her mouth, unsure what to say, but knowing she needed to say something, anything.
But another voice beat her to it.
A voice that made her skin crawl.
Chapter Eight
“So this is where all the good-looking women are hanging out,” Jimmy Roberts said as he approached with a wide, sloppy grin. His gaze was fixed on Brin and she felt like squirming, like she was a helpless ant beneath the rays of the sun shining through a magnifying glass, Jimmy the devious child holding the glass.
“Why thank you, Jimmy,” Corey surprised her by saying. She batted her eyelashes at him. “You do know how to make a lady swoon.”
Jimmy glanced at her and grimaced, then returned his sights on Brin. “And how are you this fine day?”
“I’m…well, fine.” She gave a pleasant smile but offered him nothing further. It seemed to disappoint him.
“Oh. Well, that’s good. Nice to hear.” He glanced at Corey nervously and then offered his elbow to Brin. “I thought you might want to take a walk around the grounds?”
Brin straightened. “That sounds like a great idea.” She stood. “I would love a tour.”
Jimmy smiled. “Fantastic.”
But Brin ignored him and looked back to Corey and extended her own elbow toward her. “Care to show me around your place, Ms. Durand? I’d love to see it and who better to show me than you?”
Corey seemed to hesitate for a second, but then stood with a big smile. “I’d be honored.”
They both grinned at Jimmy who seemed to be at a loss for words.
“It was nice seeing you, Jimmy,” Brin said, hoping he would get the hint.
He stared at them for a moment or two and then stuttered. “I—I guess I’ll see you around then.” He walked away, his discontent more than obvious.
“See ya,” Brin said.
Corey shook her head as they watched him exit the goat pen. “I didn’t think you had it in you,” she said.
Brin chuckled. “I don’t like people forcing things on me. Especially when they aren’t welcome.”
“I’m beginning to see that.”
Brin knelt and focused on Laken. “Lake, come on, hon, we’re going to go for a walk with Corey.”
Laken kept playing with the goats by dropping the feed down through the grates. She didn’t look up once, and when her hands were empty she went back to the bucket almost as if in a trance.
“Laken,” Brin said. “Come on, hon.” She touched her hand and Laken pulled away.
“She’s fixated,” Corey said.
“Uh-huh.” Brin straightened and sighed. “It’s moments like these when I don’t know what to do. If I make her quit she’ll have a fit. If I wait for her to finish on her own, we’ll be here all day.”
Corey seemed to think a moment. Then she knelt and removed the bucket. She carried it into the barn and at first Laken didn’t notice, too entranced to pay attention. But when her hands came up empty and she went for more feed, she seemed truly startled and she started to scream.
The children around them began scurrying and covering their ears. Brin quickly scooped her up and hurried her from the pen. Corey was right behind her, along with Whip.
“I don’t know what to do,” Brin said, panicked. Laken was screaming in her ear and kicking her feet.
“Over here,” Corey said, leading them through the masses up to her home. She unlocked the back door and ushered Brin and Laken inside. Whip ran and jumped up on the large couch where Corey motioned for Brin and Laken to sit.
“Will she drink juice?” she asked from the adjoining kitchen.
“Only from a sippy cup.” She set Laken down and dug in her purse. “Here.” She held an empty one out for Corey.
Laken kept crying. Corey took the cup and filled it with juice. She returned quickly, cup in hand. “It’s mango-pineapple. Hopefully, she’ll like it.”
“We’ll see,” Brin said, willing to try anything.
She gave the juice to Laken who tossed it on the floor.
“Laken,” Brin said. “It’s juice. You like juice.”
Laken continued to cry. But to Brin’s amazement, Whip moved closer to her and rested his chin in her lap, as if she were as calm as he was. Laken stopped crying and blinked down at the dog. Brin stroked his head.
