“Not at all. I wear it because I love it, but now I have two reasons. Can I help you with lunch?”
“Nope, go ahead and be with your son.”
Sophie tucked her hands into her front jeans pockets. “Next time, I’ll cook for you. I’m glad we’re here. Thank you for inviting us.”
“So am I.” More than she knew.
***
Sophie found Emmett singing in Wade’s master bathroom. She strolled closer to the door. “What are you doing in there?”
“I had to go, Mom.”
She chuckled. “Okay but flush when you’re finished. Wash your hands.” Sophie walked out into the bedroom, glancing at the bed. Her cheeks flushed. She’d paid little attention to the size last night, ahem…of the room. The memory gave her a shudder. Through the doorway, the sunny day greeted her. “Emmett, I’ll be out on the deck. Come out when you’re finished.” She exited and stood at the rail. In a few minutes, Wade came out. “You’re right. This is fabulous. It’d be nice to sit out here at night.”
Wade rolled out the canopy. “It is. I sit out here in the early morning with coffee and a block of wood sometimes. Where’s Emmett?”
He came to the railing and she leaned her body into him. “He’s in your bathroom. I’ll check it when he’s finished.” Emmett came out the door before she went any further.
Emmett knelt to pick at wood shavings on the deck floor. “I used spray.” He glanced up at Wade. “What are these from?”
“That a boy,” He knelt beside Emmett. “Wood shavings. I carve wood and make things.” He tossed him the carved horse.
“Cool. Can I keep it?”
“Yeah. It’s yours.”
Sophie touched her boy’s shoulder. “Next time use the bathroom in the hallway downstairs.”
Emmett stood and stomped on the wood shavings to flatten them. “I didn’t know there was one down there. Sorry, Mr. Emory.”
“Nobody showed you where it was. Why don’t you ask your mom if you can call me Wade? Hearing Mr. Emory makes me sound old.” He waited for a rebuttal from Sophie.
“Mom? What do you say? Can I—”
“May you? Yes, you may call him Wade. There, now are you both happy?”
They grinned. “Lunch is about ready. Show Emmett the rest of the downstairs, and I’ll get the food to the table.”
Emmett ran in the door, stopped, and bent down to pick up something. He turned to his mom with an earring pinched between two fingers. “Ma? This looks like one you have.”
She and Wade both gasped. Playing it cool, she reached for her ear. “Oh, I must’ve lost it.” She touched the other ear. “Both of them, it seems.”
Wade bailed her out, but the other might’ve been in his bed. “Maybe you lost it on the deck. I’ll hang on to it if I find it. Hope they weren’t expensive.”
“A little. I’ll set the table. Come on, Emmett.” Sophie peeked into the bathroom before they left the loft. Downstairs, she pointed through the hallway. “The bathroom is right there, honey.”
“Okay, I get it. You don’t have to keep telling me.”
She gave him the mom look for being a smart aleck. Sophie joined Wade in the kitchen and got plates out of the cupboard.
“We can use paper plates.” Wade got them. He sat a bag of chips and buns on the table.
“Can I turn on the TV?”
“Hey, sure, I’ll get it on for you.” Wade strode over to the table for the remote. “Come here and look at this.” He instructed him on how to use it. “What kind of sports do you like?”
“Baseball is my favorite.”
“Yeah, me too, second to bull or bronc riding. Who’s your favorite team?”
“Duh!”
“Emmett… Duh isn’t an answer.” She frowned at him.
Emmett cocked his head and frowned right back. “Mom. It can only be one team—our major league team.”
“Of course!” Wade lifted his eyebrows and shrugged.
Sophie went back into the kitchen. What was up with her boy today? She set the plated food on the table. “Come on, you guys. It’s time for lunch. What are you drinking, Wade? Do you have milk?”
“I want soda, I said.” Emmett scooted into a chair across from Sophie.
“I don’t know if there is any milk left,” Wade said. He got three bottles of soda out of the fridge, opened them, and sat one in front of their plates. Wade took the end chair. “This is messy, Emmett. You better have a napkin handy. Isn’t that right, Soph?”
