Page 55 of A Baby for the Texas Cowboy
Cruz had also helped her reconfigure the tasting room for a more relaxed vibe. The scattered couches had been organized in small and larger seating arrangements to allow for a more casual but intimate and comfortable tasting experience for couples and groups of friends. Now she wanted to get some local art in here. Or large pictures from the vineyard and winery on canvases.
She made a note on her phone to hire a local photographer.
There also were tables for more formal group experiences, which is what Minna had chosen for her group to the surprise of no one.
“What do you think, Minna? What about Marcus for Tinsley?”
“Or my grandson Jacob who just finished law school and joined a firm in Austin,” another woman spoke up, and by the nods and noises of approval, Tinsley could tell Jacob was considered a catch. “But he still plans to spend weekends on the ranch. He loves the land. He specializes in water rights, along with many other areas of law.”
Oh Lord. One cowboy is more than plenty.
“What do you think, Minna?” More than one woman turned toward the matriarch as if Minna were Last Stand’s matchmaking expert for new women in town.
“Ladies, judging by the way Anders Wolf just parked illegally and jaywalked in front of Shane Highwater with a flash of that famous dimpled smile and straight white teeth Axel’s rodeo earnings no doubt paid for, Tinsley Underhill is already spoken for.”
“He does look so handsome,” one lady commented. “Just like his daddy before…well,” she sniffed and coughed and looked away. “Before.”
“Oh look, Anders is practically running,” another woman commented. “And nearly dented the bumper of Gage Granger’s jeep trying to beat it across the street.”
“We have a crosswalk,” another woman sniffed.
“He’s carrying flowers—lilacs and white hydrangeas. Interesting choice.” Minna looked at Tinsley, as if she were responsible for the flower selection, and she felt that assessment down to her boots.
Flowers? Anders had brought her flowers after disappearing for a day and a half and giving her the space she’d wanted and then, ridiculously, had chafed about.
She should be the one apologizing and bearing gifts. And she had to convince him not to quit riding. Although part of her wanted him to. She’d gotten a thrill watching him on the back of a bull before, but now that he was hers, she felt a little sick thinking about what could go wrong.
He is not yours.
Sheesh. She was being brainwashed by Catalina and Cruz.
And why did the type of flowers matter?
“It’s probably what the florist had available,” Tinsley said, determined to not get caught up in Minna and her posse’s speculation.
The noise Minna made was as impressive as it was dismissive.
“Are you going to pour this mystery wine or just clutch it?” Minna asked. “No need to feign disinterest in Anders. You could do a lot worse. Hard workers. All of them. Intense too. Never saw a man more in love with his wife than their daddy with Elizabeta. She fell apart when they lost their little boy, and he never recovered from losing her a few months later. That’s a Wolf trait. Those men fall in love once, and it’s to their bones. Romantic, but not practical.”
Minna held out her glass and looked pointedly at the wine and then at Tinsley. “So my question to you, miss, is what do you intend to do about it?”
“I…ahhh…ummmm…”
What could she say? He didn’t love her. He only wanted to marry her because of the baby. But she could hardly claim that they weren’t…yuck, she hated using the wordinvolved. It sounded like a business deal.
Tinsley chewed on her lower lip.
She couldn’t keep the baby a secret forever. She just hadn’t really counted on such an avid audience.
“You might want to close your mouth, dear,” Minna advised just as Anders opened the door back with a little too much force.
“Hey, Tinz.” He stopped, his eyes rounded and his mouth formed an O in comic dismay. “I thought you were opening this weekend.”
“I scheduled a special tasting for Minna and her friends.”
“Ma’am.” Anders swept his hat from his head and all but bowed. Tinsley was charmed, and she had to dig deep to keep anything from showing on her face. He’d taken off without saying goodbye, she reminded herself.
Get used to that.
