Connor (3 page)

Chapter Three

Jennifer
circled the fifteenth on her calendar. That was the day she’d be following
Connor as he made his way around the county. First stop would be the elementary
school. Next he’d have lunch with the local chamber of commerce and then he’d
visit some ranches, finishing up at a fundraising dinner.

After
he’d told her he knew all about Sarah’s antics, it had sort of thrown her.
 
Didn’t anyone have any skeletons in their
closets anymore? Wasn’t there anything left for journalists and writers to dig
up?

She
looked through today’s mail and the latest issue of Big Sky County magazine.
She had two articles in there and quickly skimmed through to find them after
quickly noticing a one page ad for Katy Nolan-Delaney’s store as she did so.

Come visit us
Friday night for our free one hour vibrator seminar.

Maybe
Jennifer should go along. Not that she needed another vibrator, but she might
find something good to write about.

****

Connor
headed into the Grantsville Historical Society, took off his hat, and walked to
the reception desk. There was no one manning it and he couldn’t see anyone
around.

“Hi,
anyone on duty today?” he called out.

Mrs.
Hunt who had to be edging up to her mid-nineties slowly headed out from the
office to the left.

“Hi there, Connor.
You come along
to try and get my vote? Well you don’t have to work too hard because you know
you’ve got it. I like to vote for a homegrown boy.”

“That’s
good to hear, but it’s not the reason I’ve stopped by.”

“You
want to step in the office? I was just about to make myself some tea. You want
some?”

“Not
for me,” said Connor, stepping inside and smelling highly polished wood. He had
to admit the whole place was immaculate and a lot of it was down to Mrs. Hunt
who basically had single handedly run the place for the last twenty years when
budget cuts had forced them to lay off most of the paid staff.

“Have
a seat and I’ll be right back.”

Connor
sat and looked at the paintings on the wall. He quickly recognized Main Street
even though the photo had been taken over fifty years ago.

Mrs.
Hunt returned with a mug with the string of a tea bag hanging over the edge.
She sat.

“So
how can I help you?”

“I
had a visit from Jennifer Nealon this morning. She’s going to write a profile
on me for Big Sky County Magazine.”

“Oh dear.
No, I don’t
mean oh dear because of the article, but I think I might know what you’re about
to tell me.”

“Which
would be?”

“She’s
very good at her job. Well, all the Nealons have always been pretty good at
getting you to do what they want and well…”

She
took a few gulps of her tea. “She came looking for material that might make a
good story with a true blue Montana angle, and I gave her the…”

She
stopped and turned red.

“You
gave her what?” asked Connor.

“Your
great, great grandmother Katherine left the society lots of items of interest.
However, I’m sure she didn’t know it, but in with those things was her mother’s
journal.”

“Sarah?”

“Yes,
she began writing when she arrived in town. You probably knew she was a mail
order bride?”

“I
did, but what I didn’t know until today was that she had a relationship with
two men and hence our hyphened last name.”

Mrs.
Hunt bit her lip. “Jennifer promised me she’d keep that information to
herself.”

“Do
you have the journal?” asked Connor.

“I
do and I guess you should have it now, after all it does belong to your
family.”

She
got up, walked to a file case, unlocked it, and pulled out a well-worn brown
book with a slightly torn cover. She handed it to him.

What
he was going to do with it after he read it he wasn’t quite sure. Maybe he
should burn it. Besides Mrs. Hunt and Jennifer, probably no one else knew about
Sarah, Jon, and Shaun.

“I’m
ashamed to say I have read all its contents and if it’s any consolation Sarah
did truly love both those men with all her heart.”

“And
she’s buried out near the
Macbride
ranch?”

Mrs.
Hunt nodded. “Between Shaun and Jon as was her dying request.”

It
all sounded so romantic, but Connor wasn’t into love stories and happy endings.
Yeah, he was a cynical guy and his main concern was getting rid of any evidence
of his ancestor’s immoral behavior and knowledge that all her offspring were likely
a bunch of bastards.

“Are
you going to read it?” asked Mrs. Hunt before she downed her tea.

“I’m
not sure yet, but I know I can count on you to keep this to yourself.”

