Page 25 of Dashing for Love

“You know what? I’m leaving.” I spin to leave, but Reid hustles around me.

“Wait, wait, wait,” he says, a shit-eating grin on his face, “you gotta let us help.”

“Let Reid help,” comes Ox’s voice. “I need to go.”

I point at Reid. “You’re not being helpful. You’re being an asshole.”

“That’s fair. I’ll behave. And you know I’m only giving you shit because I love you. But we really gotta get you suited up for this thing.”

I groan. “That’s why I came to you in the first place, man!”

He whips out his phone. “Is there, I don’t know, a cowboy outfitter store around here?”

I gesture toward the beach. “You tell me, Reid. We’re a beach town. What do you think?”

He points to my boots. “You’re the one with cowboy boots.” Then it hits him. “Wait.You’re the one with cowboy boots.Holy shit, Matty—youarea cowboy!”

“Jesus fucking Christ.”

In the end, I order a black cowboy hat from a store a few hours away that swears they can get it to me in time, and a black mask from Amazon. I half worry I’m going to look like a guy from an old black-and-white television show, but what can I do?

“One last thing.” Reid holds a hand out to keep me from leaving.

I cut my eyes to him. “I’m hungry and I need to get home to let Kitty out.”

“You need one of those giant belt buckles.”

“Fuck you.”

His cackles follow me all the way to my truck.

Chapter 10

Goldie

MY HANDS ARE shaking as I prop the phone up and FaceTime Willa. She answers almost immediately, and her eyes widen as she takes me in.

“What do you think?”

“Your hair!” Willa gasps.

“It’s a wash.” I wave her concern away. “Wanted to see how the other half lived.” Instead of my usual blond tresses, I did a temporary brunette dye job. The color is much closer to what I think my hair might naturally look like, and it makes my blue eyes pop.

“Holy cow, Goldie,” she breathes. “You’restunning.”

I huff out a laugh. “As much as I blew on this outfit, I better.”

I went totally against what I’d normally do. For an event like this, my instinct was to pick something in yellow. Instead, I’m in a dark blue satin number with a plunging neckline to below my breasts, that then falls in tight pleats to the ground. The back is a simple lace-up, leaving most of my skin exposed. It’s simple, but gorgeous all the same. I’ve accessorized with black strappysandals, black satin opera gloves that hide my typewriter wrist tattoo, and a lace mask.

“Hold on.” I grab the mask and put it on, then twirl for her. “What do you think?”

“I think I wouldn’t recognize you if I hadn’t seen it for myself,” she answers.

Good. It’s exactly what I wanted. I can’t explain it, but something tells me to hold back what Ireallylook like just a little longer.

An alert from Blinding Love drops onto the front of the phone, blocking Willa’s face from view.

“James just texted,” I murmur, stepping forward to open it up.

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