Page 33 of Soldier Cowboy
“That’s Jennifer Walker. She’s also coming to the wedding of the year.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Isn’t everyone?”
Tabitha laughed and tossed back her hair, reaching to squeeze his bicep. “You’re so right! Just about everyone. But Imovedhere. I’m a nurse and I actually live in Stone Ridge. Just in case you need a plus one to the—”
“I’m ready, honey.” Jennifer came up to them, resting her hand possessively over his other bicep. “Sorry I took so long.”
“Yeah,” he said, raising the arm Tabitha had been holding so that he could glance at his watch. The move also managed to skillfully shake her off. “I’m going to be late for my tux fitting if we don’t get out of here in exactly three point five seconds.”
“How weirdly precise,” Tabitha said. “Hello, I’m Tabitha. And how do you know Bonnie Lee?”
“She’s going to be my sister-in-law someday. I’m Colton’s fiancée. Nice to meet you.” At this she stuck out her hand and smiled.
“Oh, hell’s bells, I’m sorry I was flirtin’ with your fiancé.” Tabitha eyed him. “He didn’tmentionyou.”
“Aw, we’re new. It happened so fast sometimes I even forget we’re engaged.” She laughed.
Yeah, he had to get them out of here.
“I’m sorry, but we have to go now,” Colton said, holding the door open for Jennifer. “See ya’ll at the wedding.”
With that, and a quick wave, he took Jennifer’s hand and hustled her out the door.
She rushed to keep up with his longer strides. “Who were those women?”
“They’re all former contestants on the stupid show and were invited to be at the wedding.”
“You’rekidding.I thought maybe one of them was an ex-girlfriend or something and I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to cramp your style with the beautiful blonde.”
He held the passenger side door open. “But…?”
She threw in her packages, then turned to him. “But you gave me asignal. Didn’t you?”
“What signal?” He was at once both shocked and pleased she could read him so well.
“With your eyebrows.” She made a motion with her hands, hovering them above her eyes.
“Myeyebrows.”
“Well, you were wearing those aviator shades, which by the way isn’t a good idea if you want to send me an eye signal. But your eyebrows. They were going up and down and quirking. Like they were having a seizure. I figured something was wrong and you needed rescuing.” She paused and took a breath. “Was I wrong?”
“You weren’t wrong. And that blonde isn’t even my type.” He shut the door when she climbed inside, then went around to the driver’s side to buckle up.
“Thanks for reading my eyebrows. If I tell anyone about our lie, it’s going to be Sean first.”
She held a hand to her chest as if the news delighted her. “And you’re going to tell him?”
“I might have to after today. I’m not sure they bought what we were selling.”
“I’d feel much better if at least Sean knew. I don’t like lying to him.”
If anyone would understand the need for a little misdirection, it would be Sean. He wouldn’t judge. And once Colton told him about Jennifer and the need for privacy, seclusion, and protection, he’d be on board.
Colton was almost sure of it.
CHAPTER9
After returning her to the cottage and showing Jennifer how to plug in to the dial-up connection, Colton left Jennifer alone.
As he’d told her right before he left to talk to Sean, it was time to check her emails.
