Page 9 of Aisle Be The Groom
The smell of horse feed and leather tack filled my nostrils, giving me the familiarity of home. Ozzie walked beside me, his eyes wide as he took in the rows of horseshoes, bags of feed, saddles, and endless other ranch supplies.
“Wow. I’ve never been into one of these stores,” he whispered.
“It’s everything you need to keep a ranch running.”
“But isn’t your ranch huge? Can a small feed store keep it sustained?”
“It might be a little more expensive, but we think it’s important to stimulate the local economy, so we always use Bristlecone Tack & Feed.”
“And for that, we are grateful.” Hank, a medium-built man wearing glasses and a cowboy hat, appeared from behind a pile of stacked hay bales, wiping his hands on a faded blue apron. He walked over with a friendly smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes. “Gray, have you brought us another customer?” He swept his gaze over Ozzie.
I chuckled and placed a hand on the small of Ozzie’s back, propelling him forward. A tremor shot through him. Or was that my imagination? I cleared my throat. “I’m afraid just my business will have to do for now. This is my soon-to-be son-in-law, Ozzie. Carter’s fiancé.”
“Ah, I heard you were having a big shindig wedding at the ranch, but I didn’t believe it for a second. I thought, when did Matty start to give attention to anything else but that ranch?” He cackled. “Now I see. It’s Carter who’s getting married.” He heldout a hand to Ozzie. “Nice to meet you, son. I’m Hank, and you’re marrying into one of the finest families you ever could.”
“Nice to meet you too, Hank,” Ozzie said almost shyly. “I agree. Mr. Magnuson has been wonderful.”
I groaned and nudged him in the back. “What did I say about calling me Mr. Magnuson?”
“We ain’t much for formality around these parts,” Hank said. “Did you want anything more, Gray, or can the guys load the truck?”
“How about some boots?” I asked. “Ozzie needs a pair.”
Hank stared at Ozzie’s feet. “What size are you?”
“Nine and a half.”
“We don’t carry many in your size, but I reckon we can find something.”
“Good, add it to my bill when you invoice me. Ozzie, go with Hank. I’ll help load the truck.”
3
OZZIE
Iloved my new boots! Never would I have thought to find a pretty, sturdy, yet fashionable pair of boots in such an unassuming store. I was far from rich, but I mostly purchased my clothes at malls. Crafted from a rich, tawny leather with intricate stitching of curves and sharp angles on the shafts, the boots were too cute to say no to.
I stood from the padded bench where I’d sat to put the boots on and walked through the store. The boots made a soft creaking noise with each step. I stopped in front of the mirror. They looked so good on my feet.
“These are a brilliant choice,” Hank said. “The material’s durable, which makes it perfect for the ranch, and it’s stylish enough for you to pair with jeans for a night of dancing.”
My face heated. “I don’t suppose I’ll be doing much dancing.”
“Why not? There’s square dancing in the town often. If you ask, I’m sure Gray will take you.”
But I wasn’t Gray’s fiancé. His son was supposed to take me.
“I don’t know how to square dance, but who knows, I may come just to watch.”
“Well, if you ever want to learn, Gray is the square dancer champion. He only stopped entering the yearly contest to give someone else the chance to win.”
“Really?”
Hank beamed. The way he talked about Gray was like he was bragging about a child’s accomplishments.
“I wasn’t kidding that you’re marrying into one of the best families. It’s such a pity…” He shook his head. “Maybe you can get that city-slicker to visit more often. That would make Gray happy. He’s brought so much business to Bristlecone and supports the local charity too. He deserves to be happy.”
“I will try my best.”
