Spring Romance: NINE Happily Ever Afters

by Tessa Bailey

  I chuckle and shrug. “Mom, I’m almost twenty-three. Grandma is gonna ask us when we’re having babies.” I look at Zoey. “She has five kids and twelve grandchildren, yet she’s been asking for great-grandchildren since I turned eighteen.”

  Mom pinches the bridge of her nose, knowing I’m right, and she can’t argue it. Grandma might give me shit for not having a proper Southern wedding, but now that I’m married and more Bishop babies are a real possibility, I’ll be in the clear for eloping.

  “If I were you, Zoey, I’d double up on birth control because these Bishop men knock up their women just by looking at them.” And with that, my mother walks away, making me cringe at the thought.

  “Nope, she’s wrong. Don’t need birth control now because that was definitely a boner killer.”

  Zoey laughs, a blush creeping up her neck and cheeks.

  “Well, since you’re staying here for a bit, you want a small tour of the ranch?” I ask, taking her hand. “We’ll probably find my dad out in one of the pastures.”

  “Sure, I’d love that. I got in late last night and have only had time to unpack and shower so far,” she replies as I lead her to the side-by-side.

  “You ever ride in one of these before?” I ask, helping her up and buckling her in.

  “Nope. Should I be scared?”

  I grip her chin. “Depends.” Then I flash her a wink and walk to the driver’s side. Seeing and kissing her again have instantly changed my mood. I can’t blame her for being scared at first and understand why she thought an annulment was our only option, but now that she’s here, I’m not taking this second chance for granted.

  Chapter Eight

  Zoey

  I’ve been shaking with nerves since the moment I decided to drive to Texas. What if Riley didn’t want me here? What if it was nothing more than a fling, considering how quickly he signed and sent those papers back? What if I walked away from a man who would’ve truly loved me?

  It took me two weeks to finally say to hell with it and pack up my car. My parents know I love being adventurous, I always have. I’m not like my sister, who thrives on stability. I like the unknown, and although that almost made me not come, I was so glad I did the minute Riley kissed me.

  I hang on for dear life as he drives us around, showing me the barns, the horse stables, their training facility, and where he mainly works. I looked up the ranch before I arrived, so I know it’s huge, but it already looks like a place I could happily wake up to every day.

  Riley radios his dad to find out his location and then tells him to stay put. My nervousness increases because the last thing I want to do is piss off both his parents. I know his mom’s in shock, and it’ll probably take some time for her to warm up to the idea, but having one parent on our side would be nice.

  “Good thing you knew to wear boots today,” he tells me with a grin. “It’s a little muddy out here.” He parks the vehicle and takes my hand. Though it’s a simple gesture, butterflies flutter in my stomach.

  “I hope your dad likes me,” I say weakly.

  “Well, it can’t go any worse than it did with my mom.” He chuckles, and I smack his arm with my free hand.

  “That’s not reassuring!” I scold but laugh at his goofy grin.

  “Hey, Dad!” Riley calls, grabbing his attention. The poor guy is standing in mud up to his knees working on a fence. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

  As soon as his dad turns around and smiles at us, I blink and do a double take. Lord, the two look almost identical. His father’s hair isn’t as dark, but their facial features are the same. If that’s what Riley will look like in twenty years, then I better take his mom’s advice to heart. I’m surprised she only had two children.

  “Hey, kiddo. What’s up?” He steps out of the mud, walking toward us.

  “This is Zoey,” Riley says, gesturing to me. “Zoey, this is my dad, Alex. But he prefers to be called Old Man.”

  I snort at his taunting tone, then shake Mr. Bishop’s hand. “I’ll stick with Alex, don’t worry.”

  “Smart girl.” The corner of his lips tilts up, then he glances at Riley. “So by the hand-holding, I take it you’re one of Riley’s many girlfriends?”

  My eyes widen as Riley squeezes my hand in reassurance. “You’re an asshole.”

