Easton searched the rows of chairs in front of the runway for Chance. Movement in an oak tree to the left of the stage drew his attention. A man straddled a branch, aiming a long-lens camera at the white tent set up several yards behind the runway. Another scan of the park revealed several more professional photographers. Easton gave his head an irritated shake at the sight of the paparazzi. The negative attention Chloe had received in the tabloids had begun to die down. If Easton had his way, he would have banned the press from the fashion show. No doubt he would have been overruled.
“Easton.” His brother waved him over.
He weaved his way through the crowd to where Chance and Vivi stood to the right of the runway in front of an ice cream truck.
“How did it go? You get the tracking device on the wife’s phone?” Chance asked when Easton reached them.
He nodded. “Yeah, and I added another camera feed from the room where they’re housing the private collection of sculptures.” Getting the device on Tara Martinez’s phone was easy; escaping the woman’s attention, not so much. She was friendly, overly so. Something her husband didn’t fail to notice, and hadn’t been pleased about. If she didn’t stop with the flirting, Easton wouldn’t be surprised if Martinez booted him off the security detail. Which wasn’t something he planned on sharing with his brother right now. The last thing Easton wanted was to be taken off the case. Because Grayson was right; something was going down. And Easton wasn’t about to let Chance and Cat go in blind.
“Good job. You’ve got the estate covered from all angles now,” his brother said, then glanced at the entrance to the park and chuckled. “Looks like Ashley plans to give you some competition.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked, then spotted Beau and the rest of the crew who’d worked on his house near the back. It was standing room only now. The Southerner nodded. Easton gave him a chin lift, wondering if Chance knew something he didn’t. But if he asked, his brother would put two and two together and ride him for the rest of the afternoon, so he changed the subject. “Thought the fashion show was supposed to start at two; it’s twenty after.”
He’d busted his hump to get here on time. Along with protecting Chloe from the press, he was worried the guys from the Penalty Box might show up to cause trouble. So far, he hadn’t spotted them in the crowd.
“You didn’t hear?” Chance asked.
His brother’s question made him nervous. He had an uneasy feeling the reason for the delay had to do with Chloe. The woman had an unerring ability to both cause and attract trouble. And after her reaction to his being on a date last night, the last thing he wanted her to discover was that he’d been out with Brandi. “Hear what?”
“Aunt Nell was up to her tricks again.” Chance looked down at his wife. “What was that stuff she put on their faces?”
As soon as Vivi finished filling Easton in on what happened at the salon, he turned to walk away. He planned to tear a strip off his great-aunt, but first he wanted to check on Chloe.
His brother grabbed him by the arm. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“To the apartment to see Chloe.”
“She’s not there.”
“She left town?” After the last few days, he supposed he shouldn’t be surprised. But he didn’t think it was too much to expect a good-bye call. Though she obviously felt he didn’t deserve one since he’d been out with another woman. She hadn’t given him a chance to explain last night. He’d planned to make her listen to him today. From the expressions on his sister-in-law’s and brother’s faces, if they didn’t know how Easton felt about Chloe before, they did now.
“Nope, she’ll be hitting the runway in about fifteen minutes,” his brother said.
“There’s no way she’ll take part in the fashion show. Not with all the press…Wait, did Ty manage to fix her face and hair?”
His brother’s cell rang, and Vivi answered Easton’s question. “No, and you guys are a little too quick to judge Chloe if you ask me. She’s loyal to Ty. She wouldn’t let him down.”
His brother took his phone from his ear and scanned the screen. He grimaced, then said to whoever he was on with, “Thanks for the heads-up. Yeah, I’ll tell her. Hopefully she isn’t pulled over before she gets…That fast?” His brother let out a low whistle. “Okay. Thanks again, Jake.”
“What’s going on?” Easton and Vivi asked at almost the same time.
“Found out the reason for the delay. Chloe and Estelle hit the tanning salon.”
“Chloe wouldn’t go to a tanning salon,” Easton said. The way the woman hid from the sun, it was like she was a vampire.
“There’s a salon in the same strip mall as Jake’s automotive shop that does spray tans. They’re probably trying to match the color of their faces to their arms and legs so it’s less noticeable. Not a bad idea actually,” Vivi said.
