The bulletin board didn’t disappoint. There was one thing going on, a small comedy club over in Deer Run. That might be kind of fun, something out of the ordinary, for him at least. And bringing it up last minute made it less stressful. If she didn’t want to go, it made sense. And if she did, fantastic.
The daydream had carried Brayden away and he almost didn’t hear his phone buzz. He looked down and smiled. It was Kelsey.
Hey, just got this. It’s been a good day.
In the mood for some company?
Sure, what did you have in mind?
He didn’t respond, just paid his bill for his coffee and walked back across the street and down the block to the store.
When he walked in, Kelsey looked up with a beautiful smile on her face. She looked relieved and happy. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d tell you what I was thinking in person,” he said.
She was so happy to see him. He looked really handsome. That dark-brown polo looked great against his tanned skin. Life in Cherish certainly agreed with him. She was just as pale as if she’d been living in Alaska.
“Ooh, I’m curious. What’s going on?” she asked.
Then she waved at two people who were walking out of the store, each carrying a box with boots in it and both giving smiles to Brayden.
Kelsey noticed their looks at him; clearly the ladies thought he might be a good catch. It didn’t sit well with her, even though she had no control over it or say in the matter.
“How about some laughs?” he asked.
“You want to see me run? That’s good for some laughs,” she bantered.
“I’m talking something that will only make your face hurt, not your entire body,” he said. “From laughing, you know.”
“Okay,” she said. She was still confused but didn’t mind.
“There’s a comedy club going on in Deer Run tonight. Interested in going?”
“That sounds great, but I’d have to change first. When does it start?”
“Two hours. We could get a bite to eat first.”
“Sergio’s?” she asked.
“I was thinking of something else. I like Sergio’s and all, but it would be nice to go to a place where everyone doesn’t know our names,” he said, chuckling softly.
“Cheers to that,” Kelsey replied, “although they are more likely to know your name than mine.”
“Not after the fundraiser. You’re Cherish royalty.”
“Did Mal say that?”
“Yup,” he said.
“She talks a lot, doesn’t she?”
“Yup.”
***
After what they both thought were some of the best-tasting hamburgers they’d ever had, Kelsey and Brayden made their way to the event hall hosting the comedy club. It was a fundraiser for 4H, and there were three comedians.
“This should be fun. Can’t believe I’ve never been to one of these,” Kelsey said.
“Are you a quiet laugher or a boisterous one?” he asked.
She looked at him and crossed her arms. “Really? I think you know me well enough to know that. I’m horrible at trash talk. If I heckled, they’d unleash the fury on me. I’d probably get so embarrassed that I’d overheat and steam would come out of my ears.”
“Now that would be a sight to see, so long as it wasn’t something I did,” he said. “Look, there’s a table over there. Should we grab it?”
He put his hand softly on the small of her back and guided her to the table. They wove in and out of the people and took the table which was on the front row, off to the right.
“There are a lot of people here. Hope they make a lot of money.”
“You want something to drink?” he asked.
“Let’s see, sure. I better stick with beer, though.”
“I’ll be right back.”
As he walked away she looked around, recognizing a few faces, including two pairs of boots that she’d sold in the store earlier that day. Much to her delight, the sales of non-damaged merchandise had been just as good as they had been for the “blow-out” items. She’d even had the wicked thought about having storms more often. Of course, the best part of that experience had been Brayden helping her out. She’d been so grateful for his help, more than she’d really been able to express.
A man came up to her with a lazy drawl. “The bartender from the hospital fundraiser, right?”
“Yeah, hi,” Kelsey said, recognizing him as the one who had asked her to dance.
“Who you here with?” he asked, looking around.
She could tell he was hoping that she was alone. Thankfully she wasn’t. “The other bartender from that night,” she said, smiling.
He got the hint. “Well, all right then. I’ll leave you be. Have a good night,” he said. He nodded his head and walked away, right past Brayden. Kelsey heard him say, “You’re a lucky guy.”
Brayden looked confused, but didn’t skip a beat when he said, “Don’t I know it.”
Again, his words were simple and perfect. They made her feel so good.
He sat down and leaned in toward her, their knees pressed together. It was getting really loud and they had to be close in order to have a conversation. They got onto the subject of their favorite comedy films and both laughed when they each said that they loved Better Off Dead.
“The humor,” they said at the same time.
Then they laughed.
“You just can’t beat it, can you?” he asked.
“No, not for me, anyway.”
The way that she was looking at him indicated that she completely had him at that moment. There was nothing he wasn’t willing to try. He wanted to put himself out there. He leaned forward just another inch and found his lips were within a half inch of hers, by his design. He whispered, “Can I kiss you, Kelsey Jackson?”
“It’s about time,” she said.
Then their lips locked, a big public display of affection that neither of them felt embarrassed about. They’d waited long enough.
As soft as stalks of wheat blowing in a gentle breeze, their lips brushed against each other’s, sending sparks flying through their bodies.
