Page 83 of Cowboys at Coconuts

It was as though every creature in the woods stood still as they observed Cheri’s mortal mistake. Leaves appeared to stop blowing and the stream must have changed direction. Cheri swiped at her tear-stained cheeks.Dammit. I deserve this treatment, but Cole doesn’t. I owe Sebastian an explanation. Hopefully, after I reason with him, he’ll leave.

Nice enough for a mind-numbing workaholic, Sebastian wasn’t for her, especially now that she was falling for Cole. Besides the boredom factor, there was absolutely no chemistry between them, never had been. Knowing full well she already had more feelings for Cole than she ever had for Sebastian, Cheri felt her stomach plummet to her feet. The fact that her parents loved Sebastian didn’t help. Most likely they loved his pedigree.I’ll never hear the end of this.

Reaching for her hand, Sebastian said, “Let’s go.” But Cheri shoved her hands in her jeans and didn’t move.

“Do you plan to stay here with this hick? He already drove away, you know.”

“Don’t be a jerk.” Forcing back more tears, she narrowed her eyes. “Stop calling him a hick. Cole’s a good, decent man. A hard-working man. In fact, I’ve made several friends here.Realfriends.”

Raising his eyebrows, Sebastian scoffed. “Friends out here in Snoozeville? You must be kidding.” Studying her up and down, he asked, “Are you going through the change early or something?”

Fuming, Cheri realized she was afoot deep in the woods, so she weighed her words. “Is it so implausible that I like it here?”

“Yes.” Sebastian reached for her arm. “Let’s find a nice restaurant, if that’s possible in this dinky town.” Studying the woods and clearing, he said, “Surely people eat around here.” Softening his voice, Sebastian said, “Please. We’re engaged.”

Cheri’s heart sank.Sebastian ruined our perfect day, but he’s right. I’m engaged. We’re engaged.As if to encourage her, rays reached between the arms of the trees, almost pulling her. Willing her. “You’re right.”Let’s get this over with.“What are you driving?”

Motioning with his head toward a field, Sebastian said, “A Jeep. I rented a Jeep, if you can believe that. It’s over there, I think. I got a little turned around in this cow-crap-filled field.” Holding his nose, he added, “Let’s go.” He reached again for Cheri’s hand, but she kept both hands in her pockets.

With a wooden tone, he said, “I don’t know what your problem is. You never acted like this in New York.”

After walking seemingly in circles for what seemed like miles, they finally found his rented green Jeep. Reluctantly climbing in, Cheri’s mind raced about how to end the engagement—and quickly—and mainly how to repair the damage with Cole. Much more concerned about the latter, she chewed on a lacquered hot pink nail as they drove in silence along the hilly, pot-holed road.

When a tractor got in front of them going less than half the speed limit, Sebastian slammed his fist on the dash. “Dammit.” He blared the horn.

“That’s not nice. A man’s got to work.”

Clenching his jaw, Sebastian said, “Now you’re defending farmers. Who are you and where is Cheri Van Buren? You should be shopping in Europe with your mom.”

He has no idea how I’ve changed the past year.Deciding to change the subject, Cheri said, “There’s a little diner in town, but I’m not hungry. We already ate hobos.”

“Ho-what?”

“Hobos.”

Snorting, Sebastian shook his head. “I can’t believe your cultured upbringing is gone in one fell swoop after meeting a cowboy in Hicks—”

“Stop calling it that.” Sick of his insults, Cheri turned the radio on. Country music blared. “This is a good song.”

Sebastian glanced at Cheri as if she had grown a second head. “You like that twangy crap? Since when?”

“Since now.” Defiantly, Cheri turned up the volume. Closing her eyes, she rehearsed their upcoming conversation in her head, even though she knew Sebastian wouldn’t take the breakup lightly. She decided she would rip off the breakup news like the last piece of paper in a notepad since it was way past time to end this relationship.

After several curvy, hilly roads, Cheri pointed toward a tiny brick diner. Sebastian pulled into the lot and parked among several pickup trucks in a dirt lot. A dust cloud formed around them. Waving his hands as though he had never seen dust, Sebastian muttered about the countryside as Cheri marched inside.

White, lacy curtains covered the windowpane windows and a hitching post for cowboys to tie up horse reins was on one end of the parking lot. A horse whinnied as they approached the front door.

“What is this? Fucking Bonanza?” Sebastian shook his head. “I feel like I’m on another planet.”

“I think it’s charming and relaxing.” Cheri reached for the door. As they stepped inside, an overly friendly, almost downright nosy, waitress greeted them. She asked where they were from and said she hadn’t seen them around “these parts.”

Ignoring her, Sebastian strode past the miniscule hostess stand crowded with a cash register. He plopped down at a table. Cheri smiled at the woman and followed Sebastian.

“Okay, seat yourselves.” Still chatting, the waitress handed them greasy menus. The place smelled of burnt coffee, fried food, and had mismatched wooden chairs.

Sebastian wrinkled his nose. “High society.”

Sighing, Cheri said, “Stop putting everything down. I like it here.”

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