Michelle Major

A Kiss On Crimson Ranch


Скачать книгу

raised an eyebrow at Sara. “And they’re calling you?”

      When Sara didn’t answer, Josh spoke quickly, “Like you wouldn’t believe.”

      Sara pulled out cash and handed it to Rita. “For the sweater.” She didn’t acknowledge Josh’s comments or Rita’s question.

      Rita took the money, studying Sara. “I’m ordering for fall in a couple of weeks. Maybe you could stop by and take a look at the lines. We’re not as exclusive as Aspen, but I still want to offer current trends. I’d appreciate a fresh opinion.”

      “Fresh?” Sara questioned. “As in fresh off heroin?” She yanked her sleeves above her elbows and held out her arms for inspection. “No track marks, ladies. Needles were never my thing.”

      Two of the women giggled nervously and backed away from the counter. After an awkward pause Rita said, “If you’ve got time, stop back later in the month.”

      Sara blew out a breath. “Give me a break,” she mumbled, and left the store, leaving the bagged sweater and change Rita had placed on the counter.

      Josh quickly paid for his necklace, grabbed Sara’s bag and followed her into the warming afternoon. He caught up with her half a block down the street.

      “What happened in there?”

      She rounded on him. “Why don’t you tell me, Mr. Name Dropper?” She jabbed at his chest, her voice rising. “Since when are you an expert on celebrity fashion? Not one damn person has called my cell phone since I got here, famous or otherwise. And you know it.”

      “Excuse me for trying to help. Those women were out for blood, and you were about to open a vein for them.”

      “You should mind your own business,” she countered.

      “Who are you right now?” He took a deep breath, needing to clear his head. It didn’t work. Not one bit. “All you’ve done since the minute you walked into my house—”

      “My house.”

      “The house,” he amended. “All you’ve done is bust my chops. If I look at you wrong, you read me the riot act, give me one of those snide remarks or smart comebacks you’re so damn good at.” He pointed in the direction of Rita’s store. “You didn’t say one word to those ladies in there.”

      She rolled her eyes. “You took care of it all on your own.”

      “Somebody had to. It was too painful to watch your slow death.”

      “Julia, Gwyneth? Even if I was in L.A., do you think one of those women would give me the time of day? They are A-list, Josh. I’m beyond Z. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

      “Rita didn’t know that.”

      “I know it.” She scrubbed her hands over her face. “I’m a has-been. A nobody. You don’t get it. What those women dished out was nothing compared to what I hear every single day in California. At the grocery. The dry cleaners.” She laughed without humor. “At least back in the day when I could afford dry cleaning. I’ve been a waitress now for the same number of years I was a paid actress. Do you know how many customers gave me career advice, hair tips, dissed my makeup, my boyfriends, all of it? Nothing was off-limits. I can take it, Josh. I don’t need you to swoop in and rescue me.”

      “Excuse me for trying to help.”

      “I don’t want help. This isn’t Pretty Woman meets mountain town. I’m not Julia Roberts shopping on Rodeo Drive. You’re not Richard Gere on the fire escape.”

      “Why do you do that?”

      Her eyes narrowed. “Do what?”

      “Throw out movie plots like they compare to what’s happening. This is real life, Sara.”

      “I’m well aware.”

      He shook his head. “I thought you were a fighter.”