Emmett set his fork down and gawked at Wade. “My dad used to call my mom Soph.”
Wade sat statue straight as if he’d had a loss of words. She had to think quickly. “Lots of other people call me Soph, too.” She touched Wade’s hand. “It’s okay.”
“Mom?”
“What? Your dad used to call you Emmett. That doesn’t mean no one else can.”
Emmett chewed on his lip. “I’m sorry. I remembered about our talk. You still have to show me the letter sometime.”
“I will, but that’s a conversation we’ll have at home. Enjoy lunch. Mr. Emory made the barbeque beef. It’s yum.”
“Wade. You said I can call him Wade.”
“You’re correct. Wade made the barbeque beef.” She took a big breath in and gave Wade a subtle smile, but she couldn’t understand her son’s behavior. However, this is more like what she’d expected.
***
They finished their ride across the desert from Wade’s place and up toward the mountain. Emmett cleaned the bridles while Sophie and Wade brushed the horses and checked their hooves for debris. Emmett came in saying he finished the bridles but didn’t know where to put them.
“Hold on a minute. We’ll get them taken care of. Thank you for doing that.” Sophie attempted to brush hair from his eyes, but he backed away from her.
Wade picked up the brush boxes. “Come on, I’ll show you where they go. Sophie, we can wash up and head over to the ranch. Jake’s playing the pickup rider today.”
“What’s a pickup rider?” Emmett narrowed his eyes as if trying to figure it out himself.
“You’ll see. Have you ever watched saddle bronc riding?” Wade put the bridles on the wall hooks where he kept them. Emmett followed him in and out of every door.
“Yeppers. I like watching bronc riding. How old is Trace?”
“Are you nine yet?” Wade asked washing his hands beside Sophie.
Emmett squeezed between them to wash his. “No, but almost. I told you already.”
“You could’ve had a birthday in the last three weeks. Jake’s boy is a few years older than you. He goes to the middle school this year.”
Had her boy felt jealousy or a little anger at her for being with a man? It’d be a talk they’d have on the way home.
What could she tell him? That she wanted to pursue a relationship with Wade? How would he take it? Before that conversation, she’d better be sure Wade wanted to pursue a full-fledged relationship. She didn’t need to question herself, for the answer had become clear before she left him at the airport in California—though she denied it as long as she could, which wasn’t long.
At home, she’d waited for him to make the first move—to call her. Lord knows, she’d already been pushy enough in the hotel that night. She didn’t want him to think she was a desperate widow—or…or easy. She laughed to herself. That night, she was easy. Was she a desperate widow? It was more like she’d been a lonely widow.
“You okay, Sophie?”
“What?” She glanced up at Wade as he brought in a saddle. Sophie looked around the tack room. It was like she had gone into a trance. “I reminisced a little too long. You caught me. Where’s Emmett?”
“He’s giving the horses a treat. Where were you?” He chuckled.
She strode to the door and peeked out before facing him. “Ah, I hate to admit it, but… My thoughts were about what happened between us last night.”
He put the saddle where it belonged, then Wade came over to emb
race her. “That’s a nice thought. My mind has gone there more than once today. It was damn magnificent.”
“That’s why my cheeks are flushed.”
“Yes, ma’am, they are.” Wade wiggled his eyebrows. “You’d see a little flush on me,” he said, his gaze skimming down his body, “but—”
“You can’t hide all of your flushes.” She tilted her face upward. “Is this thing between us going anywhere? Do you want to…” She couldn’t say it.
“Do I want this to continue?” Wade wrapped his hand around her nape and yanked her close for a heated kiss. “Maybe that answers your question?”
She laid her head against his shoulder and snuggled close.
“I want to have a relationship with you…and Emmett. I can’t say it any plainer than that.”
“I understand you. I’m glad. So do—”
“Mom? What are you doing?”
They separated and Wade turned toward the saddles and straightened the saddle pads.
“Oh, Emmett. I gave Wade a hug.”
“When are we leaving?” He glared at Wade hard enough to burn a hole through his back.
Wade peered over his shoulder. “Now. I’m ready if you two are.” He gazed at Sophie but didn’t hold her gaze long. “Ready?”