  I look back and forth between them and can tell Mr. Bishop is giving him a hard time on purpose. “If your mother was here, she’d be yelling at you for that language, son.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Riley groans. “Now that you’ve almost scared her off…” He turns and gestures toward me with a grin. “Dad, this is my wife.”

  I hold my breath, waiting for his reaction. It’s easy to see they’re close, but regardless, this is a pretty big bomb to drop.

  Mr. Bishop coughs to cover up his shock, causing Riley to smack him hard on the back. “Breathe, Old Man.”

  “No, I think you’re trying to kill me,” he says, swallowing hard. “Because I heard you say wife, and there’s no way my only son would get married without telling me first.”

  Riley grunts, rolling his eyes. “Now you’re being more dramatic than Mom.”

  “Oh God, your mother knows? Does she still have a pulse?” he asks seriously. “Better yet, how are you still standing after she whipped your ass?”

  I can’t help it; I start cracking up. This family is so fun, much different from mine, who constantly have a stick up their asses.

  “Sorry, I’m not laughing at you. Well, I am. Sorta. It’s just you two are hilarious together,” I explain, clearing my throat in embarrassment.

  “Tell that to my mother because she blames us for giving her gray hair,” Riley says. Alex welcomes me to the family, and we chat about how we met and the dare that had us eloping in a Vegas chapel before he has to get back to work.

  After we leave his dad, Riley continues driving us around, and I can’t help but be amazed by the land.

  “It’s so open, and the view is breathtaking. No wonder you love it here,” I say, unable to take my eyes off the rolling hills and cloudless blue sky.

  “Born and raised, can’t imagine being anywhere else,” he says honestly. “When we need stuff, we drive to San Angelo. That’s where my mom works.”

  “How far away is that?” I ask.

  “About forty-five minutes, give or take.”

  My eyes widen. “Even for groceries?”

  “There’s a small grocery store in town along with a bank, a bar, and a library. There’s a health clinic too, but my mom got hired as a nurse at the San Angelo hospital after she had me since my uncle Evan and aunt Emily worked there as doctors. She’s in town several times a week, so if any of us need anything, she can usually grab it.”

  “So not all of you work on the ranch?” I ask.

  “Evan used to when he had time, but since he and my uncle John bought the bar, he’s there on his days off to make sure his investment is running properly.”

  “Wow…your family sure knows how to stay busy. It’s like no one slows down.”

  He shrugs, not disagreeing. “It’s all we know. When you’re born on a ranch, and you’re used to getting up before the sun and working through dusk, you develop a strong work ethic. I could’ve left after high school and gone to college as most of my cousins did or plan to, but everything I needed to learn about business and management is here on the ranch.”

  “I didn’t go to college either,” I admit, and he looks at me with a smile, encouraging me to continue. “I was always passionate about hair and nails, but my mother made it very clear what she thought about that. She said I wasn’t using the extent of my intelligence, was wasting my life away, and would always need a man to support me because I wasn’t choosing a high-paying career. Blah, blah, blah. But I went for it anyway and did a year of cosmetology school. It might not bring in a million bucks, but every day I worked, I felt like a hero. Someone would come in, not knowing what they wanted, and I’d instantly envision a new look for them. They’
d hug me with tears in their eyes because they felt truly beautiful for the first time in their lives. After that happened more and more, I knew I had picked the right direction for me.”

  “I’m really glad you did,” he responds. “There’s nothing worse than feeling pushed into a job you’re not passionate about. Ranching is hard work, but I love it. Most people think I’m crazy for enjoying it so much, but fuck ’em.”

  I laugh with him, then blush when he brings my hand to his mouth and kisses my knuckles. “Working in a career you hate isn’t worth your happiness, remember that.” He flashes me a wink, and I nod, grinning like a fool.

  “Speaking of my family…” Riley begins. “We’re throwing my little sister, Rowan, a surprise birthday party tomorrow. I’d love to bring you with me. I have a big family, so single introductions could take us a few days, or rather weeks.”

  I smile nervously, but nod in agreement. “Meeting everyone is a big deal. I’ll either be known as the wife who made Riley Bishop the happiest man alive or the one who broke his heart.”

