“Well, it’d better be the speed version of getting to know me since you’ve only got six months.” She poked him in the ribs. “After I whip your butt at cribbage let’s see if we can find a Yahtzee game. Because I am the champion Yahtzee player of the Lawson family.”
“Well, I’m the Gilchrist family champ.”
She grinned. “Bring it, bull rider. You’re goin’ down.”
Chapter Ten
“Celia. Get back here.”
“No. I’m done talking to you, Kyle.”
“What did I say?”
She whirled around. “Really? You have no freakin’ clue what’s so insulting about what you just said to me?”
Kyle had a totally perplexed look on his face.
“You don’t see how I could possibly be pissed off by you saying, ‘Seeing you from the back, dressed like that in men’s clothes, it’s hard to believe you’re even a woman.’”
“But I’ve said that to you before and you didn’t get all bent out of shape.”
“Then it’s past time I did, isn’t it?” She stripped off the overalls and threw them at him. Then she grabbed her coat and her purse, stormed out, slammed the truck door, and sped off.
Jerk.
Everything had gone so well the first week. No small tiffs, no bickering, no big blowups. No exchanges of harsh words in a moment of frustration. The second week? They’d spent every nonworking moment getting naked together. But this third week? They’d been frustrated with each other a lot.
So Kyle’s comments, coupled with the fact that he’d been more interested in talking to her or playing board games with her than f**king her at every opportunity, made her wonder if his attraction for her had waned.
Screw that. She’d show him she could look fantastic. She’d make him want her.
But part of her wondered why she even cared about going all glam wife on his dumb ass. She was only going to be around a few months anyway, right?
Didn’t matter. Because this was about now. She wanted to make Kyle eat his words and swallow his damn tongue.
That’s what propelled her to walk into Wild West Clothiers.
Harper appeared from the back when the chime dinged. “Celia! What brings you here?”
“I needed a break and haven’t seen your store in months, so here I am.”
Harper preened at Celia calling it her store. “We should have plenty of time to talk while you look around. Right after Christmas is typically the slowest time of year in retail. Been especially slow for us, because of the crappy February weather in Wyoming. I’ve been advertising online to try to clear my stock to make way for spring merchandise. EBay is awesome, so I’ve been packaging orders…. And you don’t care one whit about this. I saw your eyes glazing over.”
Celia laughed. “I’m glad to hear everything is going well. You’ve expanded the store into the art gallery.”
“It’s made a huge difference. We’ve increased art sales by rotating art in the lodge and guest rooms.”
“I saw Braxton’s gigantic sculpture out front. That’s new too.”
“The Split Rock shareholders commissioned that, since Braxton is making a name for himself in the world of western art and he’s a hometown boy. He cut us a good deal.”
Celia started to wander through the clothes racks filled with beautiful fabrics and vibrant colors. The welcoming way Harper had set up the store tempted Celia to spend all day in here.
She ran her fingers through the silky black fringe on the sleeves of a gray suede leather jacket. Black and silver conchas and multicolored beads added pizzazz but kept the coat simple.
“I’ll give you a good deal on that since I’m marking down winter items,” Harper offered.
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Are you looking for something in particular?” Harper asked. “For you? For your house? For Kyle?”
Celia scowled. “I’m looking for clothing for me. Been forever since I’ve bought anything new. Wow me with your expertise, Harper, because I need serious help. You know shopping has never been my thing.”
Harper tapped her chin, inspecting Celia head to toe. Then she motioned for her to turn around. “You’re not wanting clothing to wear in the barn, right?”
“That kinda stuff I can get at Runnings. Or Walmart. I need something”—that will make my husband’s jaw drop—“snazzy.”
“Excellent. I tell you what. You wander through the store and find pieces that appeal to you. And I’ll choose ones I think work on you. Look for separates, not a whole outfit. Pieces you can mix and match. And be daring, Cele. Don’t be afraid to try on something out of your comfort zone.”
Celia shed the long black duster she’d worn for the last six years and tried on the fringed coat. The flattering cut made her shoulders look bigger, nipping in at the waist and ending at her hips, giving the appearance of curves. With her blond hair and fair coloring she tended to stick with dark colors. With her boyish frame she chose baggy clothes. This jacket fit neither of those criteria.
“You rock that coat,” Harper remarked. “I’m not just saying that as a salesperson. It’s feminine and western. Perfect. That goes in the yes pile.”
“I didn’t even look at the price tag.”
“I said I’d make you a deal. And wipe that look off your face, Mrs. Gilchrist. I’m not looking at you as a charity case. I know what it’s like to want something that’s out of the price range, which is why I won’t pick things you can’t afford.”