by Kelly, Amber
He walks up to Charlotte and opens his hands wide. Fritz croaks loudly and hops out of his hold and up onto the island as Charlotte lets out a scream and jumps from the stool.
Chaos ensues as I lunge for the critter, and Sophie tries to catch him as he leaps out of my reach. Beau starts jumping around, calling the frog’s name and yelling at us not to hurt him.
The front door swings open, and Daddy walks in just as Fritz hops from the counter to the floor and scurries under the table. Beau gets on his hands and knees and crawls after him as Charlotte continues to squeal.
Finally, Daddy and Beau corner him and scoop him up.
“Jeez, I thought Fritz was a stuffed animal or something,” Charlotte says breathlessly.
“Beau, you can’t get him out of his tank like that. He’ll get lost in the house, and we’ll never find him. Then, Mommy will have to go live with Nana and Pop-Pop,” I scold. “Now, tell Miss Charlotte you are sorry you scared the bejesus out of her.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Charlotte,” he says with his face down.
“It’s okay,” she says as she pats his head. “I wasn’t expecting him. I’m not really afraid of frogs. I have kissed a bunch of them.”
He looks up at her and twists his little nose. “Ew, you shouldn’t do that. You’ll get warts on your tongue,” he informs her.
“Or somewhere else if she’s not careful,” I say under my breath as I glance at Sophie.
We all laugh.
Dallas
Sophie and Charlotte are sprawled across my bed as I raid my walk-in closet for outfit options.
Payne took Beau and Fritz camping in his backyard for the night, so us girls are heading out to Fast Breaks for a few drinks.
“Here we go,” I say as I pull the dress from the back.
It’s a cream spaghetti-strapped A-line dress with a lace overlay.
I hold it up for the two of them to see, and Charlotte’s eyes light up.
“It will look great with your boots,” I tell her.
It will. She brought a pair of dark brown distressed cowgirl boots with her. It’s the only decent thing that clown at the Western store in New York sold her.
“You think it will fit me?” she asks as she reverently assesses it.
“Try it on,” I say as I hand it off to her.
She flings her shirt over her head and drops her jeans to the floor. Then, she takes the dress, unzips the back, and slides into it. It’s the perfect fit.
“That looks amazing,” Sophie states.
“And expensive. Are you sure you don’t mind loaning it to me?” Charlotte asks as she walks over to the full-length mirror and turns to see the back.
“I’m sure. Travis bought it for me to wear to an auto show banquet. I only wore it the one time, and I never plan to wear it again. Have fun, and don’t worry about ruining it,” I say, giving her permission.
“You think?” she asks as she throws her arms wide and slowly turns for us.
“Yes. You look like a smoking-hot cowgirl,” Sophie approves.
“Yay! I might even wear it to your engagement party,” she squeals.
“Ugh, I need to get something to wear to that shindig,” I complain.
Sophie’s mother insists on an engagement party even though the wedding itself is only three months away. It seems like a waste of money to me, but Sophie wants to make Vivian happy, and she enjoys nothing more than throwing a party.
“You can wear anything in your closet,” Sophie informs me.
“Yeah, right. Your mom would die if I showed up in jeans and a tee. Besides, I’m sure you’ll be wearing something stunning. I’ll go shopping and at least get a nice dress.”
“What about this?” Charlotte asks as she pulls the clear dress bag down from the hook on the back of my closet door.
I take it from her and unzip it. It’s a soft light-brown leather dress. It’s strapless and formfitting, and it has turquoise accents.
“Wow, that’s gorgeous,” Sophie says as she walks over and runs her hand over it.
“Yeah,” I agree. “I bought it in Denver years ago, paid way too much for it, and just haven’t had an occasion to wear it.”
“There’s no time like the present,” Charlotte says behind us.
I hold the dress up in front of me in the mirror beside my bed. It does look amazing with my light-strawberry-colored hair and tan skin.
What the hell?
I shrug. “Looks like we’re all dressing up tonight.”
