Page 59 of Trusting a Cowgirl

Riley watched her walk away for only a moment then he darted inside the store. He didn’t have much time. An address should be easy, but he had no idea what Faye was really like. For all he knew, she’d try to give him the run-around just to mess with him.

He looked down several aisles until he caught sight of her and charged forward.

Faye glanced up at him as he neared and then past him. “Where’s Grace?”

“She’s getting coffee.”

Her eyes were similar in only a few minor ways. They were clearly related, but the eyes that made him stay up at night spoke to his soul. Riley gave a sharp shake of his head, dispelling the distracting thoughts. “I need to ask you something.”

She placed the book that she held back onto the shelf before her and grabbed another. “Okay.”

“Has Grace talked about me?”

Faye froze.

Great. This was exactly what he had been worried about. Grace wasn’t willing to invest in their relationship by sharing it with anyone in her family. Well, all of that was about to change.

Faye finally lifted her eyes to meet his. “We all assumed something was going on with her. She seems happier lately. And she came in late a lot more often than it just being work-related.” She cocked her head to the side. “But you specifically? I’m sorry, no.”

“She’s happier?”

“Sure. She hums a song sometimes. She’s more chipper. Though sometimes that just happens as it gets warmer. None of us like to stay cooped up inside. The winter can be rough.”

Riley nodded and stood a little taller as he shifted his gaze to the door. “Do you think you could give me your address?”

“My address?” Her brows furrowed. “Hasn’t Grace…”

The look on his face must have said it all.

“Oh.” She folded the book in her arms against her chest. “Well, if Grace doesn’t want you to have it, don’t you think there’s a reason for that?”

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I just want to surprise her with something. That’s all.” It was the most logical explanation he could come up with. If he could get Faye to give him even a hint at where Grace lived, then he had a small shot at getting her father on board with them dating for the long haul.

Faye shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “I mean, is there a reason she’d keep it from you? Because I don’t mind giving it to you if her reasons are really dumb.” She let out a soft laugh. “My sisters can be kinda stubborn sometimes. It’s in our blood.”

“So I’ve heard. I’ve also heard you come by it honestly.”

Her laugh was louder this time. “You mean our dad? Oh yeah. He’s just as stubborn as we are sometimes.”

The door to the shop opened and closed. He didn’t even bother checking to see if it was the one person they were discussing. “The address?”

She nodded. “I’ll write it down on a piece of paper before we drop you off.” She wiggled her book in the air. “But it’s gonna cost you.”

“I’ll buy you a dozen books if it means—”

“I got coffee,” Grace sang out as she got closer to them.

Riley spun around and accepted the drink with a smile. Faye’s smile was less hesitant this time. She turned toward the shelf and pulled two more books from the same author and stacked them in her arms, then held the stack toward Riley. “These are the ones I would recommend.”

Grace leaned closer, eyeing the books, then she laughed and stared at Riley. “I didn’t realize you liked reading.”

“Yeah? Well, there’s a lot about me you have yet to learn.”

She tapped the cover of the top book. “Oh, I figured that much. But Ireallydidn’t expect that you’d enjoy reading about a love triangle set in a fantasy world with dragons.”

His gaze dipped down to the book and then his eyebrows rose as he looked up at Faye. It was clear she was fighting back the smile that hovered just beneath the surface.

This better be worth it.

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