      “No,” she said quietly. “I’m a survivor.” With that, she turned and marched down the street away from him.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEBLAEsAAD/4RBeRXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgABwESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEaAAUA AAABAAAAYgEbAAUAAAABAAAAagEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAUAAAAcgEyAAIAAAAUAAAAhodp AAQAAAABAAAAnAAAAMgAAAEsAAAAAQAAASwAAAABQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIDcuMAAyMDE0OjA2 OjExIDA3OjQyOjM4AAAAAAOgAQADAAAAAQABAACgAgAEAAAAAQAABkugAwAEAAAAAQAACgAAAAAA AAAABgEDAAMAAAABAAYAAAEaAAUAAAABAAABFgEbAAUAAAABAAABHgEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAIBAAQA AAABAAABJgICAAQAAAABAAAPMAAAAAAAAABIAAAAAQAAAEgAAAAB/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEASABI AAD/7QAMQWRvYmVfQ00AAf/uAA5BZG9iZQBkgAAAAAH/2wCEAAwICAgJCAwJCQwRCwoLERUPDAwP FRgTExUTExgRDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwBDQsLDQ4NEA4OEBQO Dg4UFA4ODg4UEQwMDAwMEREMDAwMDAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDP/AABEI AIAAUQMBIgACEQEDEQH/3QAEAAb/xAE/AAABBQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAADAAECBAUGBwgJCgsBAAEF AQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMEBQYHCAkKCxAAAQQBAwIEAgUHBggFAwwzAQACEQMEIRIxBUFRYRMi cYEyBhSRobFCIyQVUsFiMzRygtFDByWSU/Dh8WNzNRaisoMmRJNUZEXCo3Q2F9JV4mXys4TD03Xj 80YnlKSFtJXE1OT0pbXF1eX1VmZ2hpamtsbW5vY3R1dnd4eXp7fH1+f3EQACAgECBAQDBAUGBwcG BTUBAAIRAyExEgRBUWFxIhMFMoGRFKGxQiPBUtHwMyRi4XKCkkNTFWNzNPElBhaisoMHJjXC0kST VKMXZEVVNnRl4vKzhMPTdePzRpSkhbSVxNTk9KW1xdXl9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2JzdHV2d3h5ent8f/ 2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/APTxc0tLu3ZTDxt3O0A1JPkhNDWtAcZYyTPw9y8u+sH1nzeqC6v1XtxbT7am mBtGrWf2W/T/AH0iUgW+o4+ZiZQnGuZboDDHAmDwS1GXh+HkZNR3DQMktsaRuY4/uOkO/wC213n1 A+st+c+zpWQ59xpZvqucACGghvpO9Mf2tznpKMez2iSo5/UxjWNqY3c88k8BS+3je1pgAmCZ4StF NxMSVVZ1BlmUaaxuY0Euf5orcppn4kNhIKSwquXlemCGmI7o91pZUXRrHbssXLywYBMkmNPNIlQS ftF375+5JZc2f6T8iSbZXUH/0O9y+oYowM68k+hXXYbgzV0bYd6Y/tLx3Fpfn5lWO14YbAQ15Hta 1rXP3bf6rV6rTj1ZeLY99eyjJrdXWCC0ua72l+x30f5C5Dp+NThdNsZA+0YjNj7Bo6WmPpfSb7m7 lHOZEbrU7MuKHEaJ0GpcbD6NmZOQWWezHx2tttsfLW7Hje3aD7/or0/6k149f1doGOd1JsuLXQWz +kfy14a//PXBv67fW1lOK0/anEe46v3OP5jDuc9djjvZj4TsTHNtLHOJs9Td6z3QGWWWep9D1HN3 fomVsTIZJcVy7UKTkEABGOpJu0PUepYuR1EiqwOYH7S7toId/wBJPLH7X12bmukbR2PmqD+i449t bjWOYBUWdMyKXTTeAB2cEw5hZsdWJ3+nPpqfc+72taxrR5yoZd7xkO6ZhhrrRSb7X2SGhrjDa/Z7 tz1hN6d1jIza7XvbYAWtG1wboD+65Ra+uv6x9Ssey+613oOrpx3bYrpbYw1XmR61Vlz8fey39H+k T45RLQLscbN70wzs7q/T7K/tdlbXuLn1tp3BvGrHbpc9rN37is5mawehl1AOqth7HDUajc6pxH59 e5YvWb+mW9KDcl2TtbaHh+S43Wtglj/sbXbN1b3fov8AR/8AbaqfVa263HzcfaXUPLbvf7i2xp2j /Ppd7khsT2LJMa1ps9F+0m/utSVD7KfBJHXusoP/0eszOoOe8mdeWz3jt+LVzHXmmRkY5Dn5Z2WU 8D1AG6l3/Cs9/wDnqwy+y5ga4nc3QPESDqW7W/6T3P8A/VViqjHs9Z3qWmuu6a3gNJYSf5t+5u51 LmOd6jN//glSbIWF0TRv7fJr/VvELHW9WtcTkm1zce6NR6Y9O57P3a2vf6TP39i6tuc65jG3/pLB u2v76DeNv9asP3rIxWsa8N2Opppb6eOxwhxawubvLR9H1nbrvd/pEsnqYxb8FrYO6yx5BJ4Y0N/7 +iaojogXu6ltjbHkV/TaPeOI8EwD+C5o8ZKNZ6D7C8AD1AHCOSI0UfRxz4yoCQCWUHRlVk14wOQ8 tds02ngmN38FyWRnso6tT1Cx24u9Vj9rQQ5jwW2VOY8PY9npO/mrK/8AwRWev5jvtbsbHs9NlMMm A73f4X2u/wBfYsV7rdtYve22prtxtLYLD42MZ+jtqd/hPZv/AK6cIhIIB/Nu9Twbc+q251jslzdt psgBvpt9vpsDAGMZW137n5iufV7qFGO3JORWyu7cGXXMhtcN/mn7NG11v3/moNl//YrbhYVYpdde aMkjUeiWb35DHbn12faNnpb6n+ksR9ZLJuaCGx9KCXuaPTbbH9VKMRVFkzQ4OlgkgT/e4Xu/Vb+6 37x/ekqnp5Pi77klF