She replied subtly, “All right.”
“Good. Let’s go through the back and I’ll lock up the garage. Who’s driving?”
“Can we go in your truck?” Emmett asked.
“Yeah.”
On the way inside, Sophie clasped Wade’s hand. Emmett tried squeezing between them, but she held tight. Emmett went to her other hand. She’d start dropping hints to her son that Wade was more than a friend. His reaction would give her direction on how to explain it to him.
***
Wade pulled up near the larger barn at Jake’s. “We’re here.” To the right, a young boy rode a horse around the corral in the distance. A man coming toward them removed his hat. She’d seem him before.
“Well, my God. Mrs. Price-Daniels?”
“Mr. Lawton? This is your place? Oh, jeez, Lawton Ranching Supplies. Of course!” She peered at Wade with widened eyes. “You work with Mr. Lawton?”
Wade glanced back and forth at her and Jake with a quizzical look on his face. “Yeah, this is Jake, my business partner. Ah, you probably know each other from school. Emmett, you might know Trace. Trace Lawton?”
“I know one boy named Trace from being at school with my mom. We called him T.J. How come his horse isn’t bucking?”
“That isn’t a bucking bronco,” Jake said to Emmett. “Wait a minute, Wade… Didn’t you say you met someone in Californ—”
“This is her. Sophie Price-Daniels. We did meet in California. Good damn thing, huh? You got a big pie-hole, Jake.”
Jake laughed. “I’ve been told that before.” He came over to shake Sophie’s hand. “Nice to see you again. I’m taking my boy to swim in the ocean one of these days. How was your vacation in Cali?”
“It wasn’t exactly a vacation, but Emmett and I had a good time there. After all, we met Wade.” She chuckled and gave Wade a sexy sidelong glance.
“Wow, I should’ve put it together that you would know each other. Yeah, Jake, you left before Sophie came over after Heath’s memorial.”
Emmett puffed up his chest when he had a chance to speak. “My mom won’t let me swim in the ocean, but I went in with Wade, anyway.”
Jake glanced at Wade and smirked. “You went in with Wade, huh?”
On the way to the corral, Emmett told Jake about how he and Wade had wet their t-shirts to pack their castle. In the corral, Jake’s boy hopped off the horse and removed his hat. Emmett ran up to the fence. “T.J. Hi. I didn’t know they meant you.”
“Hey, Emmett, yeah, I remember you. Come on over and see my horse. This is Blue.” He noticed Sophie. “Hi, Mrs. Price-Daniels. What are you doing here?”
She gave her son permission to go into the corral. “T.J., goodness, you’ve grown. I came over with Wade Emory so Emmett can watch you ride. You’re training to be a bronc rider?”
“Yeah!” Trace grinned. “I’m getting good. Huh, Dad?”
“Yes, you are, son. Let’s go pick you out a bronc. We’ll be back in the corral in a few minutes.” T.J., Jake, and Emmett walked away.
“It sounds weird to hear you called Mrs. It took me aback.” Wade shook his head. “Yeah, weird. Does Jake know you’re not married?”
Sophie took his arm and made him face her. “I don’t know. Everyone at school does. I doubt if parents know anything about me. Everybody just calls me Mrs. Price-Daniels, because I am Mrs. Price-Daniels.”
“Can’t you tell them it’s Ms., or something? Mainly because it sounds like I’m dating a married woman.”
“You’re dating a widow. Should I tell everyone that to make you feel better?” Sophie huffed and set out to find Emmett.
“Wait a minute.” She stopped and he strode up to her. “I’m sorry, but it took me by surprise.”
“Well, there might be a lot of other surprises, mister. What would you rather they call me? Dammit, Wade, what will you do when you’re with me at home and someone who knows me as Mrs., walks up to us?”
“Hell, I don’t know. That’s different. Everybody you know knows your story.”
“I never gave it a thought until now. It wouldn’t be a problem to have them call me Miss or Ms., since you put it that way. One of the teacher’s got divorced and wanted to be called Ms., blah, blah.”
