Page 70 of Any Cowboy of Mine
Diligently, as quickly and quietly as he could, Brad moved the boxes off to the side of the wrap-around porch, wondering where he could store them when the wedding guests departed that evening. He snuck back inside, his secret delivery in the back of his mind as he made his way back to the kitchen—by way of more guests complimenting his work on the farmhouse—to finish Sophie’s drink in the kitchen.
He glanced over at her. She was draped in a pale pink sheath that clung to her body in all the right places, but somehow, every time she walked, the fabric flowed outward like she was underwater and might float away at any moment. His breath hitched, and he felt dizzy, like he’d had a few too many cocktails, even though he hadn’t had a sip all day.
He wanted a clear head for what he needed to accomplish that afternoon.
It had been just over a month since he and Sophie had started dating, officially anyway, and moved in together. So many of Brad’s friends from the library thought he was crazy, that he was moving too fast—everyone except Steve, of course, who would laugh and ask Brad what took him so long. But then, his friends would meet Sophie, and their minds were changed.
At times it felt like Brad had just seen her for the first time, like now. He was still taken aback by how stunning she was, that she’d chosen him.
Other times he felt like he’d known her his whole life, the way she instinctively met every one of his needs and so many he’d never known he’d had. That morning, even, he’d showered after a rather passionate lovemaking session and had come out to his suit laid out on the bed, a note on top of it that told him to meet her in the kitchen. He’d gone out in just a towel to find breakfast made, the newspaper opened to a rave review of book three, his favorite coffee creamer by his mug. How’d she figured out he loved hazelnut best without him having to say anything was one of the million small things she did each day that made him love her even more than when he’d first declared it.
The thing was, she made him a better person as well. She gave him time each morning to write, encouraging him with little notes left around the home, plying him with his hazelnut coffee, and then, when he would get frustrated at the computer because the words he needed refused to come, Sophie would drag him out for a run—or into the bedroom for another form of exercise—to shake the cobwebs from his mind. Finally, he had an equal partner in life. It was every bit the motivation and desire he needed to do anything in his power to make and keep her happy.
“You got it as bad as I do,” he heard from behind him. Steve was there, a goofy smile on his face, a drink in his hand that he extended to Brad. He’d relied a lot on Steve to help him understand a woman like Sophie and why she was worth all the complication and figuring out.
Brad shook his head to the drink, but the smile didn’t leave his face. “You’ve got no idea, Steve.”
Steve waved his arm across all the wedding guests that filled the living room behind him. “You forget, dude. I do, indeed, have an idea.”
“Touché,” Brad said, laughing. “It’s just that this woman has been there the whole time, and I only just found her.”
“Yeah, but you found her. Don’t you think I get that too? I wasn’t thinking it was gonna happen for me, then, BAM!”
“True. And you’re right, but do you get the feeling like you’ll never have enough time with Jackie? That you could have a hundred years with her, but it still wouldn’t come close to being enough?”
Steve slapped Brad on the shoulder. “Yep, you got it as bad as I do. Or it must be the wedding vibes, am I right? Your mom and sis killed it, by the way. This was pretty damn awesome, Brad.”
“It was. Congratulations, bro,” Brad said, his mind a million miles away from the wedding. All he saw was Sophie, his future. She laughed, her head thrown back like it was the night they’d met. Less and less she covered her mouth when she laughed, and Brad knew it was because she, on some level, felt the same way he did—safe and seen for who she really was. He hoped there wasn’t a day that she lived she didn’t feel that from him.
“Thanks, Brad. For everything. This whole thing wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you. In a million ways.”
“You bet. And same to you.” Brad nodded towards Sophie.
Steve nodded and patted Brad on the shoulder before walking away, laughing and grumbling about being left with a “crappy lemon drop.” Brad knew he was being antisocial, but if everyone knew what was on his mind right then, he was sure they’d give him carte blanche.
Someone cleared their throat behind him. Drew was there, looking dapper but a little too formal, as usual, in his custom-fitted suit and brown leather dress shoes.
“How you doing, man?” Brad asked him. He was used to seeing the guy around by now. He’d gone by a few times to bring Sophie lunch, and Drew had always been welcoming, if not too much so. Brad could only hope that would mellow out in time. He didn’t know how many more times he could turn down Drew’s good whiskey at ten in the morning.
“Good. Lovely job you’ve done here. And, um, with Sophie. I’ve never seen her this happy.” Brad glanced over at Sophie, her brows furrowed in concentration as she spoke to Steve’s dad.
“She’s an amazing woman, Drew,” Brad said, his voice even and calm.Where was this going?
“She is. I’m glad she has you. I wanted to apologize for taking her away that night at Steven’s home, New Year’s Eve. I had an urgent matter only she could help with, but I know how it must have looked.”
“Soph explained. Thanks for what you’ve done for her. Her work is everything. And don’t worry about that night. She and I had to stumble through quite a few misunderstandings before we could get an honest shot at this thing—that was just one small bump in our road.”
“Good. Well then, that settles that. I do, um, have one more matter to discuss with you, but it’s a little awkward for me.”
Brad crossed his arms over his chest.This oughta be good.
“Go ahead,” he told Drew.
“Well, my sister is the biggest fan of your new series, and when she found out I was coming to this wedding and that you would be here, well…” He trailed off, pulling a hardcover of Brad’s third installment ofJewel Thiefand a pen from behind his back. “Would you mind signing this for her? It would make me a hero at the next family dinner.”
Brad laughed, a loud guffaw that caught the notice of a few onlookers. God, did he need that laugh to loosen him up.
“You bet. In fact, come with me.” Brad walked out the front door, Drew right on his heels like Penske normally was. He took Drew to the side of the porch where his boxes were stored and pulled a copy of book four from the open box. “Don’t tell a soul, but give her this and tell her it won’t be out on shelves for another two weeks.” Brad signed the front cover of the book and handed it over to a slack-jawed Drew.
