Page 13 of Any Cowboy of Mine
“You told me if I got my act together and took my career seriously that you would take us seriously, but this,” she said, violently shaking the letter in his face, “thisshows me you’ll never take me seriously. Not as a partner in the firm or a partner in your life. I amdone. With both of those positions if you were at all confused.”
She took a deep breath and picked up her martini, not finding it remotely funny when Drew flinched like she might toss the contents on him. She finished it in a single gulp, stood, and walked out of the restaurant, glad at least for the small buzz that remained and the courage it gave her. It took every ounce of self-constraint to not turn around and apologize to him like she’d been doing for almost five years.
Five damned years.What a waste.
As soon as she hit the frigid open air, the tears fell, though, streaming down her face in torrents—not for the breakup and not for the job she loved that she’d just left, but for the relief that coursed through her now that she’d finally taken a stand. She pulled her phone from her purse and dialed Jackie.
“Tell me everything,” Jackie said, answering on the first ring without so much as a hello. “I want every detail of your big night.”
Sophie sniffled. “It was big, alright. Can you meet me out at Finnigan’s for a drink so I can fill you in?”
“You buying?” Jackie teased.
“Nope. Since I’m unemployed now, I was hoping you wouldn’t mind picking up the tab,” Sophie replied, her lips pursed in a half-smile. Jackie would know she was teasing about the bar tab. As a grad student in public service, she’d barely been able to afford rent the past few years, let alone drinks out in the city. Luckily, Sophie had enough socked away to get her by for a while until she figured something out, drinks for her and her best friend included in the budget, of course.
“Shit. No way. I’m in a cab now. Don’t start without me.”
“See you soon,” Sophie said, hanging up the phone. She took a deep breath, wiped under her eyes, and stood up straight, watching the rest of her uneven breaths turn to cold puffs of smoke as they hit the air.
She had no idea what her plan was after Finnigan’s, after tonight, or even next week, but for once she was okay with that. She was a free woman, and it was invigorating knowing that just around the corner could be something that changed her life forever.
With that thought in mind, she took off in the direction of the bar, not caring about the cold air that swept around her. Instead, she considered how she wanted her life to look now. Who did Sophie Kellerman want to be?
CHAPTER FIVE
Wedding Bells
Brad examined theway the dark blue tailored suit hung on his tall, thin frame in the hotel mirror. Never in Brad’s teaching life did he imagine owning a suit he’d had made specifically for him. Now he couldn’t imagine ever going back to off-the-rack. There was just something about slipping into a stunning piece of fabric that clung to his body in all the right places that made Brad think maybe having some extra funds to play around with wouldn’t be so bad. And Steve was right, corny as it had originally sounded—the suit brought out the blue in his eyes. It also filled him out, made him look more muscular than he was.
It wasn’t like Brad was out of shape—quite the opposite in fact. He just had what his mother aptly referred to as a “runner’s body.” He was trim, fit, but also tall and skinny. The plus side to that and the actual running he did on a daily basis was that he could eat anything he wanted and get away with it scot-free.
Steve gave him endless grief about that last part, even though he himself more closely resembled the actor affectionately referred to by his fans as The Rock, something Brad wouldn’t have minded in the least. Between Steve’s personality, confidence, and physique, Brad completely understood his appeal with the ladies.
Which is why he was now dreading taking Steve as his wingman to the wedding. Granted, it had been a while since he’d needed a wingman, but didn’t the rules dictate that you bring a less attractive friend, or at least one who didn’t look like a movie star so you at least had a chance with the ladies?
Oh well, it was too late now.
“Whaddaya think?” Steve asked him, pursing his lips into the same puffy duck lips Brad’s female students used to make in all their selfies.
Steve put his hands in his lapels and moved side to side, deliberately exaggerating his movements.
Brad laughed, his mood lifted. Maybe this was the exact reason bringing Steve to the wedding would turn out to be a good idea—Steve could keep a genuine smile on his face no matter how intense things got with Julia. It’s not like he was seriously hoping to meet anyone new at the wedding anyway. He already knew all of Julia and Chris’s friends because they’d once been his friends as well.
“You’re a rock star, my man, a rock star.”
“You, too. You never told me you clean up this nice, or I might have invited you out on the town with me more,” Steve teased. He playfully punched Brad on the shoulder.
“You do invite me. I decline so I don’t get wrapped up in your shenanigans. I think your age is starting to mess with your memory, Steve,” Brad chided.
“So, how are you feeling, bud?” Steve asked him, ignoring the retort.
“Good. I think. I mean, I’m stone-cold sober and haven’t seen her yet, so there’s that. But, I dunno. I feel like I’m doing the right thing by being here.”
“I agree. Have you talked to her since she sent you the invitation?” Steve went to his suitcase and rifled through it, looking for something. Brad had booked them both a room at the wedding hotel, so they didn’t have to worry about driving their cars back to the outskirts of town afterwards, especially after hearing Steve’s solemn promise not to let Brad be anything close to sober for the ceremony and reception.
Brad had worried about staying there because of the proximity to Julia, but logic had won out in the end. Of course he would run into her—he was there to see her marry his best friend. It was going to be difficult to see her for the first time since the breakup no matter where it was. Plus, it was nice to be out of his parents’ garage for a night.
“Nope. Not a word. I sent back my RSVP with a plus-one, so I’m sure she’s dying to know who of our friends I’m bringing. Or maybe she’s already over caring about who I date. I don’t know. Crap, Steve. I’m already overthinking this.”
