Home > Naughty All Night(5)

Naughty All Night(5)
Author: Jennifer Bernard

 

 

As soon as Kate laid eyes on Maya Badger, the urge to down several shots of tequila and tell her the whole sordid story of her father nearly overcame her.

But even though Maya wasn’t in uniform—a gold lamé top and black pants was definitely not her uniform—a rural police chief was never really off the job. So Kate stuck with the several shots of tequila and skipped the confession.

Even so, it was hard to fool Maya. At a rickety table crammed into a back corner of the Moose is Loose Saloon, they hugged and shouted greetings over the raucous band.

Which rocked, by the way. The second she’d walked in, the deep thump of the upright bass had grabbed her like a dance partner about to swing her off her feet.

After they both sat down, Maya began the grilling. “You never come here in April. Something’s up. Are you in trouble?”

“Oh come on, I’m not that rebellious teenager anymore.”

“Really? Naughty Kate is history?”

Kate grabbed a cut lime and bit into it so she wouldn’t have to say any more. With two Kates in their loose group of teenage friends, one had gotten the “Nice Kate” nickname, while she’d gotten the one that suited her troublemaking style.

“Okay, fine, I see you don’t want to talk. That’s okay, I have my ways.”

Kate waved a hand at her, her mouth puckering from the lime. “You can’t use your police superpowers on your best friend. That’s not cool.”

Maya raised an expressive eyebrow. She wore glittery eye shadow that made her look completely different from her on-the-job persona. “Fine. At least tell me the basics. Are you staying with Emma? Is she okay?”

“Yes, she’s okay, and yes, I’m staying there for now. But we’re driving each other crazy so I’m going to move into her old house in town.”

“The one on Fairview Court?”

“Yup. But there’s a very irritating person living in it, so I’m working on evicting him.”

Maya laughed and shook her head. “Damn, Kate, look at your badass legal self. Why do you have to evict him?”

“Because it’s my house and Emma never should have rented it out, and I like my own space.”

“I’ll bet you a cocktail that you’ll end up letting him stay.” Maya gave her a knowing smile. “I know you. At heart, you’re softer than a roll of Charmin.”

“Did you just compare me to toilet paper?”

“Toilet paper is one of the best inventions in the world. Only the best people deserve to be compared to toilet paper.”

Kate rubbed at the spot between her eyebrows where tension always gathered. “Things have been crazy lately. I really just need a place where I can be alone, you know?”

Maya narrowed her perceptive brown eyes at her. “Trouble, just like I thought. Let me guess. It’s a man’s fault.”

Oh, it was definitely a man’s fault. “You’re absolutely right about that.”

“Don’t tell me you broke your own no-romance rule.”

Kate laughed at the reminder of the old rules she and her friends used to joke about all summer.

“Oh no. I’m still one hundred percent Team Sex.”

“And I’m still one hundred percent Team Romance,” a soft voice sounded in her ear. She turned to find Jessica Dixon opening her arms for a squeeze. “You’re back, Kate! Yay!” They hugged for an extended moment, rocking back and forth with the music.

Damn, that band was good. Especially the bassist. The fast-paced vibrations traveled through her, as if the musician was playing her tendons and nerves instead of an instrument.

“It’s so good to see you!” Kate told Jess as she settled into the chair Maya had saved for her. Jessica, with her soft auburn hair and angelic smile, owned the Sweet Harbor Bakery and totally looked the part of the nurturing baker—until you got to know her wild side.

As fun-seeking teenagers on those long summer days, Kate had definitely seen her wild side.

“I fought off three longshoremen and a lumberjack for that chair,” Maya said from across the table.

“What are your police powers for if not that?” Jessica lit up with laughter. She had the best belly laugh, always had.

“Good point.” Never one to be distracted for long, Maya turned back to Kate. “I was just grilling Kate about the broken heart that brought her back to Lost Harbor in the middle of mud season.”

“Oh no.” Jessica clasped her hands together. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m fine. No broken heart.” Not that kind, anyway. “You guys know me. I’m not the heartbreak type. I’ve always relied on myself and I always will.” With a jaunty smile, Kate tossed her hair over her shoulder.

But Jessica was still eerily perceptive. “Maybe not, but there’s something wrong. Isn’t there, Maya?”

“Oh yeah. I noticed as soon as she came in and walked right past the hot bouncer.” Maya indicated him with a gesture of her head. Then her face sobered. “But seriously, Kate. If there’s something wrong, you know you can trust us.”

Kate swallowed hard. She wanted to spill all her troubles. It would be a relief to tell the whole story to her friends. But one of these particular friends also happened to be the police chief. And that complicated things.

“You want to know what’s wrong?”

“Of course. You can tell us anything.” Jessica fiddled with the woven bead bracelet on her wrist. Kate had one of those too, somewhere. So did Maya, but obviously it didn’t go with a police uniform. Jessica was the only one who still wore that relic from their teenage summers.

“What’s wrong is that this band rocks and I haven’t danced or had any fun at all in forever. And we’re sitting here talking! That’s what’s wrong. Who is this band, anyway?”

“They’re from out of state—Oregon, I think. But don’t change the subject.” Jessica shook her head at her, setting a hand on her arm to keep her in her chair. “Maybe what’s wrong is that you’re avoiding your feelings just like you always have.”

“I haven’t always avoided my feelings. Just when they try to ruin my mood.”

Maya laughed at that and tilted her shot glass for a toast. “I hear that.”

Kate downed her shot and finally felt a buzz set in. “Sorry, Jess, but you know I’m never going to be Team Talk About Your Feelings, aka Team Romance. We all decided that a long time ago.”

Sunbathing on the deck of Jessica’s family’s fishing boat, they used to discuss things like destiny and soulmates. Jess had been a believer, Kate the cynic, and Maya the neutral observer.

“People change,” Jessica insisted. “I know I’ll win you over someday. I mean, I won’t. A man will. It just has to be the right man.”

“The right man?” Kate gestured to the passing waitress for another shot. “The right man is the one who’s going to help me forget my crappy life tonight. Like whoever’s on that bass. He’s already making me forget. Anyone who can play like that can make me forget all kinds of things.”

Maya and Jessica exchanged a glance filled with something Kate couldn’t quite identify. “The bassist? Do you know who he is?” Maya asked casually.

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