Page 4 of Any Cowboy of Mine
Sophie screamed into her pillow again, and the door to her room opened, slamming against the wall behind it. Sophie cringed at the sound. It meant for the hundredth time, she or her housemate, Jackie would be patching the walls in this crappy apartment.
“What the heck, Soph? If you scream like that, there’d better be a bear attacking you in here, or at least a cute guy.”
Sophie took the pillow off her face and groaned.
“I can’t do it, Jackie. There literally isn’t a thing in my closet that I can wear tonight.”
Jackie’s smile curved up on one side, her eyes glinting mischievously. “Well, then, let’s go shopping.”
“But I already have so many clothes. How can I possibly justify spending money onanother dress?” Sophie groaned again and put the pillow back over her face.
Jackie lifted the pillow off Sophie’s head. “Yeah, but how often does your boyfriend propose? I think that warrants a special trip to the mall. Besides, what good is your high-powered job if you can’t enjoy the perks of the paycheck now and then?”
Jackie had her hands on her hips, perfectly manicured nails tapping at her painted-on jeans, and Sophie couldn’t help but smile. Her friend was jaw-droppingly beautiful, and knew it. Even though she looked like she was posing for a magazine spread half the time, the real Jackie was kind and giving. If maybe a little preoccupied with shopping.
“You can take anybody’s problems and turn them into an excuse to shop, couldn’t you?”
“Hey, I resent that. I mean, notanyproblem…”
Sophie frowned at Jackie, her eyes still playful.
“Oh yeah? Give me one circumstance that you couldn’t turn around into a trip to the mall.”
Jackie pursed her lips, her hand on her chin, looking as if she was deep in thought. Sophie knew better.
“I’ll bet you could even turn somebody’s grandma passing away into a reason to hit the sales at Nordstrom Rack,” she teased.
Jackie slapped a hand to her chest, her mouth agape.
“Well, of course I could. I mean, you can’t show up to a funeral looking like a pauper. You never know whose third cousin four times removed might be there, an heir to a fortune, just waiting for the right girl to make him forget about his grief…” Jackie couldn’t even finish her sentence before erupting into a fit of laughter, Sophie right along with her. Jackie laid down on the bed next to Sophie.
“Seriously, though. Are you going to say yes when he asks?”
“Of course, I am. Why?”
“I dunno. It’s just sometimes, when you come into my room to get ready for a date, you have all the joy on your face like you would for an interview for a job you know you aren’t going to get. All the nerves, too. Kinda like now.”
“You sound like my mom.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. Mrs. K is the best.”
Sophie snorted.
“I get that he’s an incredible catch,” Jackie added.
“Now you sound like my ninety-year-old grandmother.”
“I know there’s also something to having the security, Soph. I get the appeal, but it isn’t everything.”
“He’s successful, but that’s not why I’m going to say yes. I love him. He’s good for me. He makes me a better person.”
Jackie grabbed the pillow from the other side of the bed, sat up, and whacked Sophie flat against the chest, toppling her to the gray, cotton comforter.
“Kale makes you a better person. The guy you shackle yourself to for all eternity should make you neurotic and goose-bumpy.”
“Says my all-knowing, perpetually single best friend who has a no-callback rule after the first date if he hasn’t kissed her? Who never makes it to date three no matter what?”
“Hey, if he hasn’t made the first move after that long, he’s either gay or married. And you know me, I’m picky. Either way, Soph, I’ll support you. Unless you make me wear one of those hideous teal, mermaid-cut bridesmaid dresses with the puffy sleeves. Then all bets are off.”
