Cute Cowboy

by Pamela M. Kelley

  “Amazing, as usual.”

  “So tell us, what’s new? What have you been up to?” Jaclyn asked.

  She told them about singing at Flynn’s and then about riding with Cody and lunch at his ranch. Both her aunt and Jaclyn exchanged glances.

  “That’s the boy you were having lunch with at the cafe?” Jaclyn asked.

  Lily chuckled. “I wouldn’t call him a boy, and we weren’t really having lunch together. We just happened to be at the cafe at the same time.”

  “Mm- hm. And then he goes to hear you sing and takes you riding at his ranch. But none of that is a date, either?” Jaclyn asked.

  “Well, no. Definitely not. Lots of my friends came to hear us at the pub.”

  “What about riding today?” her aunt asked.

  Lily was quiet for a moment. What had that been? They’d shared a meal, he took her for a tour of his property, of his house.

  “Not a date. I don’t think. We’re just friends. Neighbors, sort of. It’s confusing.” She didn’t tell them about the almost-kisses. Somehow, she knew that she didn’t need to. She could tell they both sensed something.

  Jaclyn slid the tray of cookies in the oven, washed her hands in the kitchen sink, then brought her mug of tea to the kitchen table where Lily was sitting. Her aunt joined her a moment later.

  “Here are my thoughts on the matter,” Jaclyn began. “You young people are so worried about labeling things. Is it a date, not a date? Does it really matter? You’re spending time together. Call it what you will. Don’t put a label on it…just go with the flow. Live in the moment and see where it takes you. Feel your way along and then decide. Let whatever happens, happen.” Pleased with her sage advice, Jaclyn stirred another teaspoon of sugar into her tea. Her aunt simply nodded and said, “I agree with Jaclyn.” A moment later, she asked, “Which day are you heading to Nashville?”

  “This Wednesday, back the following Tuesday.”

  Her aunt checked the calendar on her phone. “Good, that’s what I’ve got in here. I’ll plan to stop by twice a day to feed Hope and give her some attention.”

  “Thank you.” Lily always felt guilty when she left Hope for more than a day or two. But as long as someone was coming by to check on her, she knew she’d be fine.

  “Go and have fun in Nashville. Enjoy your vacation and don’t worry about a thing,” Jaclyn advised her.

  Lily smiled. “That’s advice I am glad to follow.”

  Chapter 7

  Cody had a date with Nadine set for Wednesday night. He stopped back at the condo to have lunch mid-day and was surprised to see Lily on her way out, juggling her guitar and a suitcase. She was wearing black yoga pants which showed off her slim, long legs, and a soft pink sweatshirt. Her hair was in a loose ponytail and she looked comfortable and cute.

  “Need a hand?” he asked as he reached for her suitcase.

  “Thanks, sure. If you don’t mind putting it in the car, I would appreciate that.”

  “Where are you off to?” he asked as they walked to her car.

  “Nashville. Going to see my friend Laura for almost a week. I’m back on Tuesday.”

  “Oh, right, you mentioned you were going to do that. How are you getting to the airport? Do you need a ride?”

  She hesitated for a second. “No, thanks. I’m just going to drive in and leave the car there. That way, it’s waiting for me when I fly home.”

  Cody nodded. “I usually do that, too.”

  When they reached her car, he helped her get her things into the back seat.

  “Well, have a great trip. Tell me all about it when you get back,” he said.

  “Thanks! I will.”

  He watched as she drove away and then slowly walked back to his condo, even less excited about the date he had lined up. His mother had called him first thing Monday morning to say she’d talked to her friend Colleen, and Nadine was most definitely interested in getting to know him better. He promised to call her that evening and he did. She was nice enough on the phone, and he suggested dinner at the River’s End Ranch restaurant. The food was always good there and it came out fast. So, if things weren’t going well, at least they wouldn’t be stuck there for hours.

  He ate a quick lunch, then drove out to the ranch to finish his paperwork in the office. He had more clothes there so it would be easier to get ready. Ben stopped by the office, too, just as he was finishing up and Andrea was getting ready to leave for the day.

