Page 16 of Shine On Oklahoma

This was dangerous ground he was walking.Skipping. Throwing daisies. She was up to no good. Why couldn’t hekeep that clear in his brain?

“Maybe she’s staying for the baby,” Rob said,giving him false hope. “The holidays are coming and she andKiley—they need each other, you know?”

“If the track is why she came, that’s why shecame,” Dax said. “We at least have to consider she might be stayingfor the right reasons.”

Rob said, “Are you trying to talk yourselfinto something here?”

He was, he realized. He was trying toconvince himself that being with Kendra while at the same timetrying to find out what she was up to, wasn’t the worst idea in thehistory of bad ideas. When he knew damn well it was.

But he had a reason for shining Kendra on alittle. He had to protect his mother. He couldn’t let her beprosecuted for his father’s crimes and he had to find out whetherKendra was tangled up with those crimes.

Maybe he could keep his heart out of it.Maybe…for a little while.

And then the memory replayed in his mind, ofher riding beside him along the tree-lined trail, sunlight dapplingher silvery blond hair. She’d smiled over at him, eyes sparkling areflection of the sheer pleasure she was feeling, and he wonderedif he was lying to himself.

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Kendra was not intimidated by the leadingladies of Big Falls. Doc Sophie, cousin to the McIntyre fortune andmarried to CMA winning singer songwriter Darryl Champlain. Emily,the veterinarian married to Joey and the McIntyre fortune, The LongBranch Saloon, and the adorable “Twig” currently sprouting behindit. And 8 month’s pregnant Allie Wakeland, photographer from amilitary family who were local heroes. Her brother was serving now.Her brother-in-law had made the ultimate sacrifice a year ago.There was a monument to him in the park.

Then there was her sister, Kiley, savior ofBig Falls, who’d stopped a con man from leaving town with the halfmil he’d swindled out of them summer before last. They overlookedthe fact that said con man was her dad, and probably didn’t evenknow that Kendra had helped her pull it off.

Saved her is more like it. Jack was about tocatch on when I pulled Kiley’s ass out of the fire.

She wasn’t intimidated.

The hell she wasn’t. They were fourCinderellas and a wicked stepsister. Only not step. Twin. A wickedtwinsister.

They walked through the Mall of Tucker Laketogether. Kendra told herself that she was also a highlyaccomplished woman. She was one of the best cons in the biz. Andwhile she’d taken a break from running games on people, she hadn’treally given it up. She’d been running promotions for smallbusinesses online for the past year. At first, as an assistant toan indie marketer, and then hanging up an online shingle of herown. As it turned out, convincing consumers to buy something waswhat she’d been doing all her life. Now she was doing it legally.And she was making bank.

She wasn’t ashamed of either incarnation ofher career.Except when it came to Dax.

Dax. The memory of their morning ridereturned like a warmed blanket wrapped all around her. He hadn’tbeen able to take his eyes off her. She’d let herself forget how itfelt to be that adored by someone.

He was a good man. Probably the best manshe’d ever known.

Kiley said, “Oh, restrooms!” and pointed asexcitedly as if she’d just crossed the Sahara and spotted alemonade stand.

“Thank God!” Allie said.

“Go ahead, we’ll wait.” Emily smiled as shesaid it.

Kendra didn’t know whether to run off withthe pair of preggos or stay with the saints. Sophie put a hand onher arm and said, “We’ll be right here, Kiley. Take your time.” Andshe winked.

“Uh, yeah,” Kendra said with a sidewaysfrown. “We’ll be right here.”

They wanted to talk to her alone. She bracedherself, figuring she was in for it. They were either going toaccuse her of something or question her motives, and then she’dhave to spend the rest of the day with them pretending it was fine.Would the fun never end?

Kiley and Allie waddled away to therestrooms.

Sophie said, “My God, it took her longenough. She must have a bladder like a camel.”

“I’d have had to go three times by now, whenI was carrying Matilda Louise,” Emily put in.

Kiley looked back over her shoulder beforegoing through the restroom door, gave a wave. Did she look worried?Kendra wondered if she was more concerned about her or about them.Them, she decided. Her sister knew better than to worry abouther.

The door swung closed, and Emily said, “Okay,great. Now we have to talk fast, they won’t give us much time.”

“About what?” Kendra asked, because theredheaded vet was animated and smiling, not dark and menacing.

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