  He turns and studies my face as if he’s wondering the same thing.

  “I’d much prefer the former, but we’ll cross the bridge of the latter if we need to, but hopefully that won’t happen.”

  We both know I’m only here temporarily. If things work out between us, I’ll still have to go home and confess everything to my parents before I pack up my life and move. It’d be a huge step, but I’m willing to risk it all to see if he’s the one.

  Riley drives us back to the B&B and comes to my side to help me out. He’s a gentleman down to his core, which isn’t something I’m used to. The few men I’ve dated were always so damn self-absorbed and arrogant, but Riley is a different breed.

  “So since this is officially your first full night here, what do you say we go out? There’s this ridiculous country bar outside of town called the Honky Tonk, and you can’t really visit the ranch without experiencing it,” he tells me as if he has to sell it to me, but the truth is, I’d go anywhere with him.

  “The Honky Tonk? That’s the actual name?” I ask, chuckling. “I can only imagine what the inside looks like.”

  “Well, come with me tonight, sweetheart, and you’ll find out.”

  “I’m in.”

  “Good. Now, normally I’d walk you to your room and kiss you goodbye until I can pick you up later, but I’m certain half my family is in there waiting to hound us, so it might be best for you to sneak in through the back.”

  “Ah, good idea.” I snicker.

  He interlocks his fingers with mine and leads me to the steps of the back porch. “I’ll pick you up at eight.”

  Then he cups my cheek and molds our lips together. My eyes close, inhaling his scent, and being this close to him causes my body to buzz.

  He pulls away, and I frown. Riley notices and chuckles at my sad face. “I’ll be back. Eight o’clock.” He winks, then takes off.

  When I walk in, I chuckle because Riley was right. A crowd is in the living room, and somehow, I’m able to sneak upstairs without any of them seeing me. Since I have a few hours before he picks me up, I decide to take a long, hot shower.

  At five until eight, there’s a knock on my door, and heat coils low in my stomach at the anticipation of seeing him again. As soon as I open the door, my breath hitches at the sight of him. Dark jeans, boots, a plaid button-up, and he’s wearing a black cowboy hat.

  My eyes linger a little too long because a moment later, he clears his throat, making my gaze shoot back to his.

  “I brought you something,” he says, holding up a pair of women’s cowboy boots.

  “For me?” I ask, moving to the side so he can come in.

  “Well, my sister said you could borrow them. If you like them, we’ll go in to town and buy you a pair.” He sets them down, then turns to face me. His eyes wander down my body before he closes the gap between us. “Or perhaps we should just skip tonight altogether because I only have so much willpower…”

  The way he eye fucks me causes my cheeks to heat again. Riley circles his arms around my waist and pulls us flush together. “You look really beautiful, Zoey. I missed you.”

  Wrapping my arms around his neck, I tilt my head. “It’s only been a few hours,” I remind him with a cheeky smile.

  “The past month,” he confirms, and when his eyes darken, it sends a shiver through me. “I tried to get you out of my head, telling myself I was crazy because we had only known each other less than two days. But my stupid heart wouldn’t listen, and anytime Diesel made me listen to his dumb chick playlist, it only made it worse because it’d remind me of dancing with you.”

  I bite down on my lower lip, his confession taking me off guard. His words come out so smoothly and effortlessly, and I don’t know how to respond. “Diesel has a playlist with chick music?”

  Riley growls, then slides a hand down to my ass and squeezes me through the denim. “That’s the part you’re focusing on, huh?”

  I chuckle at how easy it is to get him worked up. “I thought about you too. A lot.”

  “I know I’ve already said it, but I’m really glad you’re here and are giving us a real shot. I promise to take advantage of every day we have together.”

  “I imagine you will.” This time, I pull his mouth to mine and kiss him, letting all my unspoken words tell him just how badly I missed him.

  Riley’s touch and kisses are what strawberry Starbursts are made of—so damn addicting—and you know if you don’t stop, you’ll end up devouring the entire bag of candy.