  “Hey, a bunch of us are going to a new place for trivia tonight downtown if you want to come along?” Ben asked.

  “Yes, why don’t you come with us?” Andrea looked eager to have him join them.

  “Thanks. That sounds fun. I can’t, though. Already have plans.”

  “What, do you have a hot date?” Ben teased.

  “Actually, I do. Sort of. Remember Mom mentioned Nadine the other day?”

  Ben looked impressed. “I do. I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it. Have fun.”

  Andrea narrowed her eyes. “Who’s Nadine?”

  “I’ll tell you on the way to trivia,” Ben said. “Have fun, Cody!”

  The two of them left as Cody made his way upstairs to get ready, wishing he was more excited about going on this date. Instead, he kept picturing Lily, wondering if she was in Nashville yet, and what she was going to do on her vacation.

  .

  * * *

  Nadine lived in a condo downtown and Cody stopped by to pick her up on their way to River’s End Ranch. His mother had described Nadine well. When she opened her front door and invited him in for a moment, he noticed her sleek blonde hair was perfectly blown dry and fell in a sharp, straight edge, just past her jaw. Her eyes were clear blue and met his gaze directly when he first walked in. He thought he saw a gleam of appreciation in them.

  He’d taken time to dress nicely, in a burgundy button-down shirt and tie and a navy jacket over a relatively new pair of jeans. Nadine was petite and trim, and wore a flattering, ice blue silk top and black dress pants. She looked nice. A small, white, fluffy dog bounced around at her feet. She scooped him up and introduced him as Henry. He was cute. She set him down and he ran off into the other room.

  He glanced around her condo and it was as neat as a pin. Nothing was out of place, not a hint of clutter anywhere. He wondered if she had someone that came in and cleaned and if it had just been done that day.

  “Your place is very nice, and so clean. I’m always battling clutter,” he admitted.

  “I can’t stand clutter.” She looked horrified at the thought of it. “I find cleaning very relaxing. The first thing I do when I get home every night is to tidy up.” He’d never heard anyone say that before.

  “Are you ready to go?” he asked.

  Nadine grabbed a light jacket and her purse, and they set out. It wasn’t a long drive to the restaurant and Nadine peppered him with questions the whole way.

  “My mother said you own your own ranch?” She sounded both impressed and somewhat skeptical.

  “I do.”

  “And are you an actual cowboy? Rolling around in the mud and herding cattle and all that?”

  He laughed. “I try to avoid the mud, and yes, on occasional I do herd cattle. But I have a few guys that mostly handle that for me.”

  “Oh, that’s good.”

  “I think my mother mentioned that you’re a teacher?” he asked.

  “That’s right. I teach math at the elementary school.”

  Math. Of course she did.

  Cody got a good spot near the restaurant’s front door and they went inside.

  He was surprised to see Wade at the host stand, seating people.

  “Do you do everything here?” he asked him.

  Wade laughed. “It feels that way sometimes. I’m just filling in for an hour until Mary can get here. Car problems or something.” He glanced at Nadine. “Two for dinner?”

  “Yes. Nadine, this is my friend Wade, one of the owners of the ranch. We went to sch
ool together.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you,” she said politely.

  Wade led them to a quiet table for two by a window that looked out at the mountains. He handed each of them menus and let them know that Barbi would be their server. She came over a moment later, told them the specials and took their drink order. Cody got a bottled IPA beer and Nadine wanted a vodka and soda with lemon. She explained when Barbi walked away that she didn’t especially like the drink but it was very low in calories.

  When Barbi returned from the bar, she looked closely at Cody before she set their drinks down. “You’re Lily’s friend right? Her new neighbor? We met at Flynn’s the other night when she was singing.”

  “Yes, I thought you looked familiar, too.”

  “Well, have you decided what you’d like to order?” Barbi asked.

  “I’ll have the grilled chicken. Whatever that sauce is, can I get it on the side?” Barbi assured her that she could. “And I’ll have a double order of green beans instead of potato and no butter, please.”