“Wouldn’t have been if she stopped at that, but she didn’t. Cab didn’t show up, and Chloe was in a panic that she’d be late for the fashion show. But unlike most normal people, she doesn’t just ask for a ride, she buys a Mustang. And from what Jake said, she was driving hell for leather out of the lot. He didn’t get a chance to give her the paperwork.”
“Jesus, where’s Gage?” Easton had to make sure his brother didn’t find out or he’d arrest her on the spot.
“At home. Maddie’s…under the weather,” Vivi said.
His brother grinned. “Is that what they’re calling it now?”
Vivi nudged her husband with her elbow, and Easton had a feeling he was out of the loop. As long as Gage wasn’t around, he was fine with that.
Grayson strode toward them. “Where is she?” he asked.
“Cat?” Easton said, hoping to hell that’s who the man was looking for and not…
“No, Chloe.” He leaned to his left, looking in the direction of the tent. At that exact moment, two women crept out of a back alley and fast-walked across the grass to the tent’s entrance. Oversize rainbow-colored golf umbrellas hid them from view so it was hard to tell who they were.
Grayson straightened and turned to Easton. “That woman is a menace on the road. What were you thinking letting her drive a souped-up Mustang? I clocked her doing eighty miles per hour around a hairpin curve. She drove me off the road.”
Easton rubbed his jaw. “Didn’t happen to be any law enforcement on the road at the time, did there? Other than you, I mean.” At the sound of sirens in the distance, Grayson cocked his head and raised his eyebrows. As Easton was trying to figure out how to cover for Chloe, Ty and Sophia, the owner of Naughty and Nice, took their places behind the podium and welcomed everyone to the show.
“Is that why you’re here or did it have something to do with the Martinez case?” Chance asked Grayson. The audience was clapping so he didn’t have to lower his voice.
“Cat asked me to come.” He shrugged at Easton’s disbelieving glance. “I know, I was surprised, too. But she texted me this morning, and no way was I missing this.”
There was something about the man’s grin that made Easton study him closer. “What exactly did she say in her text?”
Grayson laughed. “No way I’m sharing that with you, mate. But I will say our relationship appears to have taken a turn for the better.”
“Seriously, Cat O’Connor was sexting you?” Chance laughed. “Doesn’t sound like the woman we know and love.”
“No, it sounds like Chloe,” Easton muttered.
Grayson’s jaw dropped, and he reached in the pocket of his black suit for his phone. He thumbed through his messages and stared at the screen.
“Check for winky faces and exclamation marks. You find them, you’ve been had,” Easton said.
“Bloody hell,” Grayson clipped out. “I’m going to strangle the woman.”
“I don’t know, buddy. I think Chloe did you a favor. You might want to look at the stage,” Chance said.
Easton looked up at the same time as Grayson. Cat stood by the podium wearing thigh-high black leather boots and a short black leather skirt and matching bustier. Grayson stared at her and swallowed hard. Cat looked smoking hot, but it was the woman in a white robe with a hood hiding her face who held Easton’s attention. She crept alongside the stage. Cat looked down at her. The woman, who Easton was pretty sure was Chloe, made a walking sign with two fingers. Cat’s lips flattened, and she started to walk—clomp might have been a better word for it—when Ty introduced her, talking about her hair and makeup.
“You’re not John Wayne,” Easton heard the woman stage-whisper and recognized her voice. He was right; it was Chloe. “Pretend you’re me.”
Chloe’s instruction seemed to do the trick, and while Sophia described the outfit, Cat walked the stage like a pro. When she turned at the end of the red-carpeted runway, Cat caught sight of Grayson. The agent smiled at his fiancée, then put his fingers to his lips and whistled.
Cat blushed, but she smiled, too. If Chloe’s plan had been to heat up the action between the couple, it looked like it may have worked. Distracted by Cat and Grayson’s interaction, Chloe had disappeared before Easton could warn her she had a few things to answer for. And so did the older woman now taking her turn on the runway in a bright blue dress. When Ty started his spiel, Nell fluffed her hair and batted her eyes to the amusement of the audience.
Easton didn’t realize his father had joined them until he saw his great-aunt look their way. She quickly turned her head and made a show of waving to the crowd. Ted and Fred encouraged her when she swiveled her hips in what Easton imagined was her version of twerking.