After Sophie and I throw our dresses on, we all pile in my truck and head to the bar. Braxton and his friends are meeting us there later.
We walk into Fast Breaks, and Elle and Sonia wave us over to a table near the pool tables.
“Hey, you made it,” Elle says as she hugs Sophie.
“Hi, Elle. This is Charlotte. Charlotte, this is Braxton’s sister, Elowyn,” Sophie introduces the two.
“It’s great to meet you. Wow, you look amazing. I love that dress!” Elle praises.
“Right? Isn’t it hot? Dallas loaned it to me,” Charlotte says as she slides into the stool beside Elle.
April, our server, takes our order as she places a shot glass in front of each of the five of us.
“What’s this?” I ask as I pick the glass up and sniff it.
“Apple Jack shots. The fellas at the bar sent them over,” April informs.
“Which fellas?” Charlotte asks, putting extra emphasis on the word fellas, as she turns around in her seat and searches the faces at the bar.
“The ones at the far-right end.”
I look up to see Russ Eastman and one of his friends. Russ tips his drink in my direction and smiles.
“Friend of yours?” Charlotte asks as she turns back around.
“Sort of,” I reply as I take the shot and down it.
“They dated,” Sophie chimes in.
“We didn’t date. We went on a date. One date,” I correct her.
“What happened there?” Elle asks.
I shrug. “Nothing really. I like him well enough, but every time he called to ask me out, it was either a school night, so I needed to be home or Beau was sick or my babysitter fell through. Finally, he just stopped calling.”
“Hmm, what a jerk,” Elle says as she pushes the shot away.
“Nah, Russ is nice. He really is. Dating isn’t that easy when you have a six-year-old. I won’t introduce a man to Beau—at least not unless it’s serious. I don’t want to bring people in and out of his life and confuse him. So, scheduling time together to get to know each other beyond a quick hook-up isn’t easy.”
“When the right man comes along, it won’t be a hardship to work around your schedule,” Sophie declares.
“Yeah,” I say as I roll my eyes and take Elle’s shot.
April brings our drinks and an order of chips and salsa, and we dig in.
By the end of our second round, Charlotte has talked me into teaching her how to two-step. We’re out on the dance floor, fumbling over the steps, when the door opens, and Braxton, Walker, Silas, and Myer walk in.
“Whoa,” Charlotte gasps and grabs ahold of my shoulder to steady herself. “Who’s that?”
I hang on until she is stable and reply, “That’s Braxton, Sophie’s fiancé, and his friends—Walker, Silas, and Myer.”
“Damn, no wonder she stayed in Colorado,” she muses as her eyes go wide.
“Yep. That Braxton Young is a looker. Sophie came along and snagged him right out from under the noses of all the single gals in Poplar Falls,” I reply.
We walk over to the table where the guys are crowding around.
As we make it to our seats, Sophie is introducing Brax and Charlotte, and Myer pulls my stool out. He has his eyes at the bar where Russ and his friend still sit.
“You need another drink?” he asks.
“Yes, please. Teaching the city girl how to dance is going to require more alcohol.” I laugh.
“I’ll be right back,” he says befor
e walking off toward the bar.
“Now, which one is that one?” Charlotte asks as she leans in and watches Myer’s retreating form.
“That’s Myer,” I inform her as I follow her eyes.
“Is he single?”
“Um, yeah, I guess so,” I answer.
She turns her eyes back to me. “You guess so?”
“I mean, yes, he’s single, but he’s not the one-night-stand kind,” I explain.
“I’m here for almost two weeks. It doesn’t have to be just one night,” she says with a grin.
A sudden case of protectiveness prickles in my chest.
“He’s not the two- or three-night-stand kind either,” I say a little more forcefully.
She raises an eyebrow at me. “Okay, hands off, he’s yours. I get it. Just point me in the direction of one who is available.”
“He’s not mine.” I sputter, “He’s just … he’s Myer.”
“He’s Myer. What exactly does that mean?”