  The restaurant had an extensive menu and Cody had figured he’d probably get a steak, but then something else caught his eye. Ironically, it was on the lighter fare part of the menu where they had burgers and sandwiches.

  “I’ll have the patty melt with onion rings and an order of cheese curds to start, with some ranch sauce on the side, for dipping.”

  “Great,” Barbi said as she took their menus. “I’ll be right back with some bread and butter for you.”

  “None for me, thanks,” Nadine said.

  “You’ll have some of the cheese curds, right?” he asked her.

  Nadine looked horrified at the thought. “Um, no. I don’t do fried food. Ever. But you go right ahead.”

  The cheese curds came out quickly and they were just as good as the ones he’d tried at the cafe. He offered them again to Nadine, but she wouldn’t even try one.

  “So, what do you like to do for fun?” he asked her as she stared at his oozing pile of fried cheese as if it completely disgusted her. She was missing out. He dunked one into the ranch dressing and waited with bated breath to find out what Nadine liked to do.

  “Well, I’m a member of a local women’s group. We have meetings and raise money for charity. And I like to go to the country club.”

  “Oh, do you golf?” Cody loved to golf but didn’t know many women, other than his mother, who liked to play.

  “No, I’ve never played. My friends and I just like to use the pool there. Well, not actually use it you know, just hang out there.”

  “Oh, okay. Do you play any sports?”

  “No. I’m not very sports-minded, I’m afraid.”

  “What about riding horses? Do you enjoy that?”

  “Not really. I’m not crazy about the smell. I like clean animals. Like Henry. He’s a Maltese and completely hypoallergenic. They have hair, instead of fur. So they’re good for people with allergies.”

  “Are you allergic to dogs?” He figured she must be, but it was something to ask to keep the conversation going.

  “No, I’m not allergic. I just like that they are the cleanest dogs, you know?”

  Cody was grateful to see Barbi coming their way with their food.

  “Those onion rings do smell good,” Nadine said as Barbi set their dinners down.

  Maybe there was hope for her yet.

  “I have plenty. Help yourself,” he offered.

  “Oh, I couldn’t possibly. Thanks anyway.” She cut gingerly into her chicken and dipped a tiny bit of it in the sauce that was on the side. Cody thought he heard her stomach growl at one point and almost offered her the onion rings again, but knew she’d just say no. His meal was delicious and he ate it with gusto.

  As he did, an image came to him of Lily, eating the same burger at the cafe, cheese and ketchup oozing everywhere. She’d made a mess and enjoyed it immensely. Poor Nadine looked miserable as she pushed her chicken around her plate and contemplated her naked green beans. He supposed dessert was out of the question. But he couldn’t resist ordering a brownie sundae for himself and a cup of black coffee. Nadine passed on the dessert but joined him by having a cup of coffee.

  He knew after he ate half of the sundae that he’d crossed the line from full to uncomfortable. But he didn’t care. He now knew two things for certain. He would fall into bed when he got home and he would not be going out with Nadine again. She was a nice enough girl, but he wanted to be with someone who enjoyed the simple things in life. Who wasn’t afraid to order the drink they really wanted or to have fried food or dessert and someone who didn’t mind a little clutter every now and then. Though he knew there was someone that would appreciate what Nadine had to offer, it just wasn’t him.

  Chapter 8

  Laura had insisted that Lily bring her guitar with her. Once the plane landed, she collected her guitar and suitcase at the luggage carousel and made her way outside to meet Laura. Lily felt the same heady excitement whenever she went to Nashville. There was a special feeling in the air. Besides the thick humidity that often hung over everything, there was a sense of hope and possibility. She imagined it was similar to what actors must feel when they went to Hollywood to pursue a film career. Nashville was where it all happened in the country music world.

  She’d met Laura in college. They’d both gone to Montana State in Billings. She and Laura had hit it off immediately. In many ways, they were opposites as Laura was as quiet and reserved as Lily was social and outgoing. They both loved music and though Lily knew she had talent, it was mostly as a song-writer. She knew her vocals were good, but nothing special. Laura’s voice was special. She had a quality that you couldn’t explain. There was just something about her voice that commanded attention. She had song-writing skills, too. Lily knew that it was just a matter of time before Nashville discovered Laura.

