Page 38 of Someone to Tempt
“Too many people were talking about our family. Mom thought laying low was the best idea. There was no question of me putting myself out there.”
“I’m sorry. I wish I could have stopped my mom.”
“Like I said, I spent a long time hating you for what she did,” she tells me. “My mom tried to rationalize things by saying your mom targeted my dad because she wanted a good man to be a father figure for her kids.”
“I wish my mom had considered Nick and me,” I admit, stepping back. “Having her cheat with a married man would have been the last thing either of us wanted.”
“I get that now.” She nods. “But back to the dress. It’s in stock at a shop in Fort Collins. Would it be okay if I take a long lunch to run up and get it?”
Since Jodi has set her own schedule I took office, I recognize her question as an olive branch and gladly take it.
“There’s not much on the calendar, and I’ll be back after my dance class. After you pick up the dress, take the rest of the day off.”
She beams at me. “Thanks. You’ll do great tomorrow.”
“I hope so.” I try not to look as panicked as I feel.
“Hey, Iris,” she calls out as I head toward my office.
“Yeah?”
“A little advice. Those shiny cowboy boots you wear whenever you think you need to look the part of a Coloradan? Bang them up a bit. You’ll look more like a local with scuffed boots than ones you keep in a box on your closet shelf.”
“Pro-tip.” I offer a genuine smile. “Thanks.”
15
IRIS
As I driveto Gloria’s house on the outskirts of town a few hours later, my body feels as numb as I’ve tried to make my heart.
A loud bark greets my knock, and when Gloria opens the door, an animal resembling a giant white wolf leaps out of the house and prances around me on the flagstone tile.
The sun is warm on my back—and maybe that’s why sweat is pooling under my arms. I know from reading interviews she considers this home her sanctuary.
The quaint farmhouse is nestled in a grove of aspens. The side yard has been converted into a large garden with raised beds of tomatoes and sunflowers, and there are several Adirondack chairs on a wide patio that boasts an impressive view of the Flatirons in the distance.
“Iris, this is a surprise. Winston, with me.” She gives a sharp whistle and the dog pads to her side. In a cardigan sweater and trousers with a crisp pleat down the legs, she looks more put together than most people on their best days. Her poise makes me hyper-aware of the chaos I feel inside. Not intimidating at all.
“I needed to speak to you. I’m sorry for not calling first.”
“I assume if you drove all the way out here, it’s something that can’t wait until class this afternoon?”
I shake my head. “I don’t think I can do it.”
“Do what, dear?” She gestures to the chairs, and I take a seat. Winston, who I now realize is more husky than wolf, stretches out at Gloria’s feet when she sits. “The salsa or the tango? Or simply performing in public?”
I clear my throat. “I don’t think I can run for mayor. I’m not built for a life in the political spotlight. My past is too much.”
She raises a brow. “Are you referring to your mother’s behavior or the scandal that caused you to lose your job?”
My heart plummets to my feet as heat explodes in my cheeks. Despite my shock and mortification, I force myself to meet her steady gaze. “No one knows about that.”
Gloria waves a dismissive hand. “I’m seventy-five, Iris, and I spent most of my adult life working in or around D.C. I have friends everywhere. Even Minnesota. I know why you left your position.”
Shame washes over me. Not even Sloane knows the details of the scandal that brought me back to Skylark. “As humiliating as that is, it’s not the reason I can’t continue.”
“Would you like a glass of water or a cup of tea?” How can she sound so calm when I’m baring my soul?
