Page 8 of Marrying Mr. Majestic

“High stakes,” Foster noted.

“—and the Majestic Ladies’ Society is planning their fundraising fair?—”

He nodded. “Crucially important work.”

“—and you know the AdventureSmash exhibition event is coming up in less than two months, and I have about ten thousand things to do for it. It has to be perfect, Foster. If we nail the exhibition, they’ll declare us the host town for the GrandSmash next year. I will get that contract.”

“I know you will,” Foster agreed. He folded his arms over his chest. “So you going to tell me what happened in Vegas?”

“Nothing happened,” I said, jutting out my chin. “I came back yesterday and jumped right back into work. Things at the ranch are crazy. In two weeks, we have to round up two hundred horses in the far pastures and deliver them to the dude ranches?—”

“I know what a roundup is, Way,” Foster said patiently. “I’ve only lived in Majestic my whole life and helped you run the damned horses a million times.”

“Right, well.” I looked around, forgetting completely why I’d come out here to the front office.

Foster tilted his head, and his steady eyes refused to let me off the hook. “Eden said no, didn’t she?”

I opened my mouth. I closed it again. I licked my lips. “Kind of.”

“Kind of? How can you be kind of married?”

I had no idea, but somehow, I’d managed it.

“You followed her to Vegas, told her your ridiculous idea, and she shot you down,” he guessed.

“It was not a ridiculous idea,” I defended. “It was solid. Rock solid. Eden and I dated off and on for ages, back in the day, and we stayed friends even after she left town. Who do you think was her first follower on her racing Instagram? Where do you think I got the idea about bringing AdventureSmash to town?” I shrugged. “So, yeah, when she said she had a one-night stand and got knocked up, it seemed like fate. She said she didn’t want to raise the baby alone, but I figured if we got married, she wouldn’t be alone. I’d help her with the baby, Foster, you know I would. I practically raised ZuZu, right? And then Eden could focus on her racing stuff and?—”

“And in her spare time, she could become Mrs. Majestic, First Lady of the town, head of the gossip mill, and director of the Ladies’ Society.” He laughed a little. “Can’t think why she said no.”

He didn’t have to make it sound so pathetic. “She…” I hesitated before slumping down in Bernice’s desk chair. “She got her period. But she said it didn’t matter because she wouldn’t have married me anyway.”

“Ah, hell.” Foster winced. “No wonder you didn’t answer your phone. I’m sorry, Way. I hope you at least took yourself out to a bar or something while you were in Vegas.”

He eyed me before allowing a little grin on his face. “If only you were the type to let your hair down and have a little fun. You probably could have gotten yourself a nice hookup or something.”

I coughed, but it came out sounding a bit strangled. “Oh. Ha! Wouldn’t that have been funny? Me, hooking up? In Vegas? Ha!”

Foster studied me for half a second, and whatever he read on my face made him suck in a breath. “Holy shit. Holy shit, you did. You hooked up with someone. You sly fucker.” He kicked lightly at my jeans-covered shin with one booted foot. “Waylon Fletcher on the prowl in Vegas,” he proclaimed far too loudly. I twisted the chair to glance out the glass office door into the large, open foyer of the historic City Hall building, which fortunately was empty at this hour… though lord knew in Majestic, even the walls had ears.

“Keep it down,” I hissed, turning back. “You know that if Mrs. Newcombe senses a disturbance in her gossip web, she’ll attack. Besides I… I didn’t hook up with anyone.” I hesitated, then honesty compelled me to add, “Not really. At least… I don’t think so?”

Foster’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t think so?”

“Memories are a bit hazy after I left the bar,” I admitted. Even though the memories before I left the bar were clear enough to leave me half-breathless.

His surprise was expected. “You got drunk? You?”

Guilt flooded my gut. My father had been a drinker, and Foster knew I’d be damned if I’d let down my family the way he did.

And here I was. Doing it anyway.

“Don’t worry. The experience was plenty enough to teach me never to do it again.”

Understatement.

“Okay.” His brow furrowed in concern. Foster had the ability to ooze law enforcement whether he wanted to or not. “What do you recall?”

I glanced down at the threadbare industrial carpet and considered.

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