Wade stuck his hands into his back pockets and widened his stance. “Don’t do it for me.”
She stuck her nose into the air. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’ll do it for me. Every time I hear Mrs., it reminds me that I’m not. Where’s my son?”
“Come on. I wonder how the boys know each other since Trace is older and yours doesn’t go to that school. Does he?”
“No, he doesn’t go to school here. Emmett has come to school with me when Queen Creek had a day off and my dad couldn’t be home.” Sophie came to a screeching halt and cupped her hand over her mouth. “Didn’t T.J. have a…loss? Omigod, he did.”
Wade rested his hand against her back to move them along at a slow pace. “Yeah. That was hell in a basket for all of them. They’ve moved on and life is good again.”
“Oh, you worked here then?”
“Uh huh. Me and Jake have been through a lot of highs and lows together.”
On the way over, Emmett could be heard yelling for Trace to hold on, but then there was a thud. Sophie walked faster. “Oh oh, it sounds like he fell off.”
At the rail, Wade put his arm around Sophie’s shoulder. “Bucked off, honey. You know we started something by coming here, don’t you?”
Sophie frowned. Was he going to bring up the “Mrs.” again? She asked sharply, “What do you mean?”
“Your boy? Take a look at him. How long do you think it’ll be before he’s begging to ride a bronc?”
“No way in hell. He’s a good rider, but he’s not riding a bucking bronco.”
“Yeah, that’s what Jake still says. He was a saddle bronc rider in his prime and damn good, but he isn’t sure he wants his boy going into it. He doesn’t fool me though. I see his pride.” Wade took her into his arms. “By getting jealous, I showed a part of me I don’t like.”
“It’s all right, darlin’. I can understand how Mrs. sounded to you, but we can’t deny the fact I once had a husband. You’ll have to get used to it.” That quick, tears welled behind her eyes. She inhaled slowly and released a breath as nonchalantly as she could.
“I don’t want to deny it, either. Whatever happened to you in the past is what made you who you are today.”
Sophie stared into his eyes. Hers had to be glowing after that remark. “I’m excited about my future now. It’s all you.”
“Nah, you were ready. I happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
That was for sure. He’d prevented her brother from doing who know
s what before gaining control of his temper. However, she needed to know one thing. “You’re not jealous all the time, are you?”
Wade rolled his eyes. “Not until I heard you called Mrs. Don’t worry, I’ll never let that monster loose again. I promise.”
“I’m not asking that of you, because I’m not sure I can make the same one. All these beautiful women hugging on you took me aback. Especially at the memorial when I didn’t know if the pretty woman who let me in was with you. I was so angry at myself for letting two weeks pass us by while someone else moved in on you.”
“It’s true, they are beautiful, but I don’t look at them like that. Like I said, I don’t have women hanging off me. If I was a female, I’d be the bridesmaid and never the bride…” He kicked a tumbleweed swirling at his feet. “Isn’t that a saying?”
Sophie bent over laughing. “It surely is. How do you know about that?” She had to get serious a moment. “Where’s that high self-esteem I saw in California? You don’t see what I do.”
“Most of the women I meet aren’t interested in a relationship. I thought one was once. Blame it on the military.”
“Maybe you’ve been looking in the wrong places.”
He splayed his hands out. “Maybe I’m done talking about this. Let me take care of my own self-esteem.”
“I didn’t know you were in the military. Hmm.” Oh, great. Not another military man.
“I wasn’t. I used to date a woman in the Air Force. Forget I said anything.”
Phew. Wade had his own hang-ups, and here he was getting frustrated. He’d had a break-up of his own he’d surely never talk about. Was she one of the women around here?
Wade nodded ahead when Jake’s boy got bucked off a bronco a second time. “Like I said a few minutes ago… Look at your kid. T.J. landed shoulder first. Emmett’s over there eating up the adventure.”
Sophie glanced to where Emmett stood in the middle of it all. “Wow. My kid is enamored. I shouldn’t bring him over anymore, and maybe he’ll forget about it.”
Hooked By Sundown (Canyon Junction: Hearts In Love Book 3) Page 10