I promised I wouldn’t keep her out too late.”

“I should go, too,” Taylor said, rising, still kicking herself for ruining the mood, and maybe the evening, too. “I really am sorry, McKenna. I shouldn’t have been so sensitive, and I shouldn’t have said what I did—”

“Stop. It’s okay,” McKenna said firmly, cutting the apology off. “I’m fine. No harm done. Honestly. And yes, you should speak up. Speak your mind. You can’t go through life minimizing yourself, marginalizing yourself, hoping it will please others.” She wagged her finger at Taylor, a hint of her good humor returning. “I used to be a big sister, and so I’ll tell you what I would have told my sister, Fiona Grace. Don’t live to please others. Don’t think everyone else knows what’s right or true. Listen to yourself, and be true to yourself. That way, no matter what else happens in life, you will always have your self-respect.”

McKenna finished buttoning her coat and slipped her gloves on. “And I don’t know why I didn’t fall for Troy,” she added thoughtfully as they started for the door. “Troy is everything Trey isn’t. He’s good, he’s kind, he’s responsible. Successful. He doesn’t drink too much and he doesn’t get into bar fights—” She broke off, pursed her lips, and shook her head. “No. He’s nothing like Trey, which is why he doesn’t make my heart race or my pulse quicken or make me feel special, and beautiful, and new. And Trey made me feel that. From day one. From day one Trey made me feel like I was the most amazing girl in the world.” Her shoulders lifted and fell. “How can you not love a man that makes you feel like a goddess… absolutely divine?”

Chapter Eight

‡‡

Troy was glad that the uncomfortable ninety-minute dinner with Judge McCorkle at the Graff was over and he was now free to sit at the bar at Grey’s and just relax.

Ninety minutes wasn’t long when you were dining with friends or a beautiful woman, but ninety minutes was endless when you were being solicited for a loan.

Judge Joe McCorkle found himself on the wrong side of a business deal and was in financial trouble. Of course he didn’t want anyone in the community to know he’d made some mistakes with his investments, and that he’d already taken out a second mortgage on his house to sort things out only to have just dug himself deeper into debt. He’d already approached both local banks and Big Sky Credit Union, and all three had turned him down. Judge McCorkle was a risk. He was also nearing retirement.