Love at First Sight

by Kelly Elliott

  “What? Did you really just call dibs on this guy?” I asked as I turned off the car.

  “Yes, I really did.”

  Before I had a chance to even open my door, Kaylee jumped out of the car. I followed her lead, and Ty stopped in front of us while we both greeted him with a smile. Kaylee’s a little wide and a bit eager looking.

  Ty grinned at us both before he focused on me. “Lincoln?”

  I nodded. “That would be me.”

  He reached for my hand. “It’s great to finally meet you.”

  “It’s a pleasure.”

  Turning to Kaylee, his smiled widened, and he didn’t hide the fact that his eyes swept over her. “You must be Kaylee.”

  She turned back and looked at me. Her mouth dropped open. She mouthed, I think I’m in love, before placing her hand in his. “I am. Kaylee Holden. Pleasure meeting you.”

  He tipped his hat. “Ty Shaw Junior.”

  It wasn’t lost on me how Ty and Kaylee were staring at each other. It was like they were both trying to figure out what in the hell was going on. I hadn’t seen Kaylee look at another man like this in … well, I’d never seen her look at a guy like this. Not even John.

  I quirked a brow and studied them for a moment. I finally had to clear my throat to get them to break the intense eye contact they had going on.

  “Ty?” I asked, attempting to get him refocused.

  He finally looked my way, and when his eyes met mine, my breath might have caught in my throat.

  Okay, I totally got why Kaylee had been lost in this man’s eyes. They were bluer than the sky.

  Wow.

  “Like I said, it’s a pleasure finally getting to meet you, ma’am.”

  “Ma’am?” I asked, my nose scrunching up. “Call me Lincoln, please. And you’ve met my best friend, Kaylee.”

  He tipped his cowboy hat and smiled. “Will do, ma’am—I mean, Lincoln. Yes, we’ve met.”

  The hungry look he threw Kaylee’s way made her turn pink in the cheeks.

  I glanced back to the house. “Wow, it’s more beautiful in person.”

  “I’m glad you like it. My mama’s great-granddaddy built this house.”

  “The clapboard siding is just … beautiful,” Kaylee stated. “It’s been so well maintained.”

  “Well, would you like to see the inside of your new place?” Ty asked, glancing between me and Kaylee.

  “Very much so!” I stated.

  Ty focused on Kaylee. “Are you, um, moving here from Georgia as well?”

  Kaylee froze before looking my way. I arched a brow and waited for her answer.

  “Well, no. I mean, I’m not really sure what my future plans are. Maybe.”

  The hope in Ty’s eyes wasn’t hard to miss. It was fast though. If I hadn’t been watching him, I’d have missed it.

  Interesting.

  He turned and started for the house—with a slight limp in his gait—as we followed.

  “So, did you remodel this house?” Kaylee asked, practically skipping behind him.

  He let out a hearty laugh. “Hell no. I’m a rancher, not a builder.”

  “You don’t like working with your hands?” Kaylee asked.

  I turned to look at Kaylee. What in the hell kind of question was that?

  Ty shot a sexy grin over his shoulder as he replied, “I like working with my hands just fine. Do it every day on the ranch … and in other cases that warrant something needing a soft but firm touch. I’m pretty damn good at that, if I say so myself.”

  Okay, that was a serious flirt directed toward her. Kaylee’s cheeks heated again, and she looked away.

  Leaning closer to her, I stated, “You asked for that one.”

  She pushed me and shrugged. “I didn’t mean it that way!” she hissed.

  Ty unlocked the door and then handed me the set of keys. “It’s all yours now, Lincoln. Mama wanted to know if you needed anything while you were getting settled in. If you need to be showed around town or anything like that.”

  My goodness, are all Montana cowboys this sweet? With a polite smile, I replied, “No, thank you. I appreciate it though.”

  He nodded. Then he tipped his black cowboy hat again and grinned once more.

  Is that a dimple?

