Page 52 of Wild For You
“Okay,” she breathed, no more questions asked, fully trusting me at my word.
As he checked out her books, I snuck a quick peek at my phone and saw my sisters and mother replied to my earlier text. Grinning, I helped Kelsey carry our books to the truck. Her five pregnancy-and-delivery books were stacked underneath two romances and one thriller. With how much she read, I knew she’d go through those in a week.
We walked a bit downtown and stepped into a newer restaurant that served different types of ramen bowls for lunch. Kelsey and I talked about her life in Nashville and her previous job, and the more I learned about why she had been let go, the more furious I grew. I understood from the team’s perspective, but her asshole of an ex deserved to pay for what he did. And when she disclosed that he was already engaged to a model, not even a full month after their breakup, I wondered if he had planned to throw her under the bus all along.
Beneath the table, I inched my leg closer to hers until our calves were touching. “Where do you think you’ll look for a job… you know, once I’m healed and can go back to working on the farm?”
“I don’t know,” she said, biting her lip as she glanced down at her empty bowl. She reached for her water and took a small sip. I wanted nothing more than to be the straw when her lips pursed around the plastic. “I’d like to stay in Tennessee. It keeps me close to my dad, you know?” she prompted, and I wasn’t sure if she was referring to his grave or his memory in general. Either way, I nodded, and she continued. “But if Ihad my choice, I’d stay here. I love this town. There just isn’t anything available for my line of work.”
I wanted to tell her there were options. The school. The small family medicine office. Or that she could open up her own clinic. With all the farmers and ranchers in the area, someone was always sustaining some sort of injury. Her expertise would be helpful in Ashfield.
But we were still new, and technically unofficially anything, regardless of the physical and emotional closeness we now shared, and I didn’t want to pressure her into anything.
“I’m sure something will come along. You’re welcome to stay at the house as long as you need to.”
“Is this your slick way of having me share your bed for the foreseeable future?” she asked with a smirk.
Laughing, I sipped my own drink and nudged her leg with mine, then said, “You caught me.”
My phone pinged on the table, and I glanced down to find the message I had been waiting for.
“All right, let’s go. I have somewhere to take you.”
“Really?” she asked excitedly as she jumped out of the booth and stood at the end of the table, bouncing on her toes and waiting for me to slide out.
“Yep.”
I walked past her, exiting the small restaurant while she followed closely behind. Not looking over my shoulder as I crossed the street and turned left down the sidewalk, I imagined she was anxiously waiting for me to tell her where we were headed.
“You’re not going to give me a hint oranything?”
“Nope. Just another block,” I explained as we walked past the movie theater and town hall. I made a right down a small side street, where we passed the salon and made it to Second Street, which held a shop with a bright-pink-and-white awning.
Nicole’s Boutiquewas written in fancy lettering across the large front windows, and I peeked inside as I approached the door.
“This is where we’re going?” Kelsey asked apprehensively. “I realize we’re getting to know each other and everything, but you should know that I am not a big shopper.”
“I kind of already realized that,” I said as we stepped inside.
“You did?”
“Mmhm. That’s why I called for some help.”
I didn’t see my sisters or mom right away, so I took a moment to scan the store. What Nicole had done with the huge space was incredible. It used to be an old printing warehouse that went defunct when I was in elementary school. A few businesses came and went in the space, but it was vacant for a long time until about ten years ago, when Nicole took it over.
Word from my sisters was that she had the most beautiful clothing—both high-end and casual. Things for every price point.
“I’m just not sure what we're doing here, Andrew. I have enough clothes,” Kelsey said, pulling me out of my musings.
Reaching out, I tugged at a soft curl of her hair and watched it bounce up to her shoulder before falling back in place.
“Since you’re my date for Sadie’s wedding, I figured you’d need a proper dress.”
“Oh.” Her eyes widened in astonishment just as the owner of the store came over to greet us.
“Hi, can I help you find something today?” she asked, her eyes glued to Kelsey before they peeped up at me. It was almost comical when Nicole did a double take. “Andrew?” She gasped, and I wanted nothing more than to run from the building and wait in the truck for Kelsey to finish, but my mother sidled up behind me and blocked me from moving.
Bashfully, I responded, “Hi, Nicole.”
