Outlaw's Honor

“Because he’s Darby. Or because she works for him. Or because—”

“If he’s really interested, then none of that matters. Maybe there is something we can do to help them along.”

Billie Dee was already shaking her head. “No way,” she said, heading for the stove to stir the beans. “I’m not gettin’ involved in that.”

“I thought you were a romantic,” Lillie teased.

“I keep my nose out of other people’s business. I suggest you do the same.”

Lillie laughed. “You know me better than that. But first I need to know more about this woman.”

* * *

“WHAT IS THIS obsession with Mariah?” Darby asked after being confronted by his sister when he came downstairs to the kitchen the next day. “So what if she doesn’t have a Facebook page? A lot of people don’t.”

“She has no online presence at all,” Lillie said from the table where she sat with her laptop propped open. “How is that possible in this day and age?”

“Maybe you haven’t noticed, but the woman travels by motorcycle and lives out of a backpack. She doesn’t even have a cell phone.”

“Exactly. That’s not...normal.”

He laughed. “It sounds great to me.”

His sister shook her head in exasperation. “I saw the paperwork on her. She hasn’t stayed at any job more than a few weeks. What do you even know about her?”

“I know she’s a good waitress. That’s all I have to know about her. And if she doesn’t stay around long...well, that’s fine too since mostly we need the help through these busy weeks of summer.”

Lillie mugged a face at him. “So you expect her to leave soon too.”

“Based on her past employment, probably. She says she’s looking for a place to settle but hasn’t found it yet. I really doubt that place is Gilt Edge.”

“Why not?”

He groaned. “If you’re looking for an argument—”

“It’s not like you to hire someone off the street.”

“We hired Billie Dee and Kendall that way,” he pointed out.

“So you’re telling me that’s all that’s going on?” Lillie pressed.

Darby did his best to look innocent. “What else?”

“I don’t know. I just get this feeling that you’re interested in her but...”

He rolled his eyes. “You and your feelings. Or maybe you just need something else to occupy your mind other than your wedding and furnishing your new house and starting your new life. By the way, Dad’s definitely back at his cabin. I saw his Jeep parked out front in a different spot. It’s strange though that he hasn’t contacted one of us. I wonder why he came out of the mountains so early?”

She sighed. “Mariah is sure beautiful, but kind of secretive too.”

He cut his eyes to her. “Seriously, you’re that determined to talk about her?”

“Okay, I’ll lay off, but I think there is more to the story.”

Darby was saved as Billie Dee came in the back door singing about saints marching in.

* * *

“CAN I GET A color this week?”

Maggie looked up from her scheduling book in surprise to see Wendy Westbrook standing in front of her. She glanced around expecting to see Tori Clark with the girl. The two were inseparable. Across the street, she spotted Tori with her little sister Quinn. The younger one seemed to be arguing that she wanted to leave, but Tori was holding tight to the back of her sister’s hoodie.

“Did you have a day in mind?” Maggie asked, noticing that Wendy was trying to read the schedule book upside down.

“I don’t know. What do you have?” the teen said around a wad of gum.

“I would imagine you’ll need it after school—”

“No, it doesn’t matter. During the day is fine. Maybe...” Her gaze was on the book in front of Maggie. “Wednesday’s good at nine. I don’t have a class until after lunch that day.”

“Fine, I’ll pencil you in. You’ll let me know if you change your mind.” Maggie had dealt with these girls when they were younger.

“I won’t,” Wendy said, and she popped a bubble with her gum as she turned and left.

Across the street, Tori Clark finally let go of her little sister as Wendy streaked across to join them. She watched for a moment as the two friends put their heads together, then laughed, but they were soon chasing after Quinn who was a half block away.

Maggie wondered for a moment what she’d just witnessed. Then she picked up the phone and called Wendy’s mother.

Rachel Westbrook answered on the fourth ring. She sounded out of breath. “Yes?”

“I’m sorry, this is Maggie Thompson at Just Hair. Did I catch you in the middle of something?”

“Yoga.”

“I’ll let you get right back to it. Wendy was just in and scheduled—”

“Do you need my credit card number right now?” She still sounded out of breath. Also from some distance, a male voice said, “Hang up. Buy something later,” then laughed.

“Not necessary. Sorry to interrupt.” Maggie hung up, telling herself that if Wendy didn’t show for her appointment, she thought Rachel would be happy to pay anyway since everyone in town knew that her pilot husband, Don, was away flying the Seattle–New York route for the next two weeks.

* * *

DARBY REALIZED THAT every day Mariah was scheduled to work, he found himself listening for the rumble of her motorcycle. Today was no different. And every day he knew that he might not hear it. He might not hear it ever again.

Would she just give up and leave? That he doubted. No, he thought she would come for the bracelet. He just didn’t know how—or if she would have help. So far he hadn’t seen her with anyone. Men hit on her at the bar, but she brushed them off like flies. No, he didn’t think she would enlist anyone to help her. Mariah was too independent for that.

Darby had watched her rub her bare wrist sometimes as if it hurt. As if the bracelet was a missing limb. We should stop this, he thought. End this before it goes any further.

But this past week, he’d awakened every day with excitement in his belly. He’d looked forward to the days that he worked with Mariah. There was an anticipation in him that made the food that Billie Dee cooked taste even more amazing.