  Yep, that’s a dimple.

  That was all Kaylee needed to see.

  I stepped inside, followed by Kaylee. Ty walked around us once we were all inside the house.

  “Back to your other question, Kaylee, I didn’t remodel the house, but my brother Brock did when he married Kaci. My parents gave them this house as a wedding gift.”

  He smiled again, and this time his dimples were on full display. Kaylee moaned slightly from next to me, and I had to jab her in the side.

  “Oh, that’s so sweet … but why don’t they live in the house anymore?”

  Ty looked uncomfortable.

  Lifting my hand to wave off my last question, I said, “Never mind. That’s none of my business, and I’m sorry I asked.”

  A rush of embarrassment swept over my body. I of all people should know better than to ask such personal questions. Here I am, attempting to start my own life over in a new town, and the first person I meet, I ask a question that is truly not my business.

  Ty let it go. “It’s been empty for a few years now. I think you’ll enjoy fixing the house up even more, with your career and all. My mother said you’re an interior designer.”

  I nodded. “Yes, I am. I owned a pretty big design firm in Atlanta and needed a change. I sold it and decided it was time to explore something new. I’m hoping to find a simpler, less complicated life here in Hamilton.”

  Ty’s eyes widened. “You’re not from a small town, are you, Lincoln?”

  “No, born and raised in Atlanta.”

  Glancing to Kaylee, Ty asked, “And you?”

  “I was born in Georgia.”

  He nodded. “Your Southern accent is heavier.”

  Kaylee beamed with pride. “Well, I’m from a smaller town in Georgia originally, but I’ve been working on my Southern twang for years. I think it’s finally set in.”

  The poor man looked perplexed by my best friend. “Well, I’ll let you ladies go so you can explore the rest of the house. Do you need help with your luggage?”

  “Yes!” Kaylee said, at the same time I said, “No.”

  Ty laughed. “If you pop the trunk, I’ll grab your stuff.”

  Pulling out my keys, I did just that. Kaylee and I stood there and watched as Ty stepped out of the screen door and walked down the gravel path.

  “Is it just me or does that man have an ass to die for?” she whispered.

  I turned to look at her. It wasn’t like I wasn’t happy to see her showing interest in someone, I truly was. I believed it was time for her to jump back into the dating world. She needed to move on past the hurt. Back in Georgia, she never so much as looked twice at a guy, no matter how good-looking he was. I wasn’t about to hold her back. “No, it’s not just you. He has a nice ass.”

  “If that’s how they make the men up here in Montana, I just might be sticking around for a longer visit.”

  Lacing my arm through hers, I grinned. “If there are more cowboys who look like that, you might never want to leave.”

  “Right?” she said with a giggle.

  Deep down in my heart, I prayed she would seriously think about staying. I wasn’t being selfish in my reasons why I wanted her here. Of course I wanted my best friend with me. I would miss her terribly when she went back to Georgia. But I honestly felt like a new start was exactly what Kaylee needed. A place that didn’t have a memory around nearly every corner she turned. A place where she could let go of the hurt and allow herself to move on. Somewhere to start over where no one told her what to do. A place to forget the past and look forward to a future.

  I paused for a moment in my thoughts. Was that what I wanted for Kaylee … or for me?

  I wanted that for both of us.

  �
�How many brothers do you think he has? More than the one?” she asked as we watched Ty take our suitcases out like they weighed nothing.

  Watching the muscles flex in Ty Shaw’s arms almost felt sinful. It had been a long time since I even allowed myself to look at a man like this. The last time I’d given my heart to someone, I ended up regretting it.

  With a slight chuckle, I shook my head. Maybe it wasn’t only time for Kaylee to start dating, but me as well. A nice Montana cowboy is exactly what I need. It had been over a year since I’d had a man’s hands on my body I was beginning to remember what that pleasure felt like.

  I took a deep breath and slowly let it out before I said, “One can only hope.”

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