  “Fuck, Zoey…” We’re both panting as he rests his forehead against mine. “We better go before I rip off those things you call shorts.”

  Chuckling, I nod in agreement. I dramatically push him away and grab the boots, trying them on. They’re a little loose, but they’ll work. In fact, they actually look really cute with my denim shorts and tank top.

  “How do I look?” I stand in front of him, spinning around. “Like a true Texan?”

  Riley shakes his head and laughs. “Not quite, sweetheart. Gotta get that accent down. A hat. And get you on a horse first.”

  My eyes widen. “A horse?”

  He takes my hand and leads me out of the room. I don’t bother grabbing my phone because tonight, all of my attention will be on my husband.

  Considering how much I drank in Vegas with Riley, I decide to take it easy. An hour later, we’re at the bar and sticking to beer only. We both know what happens when too much liquor is involved.

  The Honky Tonk is exactly what I imagined. People in cowboy boots, taking shots and being loud and obnoxious. Old license plates on the walls complement the rustic décor, and it smells like a barn. A clean one, at least.

  And surprisingly, I don’t hate it. In fact, I haven’t laughed this much in weeks.

  “So wife… I think we should have our first dance,” Riley says, swiveling our barstools so my legs are between his.

  “We danced all night in Vegas,” I say. “In fact, I’m pretty sure you went to second base at the third club.”

  Riley brushes his hand over his facial hair and grins. “You noticed that, did ya?”

  I snort, shaking my head. “I doubt they play slow songs here.”

  He arches a brow as if I just challenged him. “Wait here, my bride.” Riley flashes me a wink, then walks over to a jukebox I hadn’t realized was there.

  Moments later, “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri starts playing. An oldie but a goodie that I like a lot. He walks back over, all proper, and holds out his hand to me. “May I have this dance?”

  “How could I ever deny you?” I place my hand in his, and he leads me to the center of the room.

  “Where’d you learn to dance anyway?” I ask after a few moments.

  “Bishops don’t learn to dance; it’s embedded into our DNA,” he says firmly.

  “Really? Interesting because I’m pretty sure at the final club, you were stepping on my feet.”

  H
e gives me a cocky grin. “I was also shit-faced. You’re really gonna use that against my dancing skills?” Riley spins me around before I can answer, and when he brings our bodies back together, I have a permanent smile on my face.

  “Of course not. You’re damn good.”

  “You’re way too good for my ego,” he teases. “Could you say it a little louder so the rest of the bar can hear?”

  I laugh, my head falling back as he smirks at me. “So you’re a Christina Perri fan too? What other things are you going to surprise me with?”

  “Well, the fourth movie was my favorite.”

  I narrow my eyes at him, trying to determine if he’s being serious or not. “No way. Are you a Twilight fan?”

  “What are you trying to say? I’m not cultured enough to love vampire smut?”

  Now I’m rolling my eyes at his lousy attempt to feign offense. “Funny. Almost had me there.”

  He laughs again, bringing his lips to me for a soft kiss. “Rowan, my little sister. She binged all the books in the series, then made me take her to the theater for an anniversary movie marathon. I really had no choice.”

  “Aww…big brother duty.”

  “And older cousin. All of the girls were obsessed.” He dramatically rolls his eyes.

  “So then I guess the true test of our relationship lies on one question…” I say in all seriousness. He furrows his brows, waiting. “Team Jacob or Team Edward?”

  “You really expect me to remember who either of them are?”

  “I don’t think I can do this…” I stop moving. “I can’t be married to a man who doesn’t know Twilight.” I shrug, about to walk around him, but he swiftly grabs my waist and pulls me back to him.

  “Team Edward…okay. Happy, now? You’ve officially stolen my man card.”

  I wrap my arms back around him and smile. “Very.”

  Chapter Nine

  Riley

  When I closed my eyes last night, Zoey was the only person on my mind. Being with her was magical, and having her here with me on the ranch doesn’t seem real. I keep pinching myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.