Mrs.
Hunt nodded. “I’m sorry that Jennifer hasn’t done the same. I’ll need to have a
word with that young lady.”

Connor
stood and tucked the journal under his arm.

“Guess
we all have some sort of skeleton in our closet. I could tell you a few other
stories that would make your hair curl…but of course I won’t.”

Connor
winked at her. “That’s for the book and the vote.”

****

Connor
pulled out the journal and sat with it on his knee while he took a swig of his
beer. He probably should burn the thing and be done with it. But this had been
written by his ancestor. It was part of his history and heritage. It should probably
be kept for the next generation, his children when they were mature enough to
read its content.

His kids.
His mom was
right because the way he was going he’d never have any. He was picky. She was
right about that too. But when the right woman came along he’d know it.

He
quickly opened up the book before he chickened out and locked it away somewhere
safe so no prying eyes would ever know about Sarah and her two lovers.

Connor
ran his fingers over Sarah’s writing. Some it was slightly faded. She had
beautiful penmanship, probably because she’d been a school teacher before she’d
headed out West. That much he knew about her.

It
was pretty amazing that something touched and owned by someone who’d lived here
when the West was still young was still around. He was holding it in his own
hands. He could imagine her sitting by a kerosene lamp writing about what
happened that day.

Connor
flipped over to the first page. She’d started her journal on the train ride
from her native Kansas to Grantsville. She hadn’t been alone. He remembered
stories about that. His grandma had said another relative, a cousin of Sarah’s
had died onboard.

She
wrote how frightened she was and how alone she’d suddenly felt, but then she’d
met her husband to be Jon Delaney and Shaun Nolan who was supposed to be
marrying her cousin. She suddenly felt safe again and finally ignored the
nagging feeling she’d had about wanting to return to Kansas after Nina passed
away.

He
took another drink of the beer, settling back in and reading on in her story.
He put the beer bottle down on the table, suddenly realizing it was getting
dark outside and things in her story were starting to spice up.
Her swimming naked in the lake behind the property.

Connor
leaned forward, reading her exact words about how the two men touched her and
what she felt and how her body came to life.

He
turned the pages, reading about how it was Jon Delaney who took her virginity.
He put the journal down. This was so private. What would she have thought that
one day her great, great, great, grandson would be reading about her first time
with a man….two men?

Besides
Mrs. Hunt, Jennifer Nolan had been the only person to read this. Damn, and they
weren’t even family.

Connor
resumed reading, quickly feeling guilty that her detailed entries about the
three of them having sex were actually arousing him and making him hard. He
took another swig of beer without bothering to stop reading.

The
barn…one had watched while the other had fucked her. His pants grew suddenly
too tight. And then she’d written about trying to be part of the ladies group
in town, but Mrs. Nealon was opposed.

Nealon, those
Nealons.

The
general store wouldn’t sell them food when word got around that she and Jon
were unwed and that Shaun was living under the same roof and that the three of
them were living a life of sin. She wouldn’t leave town, they wouldn’t leave
town because in their hearts and minds they weren’t doing anything wrong. They
loved her and she loved them both equally.

And
then she found out she was having a baby, but she wasn’t sure who the father
was.

Shit…

He
read on. The doctor refused to deliver their bastard baby so they had to ride
to another town to get one who would. She thought she’d die the night she gave
birth because the pains were so bad, but then Henry James arrived and he was
the most beautiful baby she’d ever seen. He was lucky to have two fathers who
loved and spoiled him.

Darkness
had fallen outside by the time Connor got to the part where she’d finally
presented her men with a daughter. Katherine.

It
was one in the morning by the time Connor finished reading her last entry.
Tears were on his cheeks when he read about her sorrow at Jon and Shaun’s deaths.
She’d written for the last time in her journal just two days before her own
passing.

He
closed the book, seeing a slight puff of dust escape from the pages.

It
was true. Everything Jennifer had told him. She’d left out the bit about her
great, great, great grandmother being the quintessential bitch, and rallying
the other residents to force them to leave town. He wondered how Jennifer had
felt about that when she’d read it. She probably could relate to it because
kids, some of them Connor’s buddies, had been downright mean to her in high
school.

Sarah’s
journal wasn’t going back to the historical society and not just because of its
racy contents, but because it belonged with the family.

