Page 190 of Mountain Men Heroes

Krista rolled her eyes. “Come on. You know what your mother was after. God. Everyone in town knew what she was after. She couldn’t have made it any more obvious, could she?”

Confusion clouded my mind. “My mother had a thing for men. Not new news.”

If possible, Krista’s smile widened. “Right. Like you don’t know what she was really after. It’s like the biggest non-secret, secret in town.” She paused to look around, presumably to make sure nobody was in hearing distance. When she’d assured herself none of Sawyer’s guests were paying us any attention, her voice dipped to just above a whisper as she went on. “…everyone with two eyes can see the Beckers have more money than we could ever wish for. It’s why your mom put a little more effort into wooing one of the Becker seniors when they rolled into the bar. So my mom says.”

Somehow I managed to keep my jaw out of my lap. Her words played over and over again in my mind and it was like watching a series of dots connecting. Of course, now that she’d said it, the truth seemed obvious. I never saw the money angel. How stupid of me.

“She was dying to take a dip in the rich people’s pool.” Krista tossed her hair over her shoulder and widened her already big blue eyes. How could someone look so angelic while spewing venom? “So we’re all dying to know now how you managed to ensnare Sawyer.”

“Who and ensnare?” I whispered, still not completely clear on what she was telling me.

“Come on, sweetie. You aren’t exactly the hottest chick in town.” She shot a pointed look at my exposed collarbone. “But he seemed happy to mark you as claimed anyway with that little love bite there. I guess the rumblings down at the Rusty Nail with Birdie are true. You finally managed what your mom couldn’t. You hooked a Becker. Or, maybe what Birdie said is true. He took pity on you. Either way, what voodoo hoodoo magic did you pull over on him?”

My hand shot to the spot on my neck, covering it like I’d be able to protect something intensely private and personal from her prying eyes.

I caught sight of Sawyer over Krista’s shoulder. He was walking toward us, concern clear in the narrowing of his eyes and the tilt to his head.

“I don’t belong to anyone. And I’m sure as hell no charity case.” I bit out, contrary to feeling very much claimed by Sawyer. Not something I had to share with the likes of her for damn sure.

“Riiight. Well, that’s not what Mac said and you know he’s thick with Sawyer.” Krista’s laugh sounded more like disdain than humor. “You’re just another trophy on the wall. True, one your mom wanted, but as long as it’s in the family, right?”

I stood up just as Sawyer arrived at my side.

“Everything okay, sweetheart?”

I nodded, but couldn’t quite meet his eyes. I had to get out of here, to think and just breathe.

“Yep.” Somehow I managed to dredge up a smile. “I just need to use the powder room. Excuse me.”

With my excuse made, I fled. But I didn’t flee to the powder room. I ducked into the entryway, grabbing my jacket and purse from the coat closet there. I slipped out the front door as quietly as I could manage and counted my lucky stars none of Sawyer’s relatives seemed to be out and about.

Probably because they were all in his house right now. Waiting to welcome me into the fold.

That thought caused a powerful surge of energy to rush through me. I hurried down the porch, and after quickly assessing my options, hurried down the single-track road to the turn off to the main road. There was no use trying to hide myself by walking in the woods. The sound of a vehicle coming up behind me froze my legs.

Crap.

But when I turned, it wasn’t Sawyer pulling the compact car alongside me. It was Krista. And that smile was back. “Thought you might be heading out. Need a lift someplace?”

I wasn’t stupid. I’d lived with a manipulative mother for far too many years not to realize Krista’s tricks. Whatever her reason for initiating the conversation back there, she had her own agenda.

But that didn’t mean I couldn’t use her vile plan to my advantage.

“Can you give me a ride to my apartment?”

Surprise flared in her eyes. Guess she didn’t expect me to take her up on her offer. But she rallied quickly. “Hop in.”

I figured Krista had done what she set out to do because the ride to my apartment was silent aside from me giving her a few directions.

When we pulled up in front of my building, I flashed her a great big, bright smile. I’d be damned if I’d let her think I was a second away from bursting into tears.

“Thanks for the ride.”

Her perfectly shaped eyebrows pulled together. “No problem.”

Judging by her perplexed expression, I’d manage to deprive her of seeing the results of her maneuvers. Score one for me.

I marched up the much-less-rickety stairs to my apartment and tried not to think about how Sawyer looked with his tight white T-shirt stretched across his chest as he repaired the steps.

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