Her Christmas Cowboy (The Wyoming Cowboy #5) - Jessica Clare Page 0,29

pulled out a very specific purse from her closet, and reached for her new, warm coat.

And stopped.

The coat and her nice new boots, her scarf and her hat? Those were all tainted until she found out who was gifting them. Frustrated, she put on her lightweight camel jacket instead. She’d just shiver, damn it.

When Amy came out of her room with her bag, she beamed a brilliant smile at Caleb, who was frowning at her. He looked vaguely displeased, and so she said, “I hope it won’t be a problem to take me out? If it is, I can call an Uber.”

“I got it,” he mumbled, ducking his head as he went to the front door and held it open for her.

All right, then. She gave him her most brilliant smile, determined to be cheery despite everything going wrong. If he was going to help her out, the least she could do was be good company. So she kept smiling all the way out to the car, and she smiled on through the brief drive to Main Street, where her accountant’s office was. She arrived just as Layla was putting the key in the door.

Her friend’s eyes widened at the sight of Amy. “Oh! Hey there. Did we have an appointment? I was going to run out early and do some shopping—”

Amy put a hand on Layla’s arm and leaned in. “Can we talk in private? Five minutes, tops.”

Layla glanced at Caleb’s truck and then nodded, opening the door to the office again. “Of course.”

“Any sign of my alimony?” Amy asked as they paused in the entryway.

“Girl, you know that answer as well as I do.” Layla pushed up her heavy glasses. Unlike Amy, who only wore her glasses to read, Layla wore hers constantly. Her long, silky straight hair was caught up in a bun with three pencils shoved through it, and she was wearing a blazer over a Star Wars tee. “It’s not coming anytime soon.”

“I know, but I need money.” Amy held out her bag. “You remember this?”

Layla froze. Her fingers fluttered as her hand went to her own purse. “Your Birkin?”

“Yeah. It’s too expensive for me to use day to day, so it’s just sitting in my closet.” She’d gone into her first meeting with Layla with the purse, back when she’d first moved to Painted Barrel. Layla had absolutely swooned over it. “I’ll sell it to you for a hundred fifty.”

Layla shoved her glasses up her nose again. “Um, aren’t they worth like ten grand or something?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. My ex bought it for me. I could really use the money, Layla.” Amy held it out to her accountant and friend. “Please.”

The other woman touched the bag with trembling fingers. Through a few casual texted conversations, Amy knew Layla loved funky accessories and expensive shoes. Apparently she also loved expensive bags. “I shouldn’t.”

“Please. It’s either you, or I take it to a pawnshop and hope they give me money—”

Layla squeaked in distress and clutched the bag to her chest. “You will not pawn my precious!” She mockingly pretended to claw at the air. “But you have to ask for more money, Amy, that’s just not right.”

“Two hundred?” Amy joked.

“I won’t give you a penny less than three hundred,” Layla said, hugging the purse to her. “Will you take a check?”

“Only if the bank will let me cash it tonight.”

Layla grimaced. “Friday night after five? Cash it is. Give me a sec.” She trotted back to her office, leaving Amy nervously waiting in the small lobby. To her relief, Layla reappeared a minute later with a stack of twenties. “Here you go, and Merry Christmas to me. You’re sure you want to do this?”

“I’m sure.” She was so relieved to see that money that she couldn’t stop smiling. “You’re the best. Thank you so much, Layla.”

“Girl, no, thank you.” She stroked her hand over the purse again. “If you change your mind, I’ll give it back to you, I promise.”

Amy wouldn’t change her mind. She hugged Layla, thanked her again, and then tucked the money into her smaller Prada purse and headed back out to Caleb’s truck. As they pulled away from the curb, she watched Layla leave the office, petting the massive new purse on her shoulder.

“Wasn’t that yours?” Caleb asked, sounding as surly as ever.

“Yeah. I sold it to her for some quick cash.” Amy sighed with relief. She already felt ten pounds lighter, some of her worries gone for the day. She