Page 4 of Hot to Trot

She fingered the charm on the gold chain about her neck and begrudgingly looked into the cop's eyes.

She'd crumpled his ticket, then insulted him. The veneer of control he wore like a shield had cracked. He looked not quite so in control. "I would have let you off with a warning. I'm a friend of Rayne's new husband. But since you seem to be as much trouble as the character you play you might have deserved two of them.”

He lifted his pad.

Scarlet gasped. Yes. Gasped. "How dare you insult me? I'm reporting you to the police chief. This is an outrage, a-"

“On second thought. You should probably go if you’re going to accomplish what you’re here for." He slapped a hand against the hood of the car and turned toward his cruiser. "Have a nice day."

Scarlet moved her hand to make the universal sign of disdain, barely an afterthought for most New Yorkers. But she stopped herself. He was an officer of the law and this was Texas. So she grabbed the steering wheel instead and pressed the accelerator.

It was totally immature, but as the gravel spun beneath her wheels, Scarlet felt a momentary flash of satisfaction. She hoped the bits of rock hit his polished boots and scuffed them. Damn him. Calling her trouble. She wasn't trouble. Not really. Not much anyway. Officer Tight Ass was wrong.

Okay, sure. She had it in her. All women did. But he'd been the one to play the power card and force her to be frisked and humiliated on the outskirts of town. So she'd been mouthy. What of it?

What a butthole.

Scarlet's car ate up the two miles of dilapidated houses, appliance repairshops, and boarded-over junk stores that dotted the highway leading into downtown Oak Stand. As she rolled closer to the center of town, she grew even more aggravated at the cop and his stupid speeding ticket. She didn't care how dang good he looked in his uniform. Or how his touch had done something to her. A friend of Brent Hamilton? That figured. Brent was a creep extraordinaire with gorgeous baby-blue eyes and a body that would make a nun toss her habit. He'd romanced most of the women in town. In fact, the last time Scarlet had been in Oak Stand, he'd tried to hook up with her.

Ugh. She had to talk some sense into her sister before Rayne got hitched to the absolutely wrong dude. Brent spelled heartache and Rayne had already had enough of that in her life. Scarlet knew what was up. Brent had hoodwinked her sister with his greasy smile and hot bod in order to hitch his wagon to Rayne's rising star. As soon as her sister had mentioned theMword, Scarlet knew she would have to do more than protestfrom afar. She needed to go to Texas. Thank goodness she was on hiatus. Small favors.

But the cop had saidnew husband.

Scarlet's mind stutter-stepped. Surely, Rayne and Brent weren't already married. Her older sister had said maybe sometime in September. It was still August. Very hot, sticky, sweltering August.

Rayne wouldn't get married and not tell Scarlet. No matter how badly their last conversation had gone.

Would she?

The town square materialized in front of her windshield, withered green and stereotypically small. Large oak trees hunkered in the shady park that centered the town. Brick streets, tired businesses, and faded signs wrapped round it, clinging to the park like a toddler. Last spring, a tornado had ripped through town, leaving many businesses damaged. The First Methodist Church of Oak Stand still lacked a steeple and several businesses remained boarded up. But otherwise, Oak Stand looked the same.

She rounded the square, noticing it seemed busier than usual. Almost every parking spot was taken, including all the ones in front of the Dairy Barn, the hometown diner that masqueraded as haute cuisine here. Directly in front of the Oak Stand Baptist Church were paneled vans with Horizon Blue Production Company on the side. Horizon Blue was the company contracted to film Rayne Rose'sSouthern Kitchen,a cooking and travel show debuting on a food channel. But that was to be filmed at Serendipity Inn, her aunt's newly refurbished bed-and-breakfast. And production wasn't scheduled to begin until September.

Or so Scarlet thought.

She slowed her car as she approached the front of the church. Only one man stood outside the closed doors, camera held at hisside. Hmm. Something was going on and she suspected it had to do with Rayne.

She searched for a parking spot, but there were none near the church. She circled the square again, looking for an empty slot, finally finding one on a side street next to the old green stamp store. The faded blue indicated it had once been a handicapped slot, but there was no sign she could see.

She leaped out of the car, grabbed her purse, and pressed the lock on her remote key chain before walking quickly through the shady park. Squirrels scampered out of the way and the fountain with the Rufus Tucker topper spewed tepid water. A trickle of sweat rolled between her shoulder blades and she prayed her deodorant worked as well as the ads claimed. 'Cause it was Texas hot. Beyond all degrees known.

She stepped onto the sidewalk on the other edge of the park as the double doors of the church swept open. Her sister, splendid in a soft ivory gown, appeared like an angel on the elbow of the tuxedoed Brent Hamilton. They were grinning from ear to ear as the cameras whirred around them. Brent caught his glowing bride in his arms and kissed her.

His timing couldn't have been better, though he was not an actor.

The happy couple clasp each other and stare into each other's eyes, blissfully happy. Cue the family around them, basking in the love the couple shares.

Everyone behind them "oohed" and "aahed."

Well, great.

Camera Two, get a close-up of angry sister's face. She’s bewildered, hurt, and furious. She won't stand for what has occurred.

Scarlet narrowed her eyes and stalked across the street toward her sister and Brent. The hurt that thumped in her chest was soon overshadowed by the anger rushing into herbody, whooshing in her ears, shooting out of her fingertips. She couldn't believe her eyes. Couldn't believe the timing. The irony beat down on her. She'd driven across the country to stop this very event.

Brent and Rayne broke apart and everyone clapped. Arm in arm, they turned and started down the steps toward the limo that pulled in behind Scarlet. She planted herself in Rayne and Brent's path.

Rayne's smile faltered when she saw Scarlet standing in front of the car, arms crossed. Rayne looked beyond beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous in the Bohemian dress that swept the steps. She also looked guilty.

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