  As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Laura standing by the door. She ran over and pulled Lily into a hug.

  “I am so glad you’re here! I was hoping to have the car waiting, but they shooed me away and I had to park. Give me your bag and I’ll help you carry it to the car. It’s not far.”

  Lily gave her the guitar case as that wasn’t as heavy as her bag and they walked the short distance to her car. Traffic was heavy as it always was and it was slow going, but Laura chatted the whole way, telling her all about the people she’d become friends with and the places they’d discovered to play their music. When they reached Laura’s apartment, it was almost six and her roommate, Tina, was home from work and waving to them from their second floor deck. They parked and went inside, and Tina came in to greet them.

  “Welcome! And Happy Vacation! I thought perhaps a toast was in order.” Tina opened the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of champagne. “A bit of bubbly to welcome you. You do like champagne, I hope?”

  Lily smiled. “I’d love a glass, thank you.” Tina poured glasses for each of them and they went onto the small deck. Tina was Laura’s best friend. She’d also gone to college with them, but Lily didn’t know her as well. She liked Tina, though. She wasn’t at all musically inclined. Tina worked in marketing for a software company and had actually been the one that had twisted Laura’s arm to move to Nashville. Even though she didn’t play music, Tina recognized Laura’s talent and was her biggest cheerleader. She’d known that it was important for her to be where things were happening, if they were ever going to happen for her.

  Laura had tried more than once to persuade Lily to move to Nashville, too.

  “I got her to bring her guitar this time,” she told Tina as they took their first sips of the bubbly wine.

  “I saw that. So, what’s the plan? Where to first?”

  “I thought we’d dive right in by going to Max’s tonight. I may have called earlier and put both of our names on the performer’s list.” She smiled wide, quite pleased with herself. Lily suddenly felt a cold pit of fear settle in her stomach. Singing at home in tiny Riston, she could do. But in Nashville, in front
of other people in the business? Singers, managers, writers, even record producers? The thought of it terrified her.

  “I don’t know about that, Laura. I thought we were just going to work on some songs together.”

  “Oh, we will. But that’s part of it. Playing a new song in front of an audience, seeing how they react and then making adjustments and fine-tuning. There’s nothing like it. It’s really invaluable. Not to mention you never know who might be in the audience. There’s always the chance it could be the right person at the right time. People still get discovered all the time, connections made. At a minimum, you’ll make a few new friends. You’ll love it. I promise.”

  “Okay, but I’m not sure about tonight. It feels too soon,” Lily protested.

  Laura laughed. “Nope, it’s not soon enough. The first time is the hardest. It’ll get easier after that. If we put it off, then it’s all you’ll think about and it will totally freak you out.”

  Lily took a deep breath. She could do this. She did perform in front of crowds all the time. How different could it be?

  “Okay, let’s do it. When do we go?”

  Laura and Tina exchanged glances. “As soon as we finish this glass,” Tina said with a grin.

  * * *

  They got to Max’s a few minutes before seven, checked in at the door and were then directed to a back room where more than half of the tables were already filled. Lily had never seen so many guitars in one room before. The energy and anticipation in the room was electric. It both excited and terrified her equally. Laura led her to a large round table where two guys about their age were sitting, guitars by their side. Laura introduced the taller, dark-haired one as Jason, and his shorter friend, as Rufus. Tina immediately sat next to Rufus and started chatting. Laura and Lily sat on the other side, next to Jason.

  “These guys live right up the road from us,” Laura explained. “I met Jason at the coffee shop in our neighborhood. We both like to go there sometimes to work on lyrics.”

  “Are you guys singing tonight, too?” Lily asked. She assumed it was likely, given the guitars. “Yeah, I think so. I have a new tune I want to try out. But I’m not sure about Rufus. He said he’s not feeling it tonight, and might give up his slot.” Lily knew from past conversations with Laura how these nights worked. It was first come, first serve. The order they called in for a slot was the order that they’d sing, but they never knew how many people would be ahead of them.