“You’re both strippers too?” Miss Mary Ellen asked, looking like this was one shock too many.
Rose started to protest, then demurely put her hands on the edge of the table and said in a sweet voice, “We prefer the term exotic dancers, no offense to Tina’s previous description.”
“No offense taken,” Tina said. “I ain’t much of a dancer, if you know what I mean.”
Which was why it came as no surprise when Miss Mary Ellen ushered us out onto her front porch and then slammed the door in our faces.
Rose put her hands on her hips. “Well, that wasn’t very ladylike.”
We’d broken Miss Mary Ellen.
Chapter 6
“Violet’s gonna kill us,” Rose said as the three of us stood on the front porch, unsure what to do.
“I’ll take the blame,” I said with a heavy sigh.
“You’ll do no such thing,” Rose said in a haughty tone. “It’s my fault we got kicked out.” Then she wrapped an arm around my shoulders and snugged me to her side. “I’m sorry. I know how much you wanted to come to this thing.”
“It’s okay. I guess I was never meant to be high society.”
“Bullshit,” Tina said with a dismissive wave. “Why can’t you be high society? You’re a lot more high-class than me.”
I gasped. “Tina, that’s not true!”
“I don’t aim to be all highfalutin, not really. I was only learnin’ to have a shot at those high rollers. I like who I am.” Then she gave us a sly grin. “And maybe I liked shakin’ up Miss Mary Ellen’s perfect world.”
I grinned.
“Tina’s right,” Rose said, squeezing my arm. “I like who you are, and so does Joe. He wants Neely Kate Rivers, not some prim and proper Neely Kate Simmons.”
Tina’s jaw dropped. “Simmons? Like that J.R. dude? And Joe Simmons, the sheriff.”
“Joe’s only the chief deputy sheriff,” I said.
“Still…” Her eyes flew wide with a revelation. “Neely Kate Simmons? Are you two gettin’ married?”
“What?” I asked. “No! I’m Joe’s sister.”
She looked so surprised we could have toppled her over with a feather. “I thought his sister was up in the loony bin in Little Rock.”
“That’s his other sister, Kate. I’m his half sister and we only just found out we were siblings a few months ago. He’s takin’ me to a big fundraiser dinner in Little Rock on Saturday night, and I don’t want to embarrass him.”
Tina gave me a soft smile. “Let me tell ya something, honey. People either love you for who you are or they don’t. Don’t go changin’ to please anyone but you.”
“Wise words, Tina,” Rose said as she leaned her head into mine.
“Look,” I said. “It’s not like I’m trying to live in high cotton and become high society. My goal is to not make a fool of myself. That’s all.” I gave one last look toward the front door. “I’m gonna head home.”
“I’m sorry,” Rose said again.
I gave her a grin. “Hey, I know how to use a fork and spoon. How hard can it be?”
She gave me a hug. “I’ll see you later.”
As she headed for her truck, I realized I had an opportunity to see if Jed was still working for Skeeter. I turned to Tina. “Do you like workin’ at the Bunny Ranch?”
Tina gave me a look of surprise. “Are you lookin’ for a job?”
I lifted my shoulder into a half shrug. “I made good money in Oklahoma dancing on the pole.”
“Well, the Bunny Ranch ain’t no place you want to work at now. It’s run downhill after the manager left.”
“What happened?” I asked, trying to look clueless. “Why’d he leave?”
“Dunno,” she said with a frown. “I guess he had a fallin’-out with the owner, but the new guy doesn’t treat us as good as Jed did. That’s part of the reason why I’m here. Sure, I’d like to hook up with high rollers, but I’m thinkin’ about doin’ something else. A lot of us girls are.”
“Huh,” I said, trying to process what she said. “I guess now’s not a good time to try to get on there.”
“No, ma’am. But one of the girls said she heard Jed’s workin’ on opening a new business. If he opens his own strip club, we’d all flock to it like white on rice.”
“That’s good to know.” Was that what Jed was working on? Opening his own club? Owning a club wasn’t illegal, but it wasn’t very respected either, not that I minded—Jed treated those women better than any other man in their lives. Not only had he been determined to provide a safer work environment, he’d made sure they provided health insurance and sick leave. Jed had confided that the club lost money, but Skeeter’s businesses could absorb the loss and it provided for several single mothers. But Skeeter owned the Bunny Ranch, and I couldn’t imagine Jed double-crossing Skeeter to open his own place.
But that left the question—what was Jed up to?
After I went home, I spent a few hours watching YouTube videos about table manners, until I fell asleep in my bed. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been out when Muffy started growling, then took off downstairs barking as I heard the squeaky front door open. Rose was home. She stopped barking as I rolled to my side and picked up my phone to see it was nearly one in the morning.
When I woke again, soft morning sunlight was streaming in my windows and there was a loud, persistent knocking on the front door.
“Neely Kate!” Joe was shouting my name. “Neely Kate!”
Muffy jumped off my bed and took off downstairs.
Why was Muffy sleeping with me and not with Rose?
I reached for my phone to check the time, surprised to see it was dead. I’d fallen asleep before I’d plugged it in.
“Neely Kate!” Joe shouted again. Then I heard a house-shaking thud at the front door.
What in the world was he doing, and why was he here shouting my name?
“I’m comin’!” I shouted as I ran down the stairs in my pajama shorts and cami top. Muffy was prancing around the front door, desperate to get out as I unfastened the deadbolt and opened the door, staring up into Joe’s terror-stricken face.
He wrapped me in a suffocating hug. “Thank God you’re okay.”
I pulled back to look up at him, but he refused to let me go, even though Muffy was jumping up on him, practically trying to climb his legs. “Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
He dropped his hold and glanced down at the eager dog at his feet. “Not now, Muff.” Muffy sat at his feet as he grabbed my shoulders. “Kate broke out of the hospital last night.”
I gasped and stumbled backward, but his grip held me in place. “What?”
“The hospital called me about ten minutes ago. I tried to call you, but it went straight to voice mail. That’s why I’m pounding on your door at six in the morning.”
I lifted my hand to my temple, still trying to process this. “My phone died. Why didn’t you call Rose?”
“I did and she said she wasn’t here.”
I glanced around him, and sure enough, her truck wasn’t parked in front of the house. That was weird. I’d heard her come home.
“She said she was coming home now,” Joe said. I could see he was dying to ask where she was but was controlling himself.
Had she decided to spend the night with Skeeter? I wasn’t surprised, but I looked up at Joe in confusion. “Then who did I hear come in at one in the morning?”
His eyes widened with fear. “You heard someone in your house? Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I heard the front door open and Muffy took off barking.”
My terrified brother was gone, and Chief Deputy Joe Simmons had replaced him. He pulled me onto the front porch. “You stay out here while I do a quick search of the house.”
“Do you think she broke into our house last night?” I asked in shock. “Why are you here in such a panic?”
“She left a note.” Then he went inside.
If he thought I was staying out here while he walked away with my answers, he had another think coming. I scooped up Muffy and followed him in.
“I told you to stay outside,” he grunted as he walked around the perimeter of the living room.
“What was in her note, Joe?”
“She said she was lookin’ forward to a family reunion. Now go back outside.” Then he moved into the kitchen.