Page 37 of A Miracle for the Confident Cowboy

Sighing, she raised her fist and knocked. A few moments later, the door opened and a bleary-eyed cowboy she didn’t recognize answered the door.

“Is Duke here?” she asked quietly.

The cowboy dragged a hand through his hair then turned his head and shouted. “Duke! It’s for you.”

Sophie shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she listened to the shuffling sounds inside the building. The first cowboy retreated only for Duke to appear in the doorway. Immediately, his eyes dipped to the animal in her arms and his face split into the widest grin she’d ever seen him wear.

Relinquishing the cat, she tried not to think about the way his touch affected her.

“Oh praises be! Where’d you find him?” Duke asked, unable or unwilling to contain his relief and excitement.

“In town. Between the pet store and the coffee shop.”

His brows furrowed, causing lines to form between them. “He was in town?”

She swallowed, nodding. He didn’t look like he’d been sleeping very well, but that was to be expected. Duke had admitted himself that December had been a rough month.

And she’d contributed to it in more ways than one, she reminded herself.

Duke held the cat close, his eyes locking with hers. “Thank you, Sophie.”

She smiled even though she was more tempted to cry. “See? I told you.Magic.” Her voice broke on the last word and she had to clear her throat to cover it up. Her eyes darted away and she shoved her hands into her pockets, refusing to fidget in front of him and give herself away. “How are you?”

The question escaped her before she had a chance to control it.

His sharp gaze never left her face. The look he gave her mirrored her own. He didn’t want their breakup to happen, either. They’d both wanted to see where it could go.

But they were also both too stubborn to make sure that would happen.

“I’m fine,” he murmured as he stroked Gus behind his ears. “You?”

She nodded sharply. “Fine.”

The tension thickened with each passing second. She found it hard to breathe as she continued standing there and her skin started to itch for no other reason than she knew she needed to leave before she made any bad mistakes.

“That’s good,” Duke nodded.

“Yeah, it is.” She shifted again then moved toward him and gave him a quick hug, telling herself she only wanted one more second to touch the cat in his arms and this was the only way. “Good luck, Duke,” she whispered. “And Merry Christmas.” With that, she brushed a ghost of a kiss against his lips before pulling back.

Without another word, she hurried away—toward her car. Zero strength. That was what she had by the time she made it to her vehicle. When she glanced behind her, she was disappointed and yet not surprised at all that he hadn’t chased after her.

Duke had made his choice—one that was right for him.

Just because she didn’t agree didn’t mean he was wrong. It simply meant that she had to grow up and accept that not everything turned out the way she wanted it to.

Sophie thrust the key into the ignition and drove away, spitting gravel to get away from him before she threw herself on his mercy and begged him to take her back.

Christmas cameand went in a blur. Sophie returned to Rocky Ridge to organize everything she needed for her trip.

Every so often, she’d check her phone. Of course he didn’t call. Of course he didn’t message her. He’d made a decision and he’d stuck to it as had she. And if they couldn’t come together to make things work as a couple, he definitely wouldn’t be trying to maintain their friendship.

Sophie shoved a blouse into her suitcase with a huff the day before setting out. Snow covered the ground. Five inches had been forecasted but it sure felt like more than that. The cold had officially settled into her bones, reminding her that she’d already adapted far too quickly to the temperate weather in Texas.

In less than twenty-four hours she’d be out of the country and off doing what she’d always wanted. She’d done it. She’d cracked the glass ceiling of her personal goals. She was going to Europe!And she was going to share another side of food with her followers she thought was just out of reach.

So why did she feel so miserable?

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

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