“It means, I don’t think of him that way,” I say as I look back over my shoulder at him.
He’s leaning over the bar, whispering something into the bartender’s ear. The female bartender.
When did she start working here?
“Right,” she says on a laugh.
“What?” I ask as I bring my attention back to her.
“First of all, that beautiful, tall, blue-eyed man is not ‘just’ anything. What he is, is sexy as hell, and you’re a tiny bit possessive of all that hotness.”
“I am not,” I protest.
I’m not. Am I?
“Girl, you turned red when I asked if he was single,” she says as she points to my face. “I thought fire was going to come from your nostrils, and the bartender should have burst into flames from the look you just gave her.”
“I did not turn red. Myer and I are just friends,” I argue.
“Okay … then you won’t mind if I take that cowboy for a test spin tonight,” she says as she takes a drink of her beer.
Just as I’m about to answer, an arm comes around me and places a mason jar and bottle in front of me.
“Here you go, Dal. I brought you a water, too, so you stay hydrated,” Myer says into my ear.
A shiver runs through me.
What the hell was that?
“Hi. I’m Myer,” he says as he reaches his hand in Charlotte’s direction.
“Charlotte,” she says as she smiles up at him in a flirtatious way.
“Sophie’s friend from New York, right?” he asks as she takes his hand.
“That’s me,” she answers with the smile still plastered on her face. Her eyes don’t leave his face.
I look up at him. He is beautiful. His eyes are a deep blue-gray, like the color of storm clouds. He has long, dark eyelashes that brush his cheeks when he looks down at you. His jawline is defined, and it’s covered with a dark stubble that always shows up when he doesn’t shave for a day or two. His black hair is unruly, and he doesn’t try to tame it; he lets it do whatever the hell it wants to do. Most of the time, it’s covered by a ball cap or an old, worn-out cowboy hat.
I watch as he chats with Charlotte, and I realize that I’ve never paid attention to how attractive he is. My gaze travels down to his strong arms. His tee is pulled tight across his broad chest and is tucked into his jeans, which ride low on his hips.
She’s right. He is sexy as hell. Why have I never noticed that before? No wonder the bartender was practically crawling across the bar to talk to him. Huh.
“Dallas?”
His deep voice penetrates my thoughts, and I blink up at him.
“What?”
He chuckles.
“Braxton asked if you girls want to play a game of pool,” he says as he curiously looks at me.
“Oh.” I look down at myself and back up to him. “Not sure it’s such a good idea in this dress.”
His eyes slowly move down my body. He brings his hand to my side and slides it down to my hip.
“Yeah, maybe not,” he says and brings his eyes back to mine, “but it’d sure be fun to watch you try.”
I smack his arm, and he chuckles.
“It looks good on. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Thank you,” I say as I meet his stare.
Heat.
Is that heat dancing between Myer and me? Surely not. I’ve just had too many cocktails, and Charlotte has gotten into my head.
Myer
“That’s three to two, ladies,” Walker taunts as he pockets the last ball.
“You just got lucky.” Dallas pouts.
She changed her mind, and she and Elle decided to play us after all. I’ve spent the last hour making sure no one can see her panties when she bends over to take a shot. It’s been sweet torture.
“Baby, that’s pure skill,” he says with a wink in Elle’s direction. “I have lots of skills.”
“Yeah, you’re a skilled cheater,” Elle pipes in.
He gives her a playful grin. “Me? I don’t cheat,” he says as he places his hand over his heart.
“Please. You did whatever you could to distract me every time I went to take a shot,” she accuses.
“Woman, it’s not my fault you’re so easily distracted.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re a devil,” she says with a shake of her head.
“That I am, baby girl. That I am,” he agrees.
Braxton is standing to the left beside Sophie, who is seated at one of the pub tables, and he is watching their exchange.
“Walker, quit being an ass to my little sister. We all know you cheat,” he interjects.
“Fine. I’ll prove my innocence. Best out of seven, and I’ll be on my best behavior,” he says as he crosses his heart with his finger.