With hesitation, their lips slowly parted and she breathed in deeply. “Wow, that was nice,” she confessed.
“Indeed,” he said. “I’ve wanted to do that for so long. The time was never right, though.”
“Well, your timing is perfect,” she said.
He reached over and put his hand on hers, squeezing it gently, and then someone began to talk through the PA system. The show was just about to begin. Kelsey was elated and regardless of how good or bad the comedian may be, he would be perfect for her—a reminder of a moment that was everything she’d dared allow herself to dream over the past weeks.
Brayden was glad he’d finally taken the chance and that the night had played out the way it had. Kelsey’s soft, full lips moved so seductively across his, making his mind go wild. The kiss had been so vulnerable and had a certain patience to it, yet it also had an underlying current reflecting the urgency of the moment. He hoped it had been healing for her and helped put her demons from the past to rest the way it had for him.
For the entire show, he held her hand, only releasing it to get them each another beer and for when she took a break to the restroom.
When he walked her to the car he opened her door and leaned in, holding his hand on the car frame and giving her another kiss. She was a bit more bashful this time, but the slight groan that escaped her lips when his lips traveled to her neck let him know that she’d enjoyed what she felt.
For the entire drive home, he held her hand and they laughed about the show, trying to repeat the lines that the comedians had said and both agreeing that neither of them held the skills required to be a stand-up comic. They’d save that for the pros.
When the car pulled up to her driveway, Kelsey suddenly became nervous. She wanted to invite Brayden in, but was afraid that he might think it was an invitation for more. The kiss had been
long overdue and perfect and she didn’t want to ruin it by something else taking place too soon. That kiss had been just what she’d been missing in life and had needed more badly than she ever would have thought.
“Well, it’s late,” she said softly, “thank you so much for the amazing night, Brayden.”
He looked at her and saw the change in her body language. He understood and knew he hadn’t kissed her in hopes of anything more than that. It had been to fulfill his curiosity. Well, now he was curious for more, but respected the pace that she needed.
“Thanks for saying yes,” he said. Then he got out of the car and walked around to open her door.
As he’d done before, he walked her up to her front stoop and leaned in to hug her. But, unlike before, this time he was able to give her one additional kiss—soft and slow and patient.
Her body pressed against his and her arms wrapped around his neck. “Thanks again for a great night.”
“My pleasure,” he said.
He watched as she unlocked her door and entered her house. The curtains were still open and he saw her walk by her front window, staring out into the driveway where she watched him get into his car. She gave a friendly wave and then disappeared.
Chapter Twelve
There was a bridal expo coming up in Deer Run. Kelsey had wanted to get a booth at it, but they’d been all booked up and she’d been too late to be able to register to attend. When she got the call that someone had to pull out of the fair, she was elated. It would be a great opportunity and she’d been learning how her market was considerably bigger than she’d realized. The “blow-out” sale had helped her see that a little advertising in the right places had gone a long way.
However, the downside of being a one-woman show was that you needed to get help to do things like these. Sitting all alone at an expo wasn’t that easy to do, because you had to eat in front of visitors, asking neighboring displays to watch your booth while you ran to use the restroom, and a slew of other things like that. Basically, it just ended up not looking professional, in her opinion.
She’d tried Mal, who had said she couldn’t. She already had plans.
Then she tried Olivia, who just flat out said no.
Kelsey was no fool and knew what they were doing. However, it seemed like a big request to ask a guy to go and help out at a bridal expo. The men who went to those things usually rolled their eyes and yawned, not enjoying it one bit and only going for the sake of keeping peace with their significant others. She couldn’t have the man rolling his eyes be the one on her side of the table.
So she debated cancelling, but then thought better of it. She loved spending time with Brayden and it was silly to just assume his answer. She was being a chicken, but she was also more aware about what those few kisses might mean. They’d been excellent, maybe the best kisses she’d ever had, but they could lead to dangerous emotional territory.
“Enough,” she said out loud. Then she tapped her fingers on the counter top of the store. It was time to pull out her phone.
Are you doing anything on Sunday?
A few minutes later, Brayden answered. Nothing specific, why?
I was wondering if you wanted to help me work a bridal expo. It’s okay if you say no.
Where is it?
Deer Run, but don’t feel obligated.
I’d be glad to help you out, so long as I don’t have to model any dresses.
Kelsey laughed and typed back, HaHa.
Do you need help getting everything set for it?
No, I should be good.
Unfortunately, she hit send before she could take it back. That was four days away and she wanted to see him. If she was going to think about him constantly, she might as well actually get to see him. Maybe she could figure out this entire thing she was experiencing. She wanted to run to him, but she also felt compelled to run away. She wanted to see if they had potential, but she was reminded that he didn’t have a job waiting for him in Cherish. Mal had even indicated that he’d been getting some offers from some other places.
I’ll pick you up on Sunday at 8 a.m. Does that work?
Why don’t I meet you in town? No sense driving all the way out here.
