Page 19 of Two Weddings and a Shoot Out

“I’m always up for book shopping. How long do we have?” she asked.

“I’d say we need to be checked out and in the truck within an hour to get to the lumberyard before they close and have time to load.”

“Got it. Do you have specific books for Remi and Sarah, or did they just give an idea of the type?” she asked.

“I have a list,” he said and showed it to her.

“Most of those books are where I’ll be looking. Why don’t I grab the books, and you get the toys and other items? Then we’ll both have time to shop for ourselves, too.”

Bootstrap nodded, and then they walked in. She paused for a second and texted Faith to see if she wanted anything special. It didn’t take any time for Faith to text a list of some books for the boys and herself.

She grabbed a bag to shop with, but she’d probably need more than one with this list. She grabbed a couple because she was guessing that War and Scoop would want receipts to reimburse Bootstrap.

Shopping, unfortunately, gave her entirely too long to think about how much fun it would be to be shopping and hanging out with Locks. The way his mouth would tilt up at the side when he was pleased. Sure, the man would smile big, especially when his grandkids made him laugh, but she loved the times he found something amusing and just showed it a little. And she missed his arms around her at night. He'd been so cold in the morning,but having his arms around her and her head on his shoulder at night had made her feel so close to him.

Regina had texted her each day and told her to keep the faith. Hope guessed she’d hoped that if she found a man after that, it would be easy. She and Giles had met, dated, fallen in love, and been married within six months. And he had never made her so mad that she wanted to brain him upside the head with whatever heavy object was close at hand.

Her phone went off with the timer she’d set. She needed to find Bootstrap so they could check out. She had four bags of items: one for Faith’s list, one for her own, and one each for War and Scoop. She found Bootstrap in the building block section and couldn’t help but laugh.

He not only had four bags full at his feet, but he had a cart that a worker was bringing over.

“Did you have fun shopping?” she asked.

He chuckled and shook his head. “So I probably made a mistake, but I texted some of the pictures of the items to the guys, and suddenly there were multiple messages of buy this or that for one of the kids. We’re going to have to play Tetris with the packages to make sure we fit it all in the cab of the truck. If we weren’t forecast for possible rain on the way back, I wouldn’t worry. Let’s get checked out and loaded. After we grab the lumber, we can go through a drive-thru. I just got a weather alert and would prefer to be in Bluff Creek before the storm hits,” Bootstrap said.

She kept from giggling, but she could just imagine all the workers talking about theolder adultswho’d bought out the building block section.

Chapter Thirteen

They’dmadeitbackahead of the storm and had just pulled in by the clubhouse. They were going to drop some of the bags for the guys there, and then she was heading to Slice and Faith’s house with her purchases.

Bootstrap said he and the guys were going to get the lumber unloaded and inside one of the garages to keep it out of the storm that was coming.

She started to grab a couple bags and saw Locks standing in the covered area in front of the clubhouse.

“I’ve had a great day with you, Hope, and it was fun after you forgave me for baby girl. So I’m going to butt in. I said it earlier, but I want you to hear this. You are a gorgeous, funny, and amazing woman who deserves the best. If Locks is that one for you, then make the man work for it and get the life you want. If he isn’t the man for you, then cut him loose and go on. You both deserve unconditional love.”

“Thanks, Bootstrap. I wish he weren’t the one for me, but he is. But I have to be first and be treated like it.”

Bootstrap leaned across and hugged her. “Then consider me the big brother who will either kick his ass for you or support you however you need.”

She sniffed at how sweet he was. “I appreciate that, but then if I’m the little sister, I’m going to need to help you find someone, too.”

She grinned at his startled look, then got out to help with the bags.

Locks walked over and took a couple of bags.

“I thought I’d help you, and then maybe we could spend a little time together talking. Just talking,” he said.

“I guess,” she said.

His mouth quirked up, and he nodded. “I guess I deserve that less-than-enthusiastic response.”

She dropped the bags off in the common room. Bootstrap had said he’d settle up with the guys. The only things she’d paid for were her own items and the ones for Faith’s household. She waited for Locks to bring in his items, and then he helped transfer her stuff to his truck. Speedy and Dex followed Bootstrap out. Locks let them pull out and head to the garage before he started the truck.

“I thought the truck might be a more neutral space. I’d originally planned to chat under the big tree by the racetrack, but the storm changed that,” he said, starting the truck up and driving toward Faith and Slice’s house. He pulled in by the barn and stopped there.

He breathed in deep and then turned to stare at her. She kept quiet because he needed to make the effort. She wasn’t going to make it easy for him. She’d been entirely too easy from the beginning, just accepting what he was giving her and notdemanding more. More respect, more time, and more give and take.

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