Page 36 of Ride a Cowboy

She shook her head. “Nope. But a trip to Sin City is number one on my bucket list. It’s that name. It inspires all sorts of fun. Have you been to Vegas?”

“No,” he admitted. Unlike her, that city held very little appeal for him. “Out of curiosity, what’s number two on your bucket list?”

“Officiating a lesbian wedding.”

He grinned. “Well, at least you can check that one off in the near future.”

He expected her to laugh, but she sobered up. “Yeah. Hopefully.”

“Still struggling to write the ceremony?”

“It’s freaking harder than you would think. I mean, this is only one of the biggest days of their lives. What I say matters. I really don’t want to screw it up.”

“You won’t, Whiskey. Just speak from the heart and it’ll be perfect.”

Porter stepped onto the porch. “Sorry to bother you two. Mama Cow is in labor out in the south pasture. Looks like a breach. You’re better at handling that, Coop.”

Hank rose from the swing. “Okay. I’m not sure how long I’ll be, Mace.”

“No worries,” she said. “I’ll be here.”

He leaned down to kiss her. “Or better yet, you could be naked in bed,” he murmured.

“Go take care of that poor cow,” she said, laughing as she shooed him away.

Hank hopped into the passenger side of the ranch truck, waving to her as he and Porter headed out to the south pasture. As they pulled away, he considered her bucket list.

Maybe Vegas wasn’t such a bad place to visit after all.

Macie had just shut down the TV an hour later when headlights flashed through the window and along the living room wall. Rather than strip down to nothing, Macie had donned a brand new sexy nightie she’d bought herself on a whim, while out shopping for wedding stuff with Amanda the previous weekend. She struck a sexy pose on the coffee table and waited for Hank to come in.

She was surprised when there was a knock at the door. Hank wouldn’t knock. Neither would Porter. A quick glance at the clock told her it was just after nine. Which felt a bit late for a social call.

Macie had changed in the bedroom and come down in nothing but this damn scrap of lace.

“A smart person would have put on a robe,” she muttered as she looked around the living room for something to cover herself up with. She couldn’t walk upstairs because to get there required walking by the front door—and its clear glass window that gave the visitor the perfect view inside.

“To hell with it.” She grabbed a fleece blanket and draped it over her shoulders, clutching it together in front. It didn’t cover as much of her legs as she liked, but she figured she revealed at least that much at the lake in the summer.

As she walked to the door, she was relieved to see Janice standing outside. She opened the door with a smile. “Thank goodness, Janice. I was afraid it was one of the ranch hands. As you can see, I’m all by my lonesome and not exactly dressed for company.”

Macie stepped aside as Janice entered. “Coop’s not here?”

Macie shook her head. “No. He’s out in one of the pastures delivering a breach calf. No telling what time he’ll get back.”

“Oh.” Janice looked disappointed to hear that and once again, Macie felt sorry for the woman. Like Janice, Macie knew how much it hurt to lose a close friend. Johnnie’s death had left a gaping hole inside her, and she figured the same held true for Janice.

“You want to have some tea or a glass of wine or something?”

Janice appeared surprised by the invitation and Macie wondered why. She didn’t think she’d ever slighted the woman. Hell, she hardly knew Janice. Like Hank, Janice was older, so their paths never crossed growing up. And Janice lived with her elderly parents, caring for them, so it wasn’t like they ran into each other at social events either. As far as Macie knew, Janice didn’t go out much.

“Tea would be nice.”

Macie gestured toward the kitchen, sorry Janice hadn’t picked wine. And then sorry she’d suggested the damn tea. She really felt like wine, but guessed it would be rude to pour herself a glass of vino instead of having tea with her guest. She hated adulting.

She poured them each a glass of iced tea as Janice sat at the table.

“So, what’s new?” Macie asked, when it was clear Janice wasn’t going to start the conversation.

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