“Good Lord,” his father said, “I didn’t need to see that.” But when Liz took to the stage wearing a tight red dress and high heels, a lovesick smile replaced his dad’s previous look of horror.
Chance looked at Easton and rolled his eyes. Easton grinned.
A few minutes after the last woman left the stage, the crowd got antsy. People started whispering Chloe’s name, and Ty cast a nervous glance at the tent. The stylist visibly relaxed when the flap opened to reveal Chloe. Even with her long, lush mane a dark shade of purple and her overly tanned face, there was no denying she was the star of the show. But as she walked toward the stage, Easton sensed there was something wrong. Instead of her usual graceful stride, she was…shuffling. The hot pink dress she wore appeared to be several sizes too small.
Her mouth formed a startled “oh,” and she looked down. She walked another couple of feet to the sound of fabric ripping. The tearing sound continued as she took to the stage. From where he stood, Easton could see the edge of her pink lace panties. He expected her to turn tail and run, but she didn’t. She said something to Ty that made his eyes go wide, then angled her body to him. Beau and his crew called out her name and others joined in. She glanced over her shoulder and waved with a movie-star smile on her face.
“I hate to tell you this, E. But I think Ty just cut…” Chance didn’t get to finish because as Chloe stepped out onto the runway, she whipped off the dress like a seasoned stripper. Tossing it over her shoulder, she strutted her stuff. And her stuff consisted of a golden tanned body wearing only a pink lace push-up bra and panties. She played to the crowd, and the men hooted and hollered. As she turned at the end of the runway, she looked straight at Easton, blew him a kiss, and tossed her dress onto his head.
He pulled it off, expecting to see his father, brother, and Grayson watching him for a reaction. But no, they were watching Chloe sashay her way back up the runway while cameras furiously clicked. Including Vivi’s. “You are not putting that picture in the Chronicle,” Easton growled at his sister-in-law.
“Hate to tell you, mate, but in the next fifteen minutes, that photo will be on every social media site,” Grayson said.
“Chloe, Chloe, Chloe,” the chant grew louder, and she turned. When she looked like she was about to take another stroll down the runway, Easton jumped onto the stage and strode toward her. He heard whistling, and thought it was Chance and Grayson, maybe even his dad, but ignored them. His sole focus was the half-naked woman staring at him open-mouthed and taking a startled step back. He grabbed her before she fell off the stage and lifted her into his arms. “Scarlett, you have some explaining to do,” he said as he headed for the tent.
But she didn’t get a chance. A deputy blocked their way. “Chloe O’Connor, you’re under arrest.”
* * *
Chloe sat in the passenger seat of Easton’s truck wearing a tan deputy’s uniform, a champagne-colored cowboy hat, and dark shades. The disguise was the only way they could get her past the press staked out on the sidewalk outside the station.
She sat huddled next to the door. “It’s not fair. Gage had no business having me arrested.”
“His deputy clocked you doing forty miles per hour over the speed limit,” Easton informed her as he backed out of the parking space. “And you ran Grayson off the road, so quit complaining. You’re lucky all you’re getting is community service and not jail time.”
But if Gage assigned her to the project Easton thought he had in mind, Chloe would probably prefer jail time. And while assigning her to community service might be overstepping the bounds of his brother’s authority, Easton wouldn’t be the one complaining. It worked in his favor. At least she’d be in town long enough to figure out if their relationship would stand the test of time and distance.
“It was an emergency. Ty was depending on me.”
“You wouldn’t have been much good to him lying in a hospital bed, now would you? Tomorrow you’re returning the Mustang. If you need a vehicle, we’ll get you something sensible to drive.” Like a tank. “And if you weren’t arrested for dangerous driving, you just as easily could have been arrested for indecent exposure. What were you thinking pulling a stunt like that? You could have caused a riot.”
“I don’t understand why you’re all making such a big fuss about it. My bra and panties were no more revealing than a bikini. Besides, it wasn’t my fault. It was your aunt’s. The dress was a size two!”
“Nell admitted she bribed Holly to change the treatments for your hair and face, and she apologized. But you’re the one who said you were a size two.”
“Do I look like I’m a size two to you?” She chewed on her thumbnail. “And for your information, the last thing I wanted to do was stand half naked on a stage with hundreds of cameras and cell phones pointed at me. I’ve been so stressed these past few months, I’ve gained weight. I’m probably a size ten now.”