“No way. It’s getting late, and I’m beat,” Elle says.
“Chicken,” Walker mumbles at her, and she sticks her tongue out at him.
“Come on. I’ll take my girls home,” Braxton offers. He cuts his eyes to me. “I got Sophie, Elle, and Charlotte. You got Dallas and Sonia?” he asks.
“Yep,” I answer.
“What about me? Who’s taking my drunk ass home?” Walker asks as he looks between us.
“Chloe’s coming to pick you and Silas up,” Braxton informs him. Chloe is Silas’s ever patient wife.
“I’m not tired. I can stay a while,” Charlotte says as she walks over to Walker.
He puts his arm around her neck. “Well then, I will buy you another drink while we wait on Chloe to arrive,” he says as he turns her and leads her back into the bar area.
Sophie watches them and shakes her head.
“We can stay if you want,” Braxton offers.
“No, she’s a big girl, and I know you’re exhausted. I’ll just have Aunt Doreen leave the door unlocked for her.” She walks over and hugs Dallas. “I’ll come by in the morning and pick you up. We are going on a surprise road trip,” she says.
“Payne can bring me. He has to bring Beau home anyway,” Dallas says.
“See if he can keep him a couple extra hours. If not, I’m sure Aunt Doreen and Aunt Rita wouldn’t mind watching him. We have a party mission.” She grins.
“You got it. I’ll ask him. See you tomorrow—and hopefully not two of you, like I’m seeing now,” Dallas says as she sways on her feet.
They say their good-byes, and I corral her and Sonia into my truck.
We drop Sonia off first, and then I head to Dallas’s. About halfway there, she starts yawning. She kicks her boots off and curls her legs up in the seat of the truck.
I do my best to keep my eyes on the damn road. That dress has been driving me crazy all night. It fits her perfect and hugs her curves in all the right places.
“Myer, I think I might be drunk,” she says as she closes her eyes and lays her head back against the seat.
“You think so, huh?” I say playfully.
She peeks one eye open and looks at me. “You’re handsome,” she says w
ith a slight slur.
“Thank you.” I chuckle.
“I’m serious. You are. You had Charlotte all hot and bothered tonight,” she insists.
“Is that right? Must be why she stayed with Walker.” I smirk.
“No, no, she stayed with Walker because I told her to back off you,” she says, and then her eyes fly open and meet mine. “I mean, I told her you weren’t that kind of guy,” she tries to explain.
“You mean, the kind of guy who would want to go home with a beautiful woman?” I ask just to tease her.
“You think she’s beautiful?” she asks and then shakes her head. “Of course you do; she is beautiful.”
“She is,” I agree. “But you’re right. The only beautiful woman I want to take home is the one in my truck,” I say as I smile over at her.
She bites her lip. “You think I’m beautiful?” she asks as if she doesn’t believe me.
“Dallas Stovall, I think you are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met,” I answer honestly.
She blinks at me as if the words aren’t registering.
“Really?” she breathes.
I grin and cut my eyes from the road to her. “You know you’re gorgeous.”
Her forehead crinkles, and she shakes her head.
“I’m a mess,” she whispers into the cab.
I reach over and take her hand into mine. She lays her head back down, and before we make it to her house, she is fast asleep.
I put the truck in park, and I walk to her side and open the door. I give her a gentle jostle to wake her. She barely rouses.
“Hey, we’re home,” I tell her.
She mumbles something incoherent and hands her keys over to me.
I unlock her front door and turn the lamp beside the door on. Then, I go back for her.
I pick her and her boots up. She wraps her arms around my neck. I carefully walk her to the house and to the couch. She curls up on her side and immediately passes back out. I walk into Beau’s room and grab a pillow from his bed. I bring it and place it under her head.
I throw the blanket off the back of the couch over her and kiss the top of her head. I whisper, “Good night,” and quietly let myself out, taking her keys and locking the dead bolt behind me.