Free Boots and Chaps by Myla Jackson

Out. So? She could step outside the box just once. “Why are you two staring at me? Get to work!” she snapped.
    Charli nodded at Cory. “Get Kendall to do it.”
    As soon as the door shut, Charli grabbed Audrey’s arms and pushed her against the nearest shelf. “What’s wrong? Why are you acting so weird?”
    Audrey struggled between yelling at her assistant and bursting into tears. Last night, she’d come to work, fully expecting Jackson Gray Wolf to blow through the doors, demanding to see Kiki.
    He hadn’t.
    She ducked her head and tried to wiggle her way out of Charli’s grip. “Nothing’s wrong. Just let me do my job.”
    “Not until you tell me what happened the other night at the Gray Wolf party.” Charli stared hard into her eyes. “You danced for them, didn’t you?”
    “I told you, Audrey Anderson doesn’t dance for anyone anymore.” She flung back her shoulders, tipping her head high.
    “Okay, so Audrey Anderson doesn’t dance for anyone anymore.” Charli’s mouth twisted into a wry grin. “You didn’t really answer my question.”
    “Leave it, Charli.”
    “No.” Charli didn’t budge, her lips set in a firm line.
    “Leave it, or I’ll fire you.”
    Charli shook her head. “You can’t fire me. I’m the only one you trust to leave the bar to when you want to take a day off.”
    “I can get Kendall to take over.”
    “She’s too busy with her man to pay close-enough attention to the way things run here.”
    “She’d do fine.” Audrey pushed away from Charli and grabbed a bottle of wine, heading for the stepladder.
    Charli stepped in her way. “You’re avoiding the issue. What happened? Did you and Jackson hook up?”
    “Damn it, Charli, it’s none of your business. But if you must know, Jackson and Audrey Anderson did not hook up.”
    A frown creased Charli’s brow. “Wow, you’re freakin’ me out. That’s the second time tonight you’ve talked about yourself in the third person. You are usually with it and completely together. I’ve never seen you so…so…unhinged.”
    “I’m not unhinged.” She shook the bottle of wine at Charli. “I’m Audrey, the same boss you’ve had for two years. Nothing’s changed, I tell you. Nothing!” The bottle slipped from her grasp and crashed to the floor, splattering dark red wine over Charli’s jean-clad legs and Audrey’s white boots.
    Charli stared down at the mess, her gaze focusing not on the wine but on the boots.
    Audrey groaned inwardly, bracing herself.
    “You’re wearing white boots.” Charli’s head came up and she stared at Audrey. “What happened to your red boots?”
    With a shrug, Audrey squatted, fishing through the sticky wine for the broken shards of glass. “I didn’t feel like wearing them. Now will you help me clean up this mess or get out of my way so that I can do it by myself?”
    Charli dropped to her haunches in front of Audrey and grabbed her wrist, plucking the glass from her hands one piece at a time. “Honey, you know you can tell me anything.”
    Tears welled in Audrey’s eyes and she blinked rapidly, wishing them away. “There’s nothing to tell,” she said, her voice choking on the words. And she wasn’t lying. As far as Audrey was concerned, there was nothing to tell. Now Kiki, on the other hand, had a huge story to tell. But Kiki wasn’t coming out to play ever again.
    A sob rose in Audrey’s throat, and she looked down before Charli could see the tears in her eyes.
    Charli sighed, then spoke quietly. “Maybe you should take the night off or something. The place runs itself on Ladies’ Night Out. Why don’t you go take a drive down to the lake or go home and soak in a bubble bath.”
    Audrey opened her mouth to protest and closed it before uttering a word. Charli was right. She was no good to anyone the way she was tonight. A soak in the tub would do her body good. Maybe then she could shake Jackson Gray Wolf out of her thoughts.
    Yeah, right.
    She handed over the loose