Out there on the stage, no one would have guessed how she felt. But he could tell something more was bothering her, and he took his hand off the wheel to stroke her face. “You’re beautiful whatever size you are.”
“So is Brandi. She looked lovely, don’t you think?”
“Didn’t notice.” At her raised eyebrow, he said, “I was too busy reading the text you sent Grayson. And just so you know, the only one you’ll be sexting in the future is me.”
She gave him a cute grin. “I think it takes two to sext.”
“I can handle that.” He cast her a sidelong glance when she went quiet, her smile replaced with a preoccupied look on her face. “Chloe, I’m not interested in Brandi. The only woman I’m interested in is you.”
“Are you sure? Because Brandi needs a man to look out for her, and she’s popular. Everyone likes her. No one likes me, Easton. Even your family—well, other than your dad. I’m not like Cat. Remember when she was arrested? Everyone came to the station and demanded her release. No one did that for me.” She glanced out the window.
So that’s what was bothering her. Instead of heading to the ranch for the barbeque Liz and Cat had organized to celebrate Ty’s grand opening, Easton took the next turn. He drove down a deserted road toward Lookout Point—a popular make-out destination back in the day. For Chloe’s sake, he figured they could be a little late.
Easton pulled up to the guardrail and shut off the engine. He leaned over and unsnapped her seat belt, then undid his. “Come on. Let’s go for a walk.” A few yards down the path there was a bench with a great view of town.
She glanced out the back window. “What about the press?”
“It’ll take a couple of hours for them to realize you’re not at the station. We’ll be at the ranch long before they clue in that you’re gone. Besides, they’ll never find us here.” He got out of the truck and walked around to her side, opening the door.
She peered out the windshield. “Where are we?”
“You mean to tell me no one ever took you to Lookout Point?”
“I wasn’t that girl, Easton. No one asked me out.”
“Because you were hiding in the library. But I can’t believe no one asked you out our senior year.” The summer before twelfth grade, Chloe disappeared off the radar. Easton later found out she’d been reinventing herself. She’d gone from the cute, awkward girl he knew and liked, to a knockout. Her transformation had been all anyone could talk about the first day back at school.
At his comment, she looked at him and raised her eyebrows. Right, there’d been only one guy she’d been interested in. Him. “Their loss,” he said, and helped her out of the truck.
She tossed the cowboy hat onto the seat, making a face when her hair tumbled over her shoulder. “I have purple hair.”
“Ty told you it would wash out in a few days,” he said and tugged her into his arms, kissing the pout from her face. He pulled back and looked down at her. “Chloe O’Connor, I don’t care what size you are, if your hair is pink, purple, or green; you’ll always be the most beautiful woman in the world to me.”
She gave him a sweet smile, then touched the corner of her mouth. “My face is on fire.”
Well, there went his plans for their alone time. It looked like they’d have to wait for another day. But right now, he was more worried about her. “Should you be wearing makeup?”
“No, but I couldn’t go on stage without it.”
“I’ll never understand women.” He leaned past her and picked up her hat. “You better keep this on.” He put the hat on her head. “You sure you’re up for a walk?”
She nodded and glanced at his leg. “As long as you are.”
He took her by the hand and drew her away from the truck to shut the door. “Stop wasting time. I’ll be lucky to have you to myself for another twenty minutes before they send out the cavalry.”
“We probably have less than that. Your brothers won’t want to leave you in my clutches for long. I wouldn’t be surprised if Nell has a voodoo doll that looks like me and she’s sticking pins into it right now.”
“The doll didn’t look exactly like you, but I took it from her anyway,” he teased, then tugged on her hand and started across the blacktop to the path through the woods. She held back, and he turned.
Standing there in the too-large uniform shirt and pants with an earnest expression on her face, she looked small and vulnerable. “I know you think I’m joking, but I’m not really. You’re close to your family, as close as I am to mine. I don’t want to cause trouble between you and your brothers. Between my mom and your dad. “
He stayed quiet. There was some truth to what she said. If they crashed and burned, it wouldn’t only be the two of them who got hurt. But when he looked down at her upturned face, there was only one answer he could give.
“Scarlett, I don’t give a damn.”