He
fingered the cover. He was going to visit the graves tomorrow. He’d never had
any incentive to go there before, but now he knew their story, had read Sarah’s
actual words; he wanted to see their resting spot. He also wanted to try and
figure out which man had fathered his great, great grandpa. Maybe he’d find
some old photos. Were they
Delaneys
or were they
Nolans
? Didn’t matter much, but one thing that did was no
one could ever know about this. People weren’t so narrowed minded as back in
the late mid-1800s, but it wasn’t something he wanted getting out, well at
least not until the election.

Chapter Four

Jennifer
hadn’t been inside Katy’s store before tonight. While the place wasn’t crowded,
there were more women attending the vibrator class than she’d expected.

“Jennifer
Nealon, right?” asked Katy when she approached the back of the store.

Katy
had been three years behind them in high school, so she didn’t know her that
well. Jennifer was surprised Katy even recognized her, especially now the ugly
glasses were gone.

“Yes, good to see you again.
You don’t mind
if I sit in and make some notes. I saw your ad. You probably know I write for
the magazine. I thought this might make an offbeat topic.”

“No
problem, take a seat and our guest speaker should be here pretty soon.”

Jennifer
took off her jacket, hung it on the back of the chair, and pulled out her notebook.

“Good evening, everyone.
I was about to
say I’m glad you could come tonight, but I guess you’ll be doing that if you
buy one of the vibrators,” said Katy.

Everyone
burst out laughing including Jennifer. Katy had always been laid back, nothing
phased her; nothing embarrassed her whereas Connor was more serious and worried
about what other people thought.

“I’m
going to hand you over to Amelia who’s going to tell you about the various
vibrators and their features and how you can determine which one’s right for
you.”

A
girl with long dark hair stood up with a vibrator in her hand.

Jennifer
listened to her rattle on, knowing that she should probably buy one of these
because she hadn’t been on a date since long before she’d left Denver. Would
she ever find the perfect man?

It
wasn’t until the other women began clapping that she realized the talk was over
and refreshments were being served.

“Connor
said you’re going to be writing a story about him,” said Katy.

“That’s
right. I’m following him around next Thursday.”

“Get
him to relax a bit so your readers can see the true him. He’s a fun guy, but he
wants this sheriff job so bad, it’s make him a little bit uptight and edgy,”
said Katy. “You know I’m not one to interfere, but please don’t tell anyone
about our great, great, great, grandma. Not that I worry. In fact, I think it
would give this place a boost but Connor; well that was quite a shock to him.
So please done say anything and ruin his chances of becoming sheriff.”

Jennifer
looked at her. “He told me he already knew.”

Katy
shook her head. “You know men. They hate it when we women know something they
don’t. They lie to protect themselves.”

Jennifer
had intended to sort of blackmail him into bidding on her at the auction. She’d
even thought about seducing him into her bed, but now that she’d met him again
she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. That’s not who she was. She might
have changed her looks somewhat but down deep she was still sweet Jennifer.
Maybe that was why she was single. She didn’t have the killer instinct to go
after a man.

“Which
reminds me he promised he’d come by and give out tonight’s prize. I should give
him a call,” said Katy.

Jennifer
watched as Katy got out her cell phone and dialed.

Maybe
she should leave before he arrived. Seeing a guy you’d never have was a little
like looking at the chocolate cake and realizing if you ate it, enjoyed it,
then you’d be paying for it with some extra weight.

****

“Please
do not make me do this,” said Connor.

“You
will be such a hit with all fifteen of the women here tonight. That’s fifteen
votes.”

His
sister knew exactly what buttons to push to make him say yes to her.

“Just this once.”

“You
are the best.”

Connor
was actually in town, working late at the campaign headquarters and putting
together his speech for the chamber of commerce meeting. If he could win them
over then they carried clout to influence others into thinking that he was the
right man for the job.

He
closed up the store and headed down the road, passing several people he knew.

“Hi,
Connor, how about a beer and a burger?” shouted one of the guys he’d played
football with in high school.

“Maybe some other time.
I have to go
and…”

He
didn’t want to say exactly what he had to do and how his sister had coerced him
into doing it.

“Talk
to a ladies group.”

