So Tough to Tame (Jackson Hole 3)
“WHO WANTS A margarita?” Charlie shouted over the music blasting from her stereo.
Four hands went up, just as she’d expected. She passed out glasses to all the women and filled them to the top with homemade deliciousness. “Here’s to girls’ night, ladies!”
The apartment swelled with the cheers of the women as they all reached to clink glasses.
Charlie didn’t have to worry about the noise. Merry was her downstairs neighbor and she’d organized it. And if Walker was home, then...well, he could just deal with it. He was used to the screams of all sorts of women, after all.
“Jenny,” Charlie called, “what time do you have to be at work?”
“Not until ten! I’ve got an hour!” the bartender answered.
Rayleen snorted. “Hell, not even then if I say so.”
Charlie clinked glasses with her. She wasn’t sure why Rayleen scared everyone so much. She seemed sweet as pie to Charlie. A little feisty, sure, but funny as hell. “Thanks again for letting me rent here. I hope I can find some way to repay the favor.”
“Well, you could start by bringing fewer chickens around this place and a lot more cocks. Where’s all the man meat at this party?”
Charlie choked on an ice cube.
Rayleen’s grand-niece Grace patted Charlie on the back. She was a striking woman with wildly cut, bright red hair and watchful eyes that missed nothing. “Sorry. My aunt has that effect on people.”
“I know,” Charlie said once she could speak again. “She’s awesome.”
“See?” Rayleen interrupted. “I’m awesome. You can stop calling me a mean bitch behind my back.”
“Sure. As soon as you stop calling me trash.”
Charlie’s shoulders tensed in anticipation of the imminent argument. This was obviously some long-simmering tension. But just as she was holding up a hand to stop it, the two women burst into laughter.
“Charlie,” Grace chuckled, “if you ever hear that people soften with age, I want you to think of my aunt and laugh and laugh.”
Rayleen elbowed her. “I don’t know what you’re laughing about. You’re a hell of a lot harder than I was at your age. You’re gonna be one cruel witch by the time you get to be this old.”
“Nah. I’m offsetting my grumpiness by getting laid. Speaking of... Did you call Easy back yet?”
When Charlie saw Rayleen’s face go pink, she leaned forward in nosy curiosity. “Who’s Easy?”
“Some beat-up old cowboy,” Rayleen snapped.
Her niece shook her head. “He is not some old cowboy. Rayleen has a crush on him, and he called to ask her out, but she’s afraid to call him back.”
“That’s bullpucky! I’m not afraid.”
“Then why haven’t you called him? You’re half in love with the man.”
“That’s ridiculous!” she protested, but her cheeks were scarlet now. “You can’t tell if you even like a man before you’ve taken him for half a dozen test drives. Sheesh. Love! What a joke.”
“Right. So apparently Easy is finally ready for that test drive. And after a year of you teasing him, you’re turning out to be all talk.”
“I’ll call him when I’m good and ready!” she snapped, waving an irritated hand as she rose to head for the kitchen.
Grace rolled her eyes at Charlie. “She’s scared.”
“I think it’s sweet.”
“She’s been teasing poor Easy mercilessly about how he’s too old to take her on, and he finally called her up and asked her to go to the movies. That was almost a week ago. She hasn’t called back.”
“How do you know all this?”