Page 18 of Two Weddings and a Shoot Out

She got situated in the vehicle with her coffee in the drink holder and waited for Bootstrap to get in the truck. He slid in, then paused.

“Sorry. I’m a little bit of a control freak, and I didn’t check the hitch. I know one of the prospects hooked it up, but it will bother me all the way to Wichita if I don’t.”

She smiled at his tone. “I completely understand. I’ll wait.”

He got out and went behind the truck. She glanced over the list, and like Regina had said, it was pretty self-explanatory. They could get most of it at one of the big box stores.

He got back in and pulled out, heading toward Wichita. Usually, Hope had no problem talking with people, but she’d kind of shut down the talk with her cutting him off about baby girl. She didn’t feel bad about saying she didn’t want to be called that, but she could have been nicer.

“Regina tells me that you have custody of your grandson. I bet that keeps you busy,” Bootstrap said.

“It does. I’m fortunate that I’m able to just work part-time and can work my schedule around him,” she said.

“And your son is in jail?” Bootstrap asked.

“Yes. It’s the best place for him.”

Bootstrap nodded, and Hope let her thoughts drift while they drove. What did she want out of life?

Sure, she didn’t want to deal with Locks being around and not having him, but that wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted to have a man, preferably Locks, treat her with dignity and love. She wanted him to want to be with her as much as she wanted to be with him.

She’d had it all with her husband, and after having a love like that, was she willing to settle for less? She got really irritated with the heroines in novels when they went for the asinine man when they were lonely. Sure, let him scratch that itch, but if it was for life, then they deserved more.

“Deep thoughts,” Bootstrap asked.

Well, screw it. He asked, and they were stuck in a truck for at least another hour. He’d driven a ways while she was drifting in her own thoughts.

“Yes, just deciding what I want for this next part of my life,” she said.

“I can understand that. Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she said.

“How about I tell you a little about me?” he asked.

“Oh, I love a good story time. So, Bootstrap? How’d you get that name?” she asked.

“In the military, I was known for being able to do the impossible. Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is an impossibility. It stuck and stayed with me when I joined Bluff Creek and then was sent to start the Cider Creek Chapter. The club is everything to me. It’s a family, a brotherhood that alwayshas my back. I’ve never been married, never been serious about a woman, and the club has always been there,” he said.

“Have you ever been in love? I guess I ask because I couldn’t have imagined my life without the love of my husband. You look close to my age,” Hope said.

“I consider you lucky to have had that type of love with your husband. I love my brothers. I love their women as family, and I love their kids. But I’ve never felt for a woman that all-encompassing love that, from what others have shared, I understand makes you want to do whatever it takes to keep them in your life. I’ve had women, even a couple steady for a while, but it was more to stave off loneliness, not because I needed them like I needed the air I breathe,” he said.

“I consider myself lucky, too. My husband gave me some wonderful years before he passed. I wasn’t sure I’d find love again, but this drive has made me think through what I want,” Hope said.

“Well, we’re almost at the store, so I’ll just throw this out there from someone who is outside the situation. Don’t settle for less. It sounds like you’ve had the fairytale. Companionship is good, but if you want love again, then don’t sell yourself short. You deserve the best,” Bootstrap said, pulling the truck into the parking lot and then turning to Hope.

“Shall we shop?” he asked.

She nodded and waited as he walked around the truck and opened the door for her.

Hope hadn’t thought she’d have fun, but Bootstrap went out of his way to make her day good. They picked up all the things from the big box store and then ate lunch at a little diner that Hope quite enjoyed.

As they’d headed to the lumberyard to grab the order, Bootstrap asked if it was okay if they stopped at one more place.

She’d agreed because it meant they were away from Bluff Creek and Locks a little longer. When he pulled up in front of a bookstore, she waited to see what he said.

“There are a couple of paperbacks that I wanted, and then War and Scoop texted. They asked if we’d be willing to grab some books for their women along with some building block typewriter Sarah was wanting for her office.”

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