Okay. See you then. Bye.
Bye
Brayden looked at the message stream and marveled at how much he must like Kelsey. He had been to one of those bridal things once and it had been torture, but he’d been coerced into it. Maybe it would be a better experience since he’d volunteered. He hoped so, anyway.
***
Sunday morning came quickly enough and Brayden pulled up in front of Kelsey’s house, parking on the road. Her car was in her driveway and a small trailer was hooked up to the back of it. It was completely filled.
She walked out the front door when she saw him and waved a friendly good morning. “Looks like the expo lasts more than a day.”
“I got a bit carried away, but I just wanted to make sure I had everything I needed. I didn’t get a chance to go check out the location this week. So …”
“We’re going on a wing and a prayer,” Brayden said.
“Precisely. Thanks for coming.”
“Glad to help,” he said.
Then for the first time, he got into the passenger side of Kelsey’s vehicle and the two made their way to Deer Run. He was a bit surprised by what a fast driver she was. That was one area she wasn’t overly cautious in, he guessed.
“So, Mal said something about some job offers coming your way,” she said. She didn’t want to pry, but she did want to know
“I haven’t seriously evaluated them yet. A few new horses came into the academy this week and it took a lot of time to prep their areas. I’m getting better at it, but it’s still not natural.”
“If you’re like me, you probably go over everything two and three times, checking and double checking everything. Perfectionism—it’s a disease more than anything, really.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” he said. “Why do some people make everything so complicated, huh?”
“Good question. I don’t think I do myself any favors. Probably have missed out on more than I realize, but hey, I’m organized and methodical.”
She found it strange to talk so lightly about all the things that she always felt held her back, but with Brayden it was so easy.
“We’re cut from the same fabric,” he said.
“So it seems.”
“How about long-distance relationships? Have you ever had one of those?” he asked.
She wasn’t quite sure how to answer this and she didn’t just want to speak off the top of her mind, because it might not come out right. “Well, I had a boyfriend when I went to college. We weren’t together, but like a lot of those relationships, it became more work than it was worth by our second quarter. I was in denial about it, but he wasn’t. During Thanksgiving break, we broke up.”
“Not that you weren’t mature, but how about as an adult?” he asked.
“No, I guess I’ve always assumed that it would likely be destined for failure. Not sure if that’s right or wrong,” she said. “How about you?”
“I haven’t, but I don’t really put myself out there too much, you know. When you’re busy at work, long distance seems to be impossible. When you’re close, at least you have some of the weekend and nights too.”
“Ever pass up on an opportunity?” she asked. There was a lump in her throat because she didn’t think she was very subtle in what she was suggesting. The fact that she was even hinting was insanity. What was she hoping to get out of it? She had no idea. Stop over-evaluating. This is a casual conversation, she thought. That little voice had been speaking up a lot lately.
“No. Not sure if I would or wouldn’t. It all depends, I guess, but I understand what you’re saying about it being an uphill battle.”
Kelsey looked over at Brayden and she wished he had kissed her again that morning. Maybe if she had that same ridiculous glow he’d given her on Saturd
ay night, she would have better luck at the expo. Everyone could tell a glowing person a mile away. She marveled at how she tried to turn that amazing kiss into a business proposition—that was the only way she could make sense of it.
“So, how long does this thing go for?” he asked.
“Until 6 p.m. Kind of a long day, but if it isn’t really busy, we can pack up early. You have a busy day tomorrow?”
“Nothing that can’t be handled. I have a few calls to make, things like that.”
She wondered what those calls were. Jobs?
They switched to every topic that was not relationship related, which was good. Thinking about it all was giving Kelsey a headache and she didn’t need that. Today was a day of opportunity.
Brayden glanced over at Kelsey occasionally as she sped along down the highway and couldn’t help but admire her features. She looked both polished and approachable, wearing a black skirt, some tall black boots, and a shirt with some sparkles on it. She wore it well. “You look great by the way,” he said. It seemed to come from nowhere.
She kept staring straight ahead. “Aw, thanks, Brayden.”
“Should I have dressed up more?” he asked.
“You look just perfect,” she replied. His butt in his jeans was awesome, and his calm, approachable demeanor was good, both for her and for people who were always shy to first approach a booth, despite the fact that they were going to expos because they were looking for something specific. Available women tended to avoid bridal expos unless they were part of the wedding party.
They pulled up to the venue and Kelsey began to laugh. “This looks familiar. I hadn’t even put two and two together.” They were at the same place where the comedy club had been.
“Comedy club one week, bridal expo the next.”
“Maybe everyone’s romance sparked at the comedy club,” Kelsey said, laughing and then clamping her mouth closed. Oh my gosh—did I really just say that?
“Possibly,” he said and smiled, loving how she had embarrassed herself with the comment. It reminded him how badly he wanted to kiss her. If he tried, what was the worst that could happen? Walk back to Cherish, he thought.
Cherished Embrace (Cherish Cowboys Book 3) Page 10