Page 104 of Protected By West
Tracy had known Pepper for years so she could hear the tone of her voice clearly. This was a good kind of visit. If it wasn't she wouldn't sound like she was smiling ear to ear. "I'll be right there."
"Sweet! We'll be waiting."
Tracy slipped on her shoes under her desk and got up, taking a moment to move her hands over her skirt to smooth it down before she went to the door.
As soon as she opened it, she saw who Pepper was talking about.
Blonde, dirty blonde. On the short side. Looking at the front counter and Pepper standing beside her, she had to be close to five foot five?
Tracy was halfway across the credit union floor when the woman turned around and she was struck with how much the woman looked like Weston.
The other woman lifted her hand in a wave, calling out to her as Tracy closed the distance.
"Hi! I'm Weston's middle sister, Estes."
Tracy knew the names of Weston's sisters and even though she hadn't said it, Estes really did look like her brother.
"I know we're supposed to see you at the 'rents house on Saturday, but I was.... uh... passing through the area and wanted to say hello."
Estes was smiling, but her cheeks were bright red. So either she'd suddenly had too much sun standing inside the building or she was blushing.
"Passing through, huh?" Tracy reached out a hand to greet her. "Nice to meet you, Estes. I'm glad you stopped in. I was worried about walking into the lunch not knowing anyone but Weston."
Estes' easy laugh was a joy to hear.
"Don't worry about that. Everyone's going to love you. The problem is going to be prying yourself out of the house when you're done with us. I know my mom is going to hold onto you like a koala on a eucalyptus tree. You're the first woman that Weston's ever brought home to meet the family."
Estes' smile thinned out her lips and her cheeks pinked again.
"My mom and dad are beyond happy. I've already stopped them from planning out a wedding to spring on the two of you."
Tracy's smile felt brittle. She loved that Estes felt comfortable joking with her, but the joke seemed to be a little too scary to be funny.
She was still trying to come to grips with her feelings for Weston, it wasn't easy to know that his family already had them married in their heads.
"Well, we just met a little while ago-"
Estes waved her hand and shook her head. "I'll let you in on a secret. The Cooper family falls and falls hard! My mom and dad met at a Texas Rangers Ceremony. My dad said he took one look at my mom in her blue dress and fell like a rock. She... well, Mom had some reservations, but Dad knew that they were meant to be. So he set about wooing her the way he tracks down criminals.”
"With single minded focus on the task at hand."
Tracy had to smile at the way Estes said that. It had the tone of a long-suffering, yet deep and abiding love from a sister.
"Don't be surprised when he walks through fire to keep you in his life."
Tracy felt her cheeks heat up as if she'd stood in the sun too long. "I'm not expecting him to walk though fire for me. I'm happy right now. That's good enough for me."
The women around her shared a series of curious looks.
"What?" Tracy wondered if this was how cells felt under a microscope.
"Good enough?" Pepper shook her head. "Please tell me that what that hot hunk of yours is giving you is better than 'good enough.'"
Estes smiled, but it was a little lop-sided. "I don't want to think about what my brother is 'giving you.' But I hope your relationship is a step above... at least!"
Tracy held up her hands in front of her, trying to distance herself from the conversation. "I'm not someone who has a lot of experience with any of this... this... relationship stuff."
Becca moved closer after counting down her drawer, nearing the end of her shift. "I hope that you're seeing that life with a lawman isn't necessarily going to be like your experience with your dad."
