Red Velvet Revenge by Jenn McKinlay Page A

Dad,” Lily said. Her voice had a hard edge of anger to it. “When is she going to grow up?”
    Slim sighed and looped an arm about her shoulders and pulled her close.
    “You’re an old soul like me, kiddo,” he said, and placeda kiss on her head. “We can’t expect everyone to be as stodgy as us.”
    “But…” Lily protested.
    “Let it go, honey,” he said. “I think I’ll go back to the house to rest. I’ll see you in the barrel-racing finals tonight.”
    “I’ll come with you,” she said.
    “I’ve got it,” he said. “You stay here with your greenhorn and see if you can get him to lasso more than a fence post.”
    Slim winked at his daughter, and she blushed. Mel felt Angie stiffen beside her. She turned to look at her and found Angie as taut as a banjo string and vibrating as if she’d just been plucked.
    “Are you okay?” she asked.
    Angie spun on her heel. “I’m going back to the van.”
    “But, Angie…” Mel’s voice trailed off as Angie stomped back the way they’d come without once glancing over her shoulder.
    Suddenly a loop of rope dropped around Mel’s shoulders and was pulled tight.
    “‘Hi, Curly. Killed anyone today?’” Tate asked.
    Mel couldn’t help but grin. “‘The day ain’t over yet.’”
    “
City Slickers
,” they said together, and exchanged a knuckle bump.
    “Now, get this off of me,” Mel said as she wiggled within the rope.
    As Tate lifted the lasso off of her, Lily joined them.
    “Lily, this is my friend Mel. Mel, this is Slim’s daughter Lily,” he said.
    Mel and Lily shook. Mel liked that Lily had a warm, firm grip.
    “Is Slim okay?” she asked.
    “He’s been better.” Lily sighed. She met Mel’s gaze with a direct one of her own. “And he’d be better if my crazy sister would stop her shenanigans. Honestly.”
    Lily shook her head, and Mel decided she liked Lily Hazard. She seemed like a no-nonsense, down-to-earth kind of person. Tate was watching the brunette with a small smile, and she got the feeling he liked her, too. Oh, dear.
    “Lily,” a man called out as he strode toward them.
    He wore broken-in jeans over scuffed boots, a wide leather belt with a big buckle, a Western shirt that was molded to his broad shoulders, and a hat that looked as if it had survived a stampede and was now conformed to his head. The newcomer made Tate look like a newly minted, shiny penny while he was the worn-down, scuffed penny that had traveled the world picking up a nice patina.
    “Hi, Jake,” Lily said, and then she gestured to them. “Jake Morgan, this is Tate and Mel. They’re food vendors for the rodeo.”
    “Pleasure to meet you.” Jake shook Tate’s hand and tipped his hat at Mel, which she found utterly charming.
    “Jake is my father’s right-hand man,” Lily said.
    “Nah, that’s you, except you’re a woman,” Jake said. “I’m more like his left hand.”
    Lily grinned. “And he’s humble.”
    “Aw, shucks,” Jake teased.
    Jake was not handsome in a movie-star or underwear-model sense. Rather, he was good-looking in a rough-and-tumble, badly-in-need-of-a-shave sort of way. Under his hat, Mel could see dark brown hair that wanted a trim. His eyes were light brown and sported crow’s-feet in the corners that deepened when he smiled, but he also had deepdimples that bracketed his smile, which made it impossible not to smile in return.
    “How is Slim?” Jake asked. “I heard he was in here having words with Shelby.”
    “He looks tired,” Lily said.
    “He should be resting,” Jake said. He frowned. “Didn’t the doc say bed rest?”
    “He did,” Lily agreed. “I guess I can thank Shelby for wearing him out enough to send him back to bed.”
    “Don’t worry,” Jake said. He squeezed her shoulder. “I’ll go check on him.”
    “Thanks,” she said. “He’ll listen to you.”
    Jake tipped his hat to Mel and Tate as he left, and again Mel felt utterly boggled.
    “Jake was driving the car when Dad was shot,”