“Doesn’t
sound like much fun, but if you change your mind I’m in the Old Mine tavern.”

He
waved and continued on his way, hearing all the women chatting as he opened the
door. At least he didn’t hear any vibrators humming.

When
he got inside the first thing he saw was Jennifer. They looked at one another.
He immediately thought about her ancestor being downright bitchy to Sarah but
then that passed and all he could focus on were the tight jeans she wore and
the white lace t-shirt that showed off her cleavage so well.

“There
he is, the next sheriff of Big Sky County,” said Katy.

“You
have my vote. I mean any man that would venture into a place like this with all
us ladies and our vibrators…well you’ve got guts,” said one lady.

“Connor
is going to draw tonight’s winner,” said Katy. She held out a glass bowl with
strips of paper inside it.

“You
have to shut your eyes,” shouted a lady.

He
closed his eyes and reached inside, pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to
his sister.

“The
winner of The Boss vibrator is Jennifer.”

Wow,
what would old great granny think about that? Would she want Jennifer run out
of town for pleasuring herself with something as sinful as that?

An
image of Jennifer naked, her legs spread and the joy stick going to work on her
pussy flooded his mind, and he didn’t see Katy hand the vibrator to him.

“What’s
this for?”

“You
are also the presenter. Jennifer if you’d like to come claim your prize,” said
Katy.

Jennifer
got up and headed his way. Shit, he wanted her so bad, but he had to fight it.
He knew it was all in the past, but those Nealons had tried to run his family
out of town. This was going to be his chance to get a little snarky with her as
payback.

“Hope
you enjoy it,” he said. Then he leaned forward so he could whisper in her ear
as she took it from him. “In fact, I would think it’s the only way you’re going
to come.”

She
pulled away and glared at him. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

He
shrugged his shoulders, really not liking himself for that nasty comment. He’d
seen a photo of the bitch Beatrice Nealon hanging on the library wall. Clearly
Jennifer had gotten her looks from her mother’s side of the family line. If only
she was as ugly as her granny Nealon he could forget all about her. If only
she’d kept those awful glasses and not turned into a voluptuous young woman.

“Ladies,
enjoy the rest of your evening,” he said.

He
turned away from Jennifer and hurried out the door before he kissed her to make
up for his previous insult. He was half way to the Old Mine tavern when he
heard the sound of heels getting closer. It was Jennifer. He’d noticed she was
wearing those mighty high ones the ladies loved so much. Pair them with some
fishnets and a garter and he’d lose it every time.

The
thought of her standing by his bed wearing just those two items… He turned hard
just thinking about it and that’s what he hated the most. He turned around,
ready to put up his guard and insult her again.

“Connor
Nolan-Delaney how
dare
you,” she said.

Had
she put more emphasis on the Nolan or the Delaney name?

“Should
it be Nolan or Delaney? Oops, guess we don’t want anyone to know granny Sarah
was one hell of a loose lady,” she said.

He
hoped she’d see the anger on his face. If only he could conjure up some smoke
to billow down each of his nostrils.

“At
least two men wanted my granny. You know Jennifer; I’m surprised you’re even
here. You ever seen the photo of your granny? I’m shocked that anyone wanted to
fuck her. In fact, I would think your granddaddy had to either put a bag over
her head or over his own to stop himself from throwing up each time he fucked
her.”

Mean
and nasty…two things he wouldn’t usually use describe
himself
.
Just what was happening to him?

Several
people had stopped, obviously hearing the exchange between them.

“How
dare you. You uppity bastard, and I do mean bastard. At least my ancestors had
the decency to marry before they had children.”

Connor
heard the murmurs coming from the ever growing crowd of people. The chances of
him being sheriff were gradually fading away. They’d overheard the little fact
that he was a bastard and yes, he was acting like one too. Jennifer had hit the
bull’s eye with that last comment. He was about to apologize and call a truce
and not just for the good PR. he was truly sorry for his behavior tonight and
he wasn’t even drunk. However, before he could get the words out, Jennifer took
him by complete surprise by slapping his face. He held his hand to his face,
watching her turn and walk away, hearing people mumbling some more and all he
could think about was how great her ass looked in the jeans and high heel
combo.