“It’s stuffy. I like places where it's lively and fun. Where a couple can dance and laugh and not feel like they’re interrupting other people.” He could sure picture dancing with Gabby, her head back with a throaty laugh, him loving the way she felt in his arms. Maybe this was the best place to take her. He had less of a chance of getting himself into trouble.
She waited a beat, catching her bottom lip in her teeth, and then grinned. “Then let’s go.”
He blinked. “You’d want to go dancing?”
“Why not? These boots are comfortable, and I don’t know that I’ve ever been asked to go dancing. It could be fun.”
No one had ever asked her to go dancing? That was a crime. Wyatt leaned forward a little more. “Gabby, would you like to go dancing?”
She giggled. “I’d love to.”
He stood and pulled out his wallet, tossing down enough bills that he was positive would cover their meal and the tip. As he held his hand out to her, he said, “Then let’s go.”
Gabby slipped her hand into his, and it was electric. Little zaps of electricity rocketed through him and made his head swim. Had there ever been a time when a woman made him feel like this? Excited, happy, content? A bull ride didn’t even compare, and not too long ago, he would have said bull riding was everything. He couldn’t say that with conviction right that moment. Not when he compared it to spending time with Gabby.
Once they left the restaurant, they drove around until they spotted a place that seemed to fit what they were looking for. Inside, it sported booths and tables on the outside of a dance floor. The music was a little loud, but not too bad. Most of the people were in jeans and t-shirts. It was what Wyatt called casual and easy.
“I think I’m overdressed now.” Gabby snuggled closer to Wyatt, tickling his ear as she spoke.
He shook his head. “Not hardly. You’re perfect.”
They found a table and sat, waiting for a song they both liked. Wyatt hoped for something slow and longer than three minutes, but he had a feeling that however long the song might be, it wouldn’t be long enough.
Gabby looked around. “I’m surprised the place is so busy on a Wednesday night.”
“Yeah, me too, but I guess this could be someone’s Friday.” He smiled.
As she brought her gaze back to his, she said, “I hadn’t thought about it like that, but you have a point.” The smile that stretched on her lips made him glad he was sitting down. She had to have the most incredible smile of any he’d ever seen. He couldn’t remember a time when a woman had smiled his way and affected him like that.
Instead of waiting for a slow song, they went to the dance floor and joined in with the other people. Several tunes played before Wyatt got his wish for a slow song. Pulling her close as the song began, he slid his arm around her waist. How many times had he hugged her? Plenty, and none of them felt this strange. She fit against him so perfectly, like she was personally designed for him.
“Those fast songs were fun, but I’m glad to get a little break,” she said as they moved around the dance floor.
Wyatt agreed but for way different reasons. “I’ll definitely need a shower before I hit the sack tonight.”
She laughed. “Me too, but I’ve enjoyed this.”
“I’m glad. I can’t believe you’ve never been dancing. Those Charleston men don’t know what’s fun.”
“Oh, I was too busy for dating.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t date?”
As she looked down, she shrugged one shoulder. “A little, but none of them went anywhere. One date here, maybe another there. I was focused on my career.”
“I can see you doing that. You set your mind to something, and it’s a done deal. You have determination in spades.”
“Maybe. I think it’s sometimes a bad thing. I don’t know when to give up.”
Wasn’t that a good thing? Never giving up on your dream or goals? “I wouldn’t think that’s a bad thing.”
Again, she shrugged and lifted her gaze to his. “I tend to get my heart broken. It gets tiring after a while.”
Man, he hated thinking of her getting hurt. That didn’t settle well with him at all. “You could have called someone. Carrie Anne, your sister…me.”
Why hadn’t she called him? He’d called her a few times. Mostly just after she left, but then his career took off and time got away from him. Eventually, he didn’t even think about it. Not that he didn’t think about her or care about her, just…life got in the way.
“I needed to stand on my own. I’d leaned against someone my whole life.”
“You can be independent and still lean on people now and then. That doesn’t make you weak. I sure had to lean on people when I had my accident.” It had been a humbling experience. That was a lesson he’d needed, though. He wasn’t invincible, and the broken bones proved it.
She took a deep breath, seeming to consider his words. “I know, and you’re right. I guess at the time, I felt like if I did, I’d never figure things out on my own.”
“That stubborn streak of yours…it hasn’t lessened a bit.” He grinned.
Her head tipped back as she laughed. Boy, did he love the sound of it. Even more, he loved being the source of it. “Yeah, I guess it hasn’t.”
He spun her around and pulled her back, and she laughed again. As the song came to an end, he dipped her. Again, her head fell back as she laughed, and all he could think was that he didn’t want it to stop. He straightened, bringing her with him.
The smile on her lips lit up her entire face and made her simply…breathtaking. As his gaze lingered on her lips, he leaned forward. He could kiss her. Just as a way of proving all his errant thoughts were off the mark. That he wasn’t attracted to her or found himself wondering what it would be like to feel her lips on his.
Not more than a breath away, she stepped back, breaking the moment. “I guess we should, um, go sit down. Unless you want to dance to the faster songs again.”
That wasn’t what he wanted at all. He wanted to whisk her away, find a quiet place, and spend a few hours memorizing the softness of her skin and the taste of her lips.
Then his heart took a dive as Bandit came to mind. Her great night on the town was supposed to have been spent with another man. That Wyatt was even thinking romantic things about her wasn’t right. Bandit deserved a better friend than that. Still, Wyatt couldn’t shake the feeling that she didn’t fit with Bandit. He’d felt that way for the past week and a half, and now, after spending the evening with her, the feeling was even stronger.
It didn’t feel wrong to be with her. Everything about the evening was right. This vivacious woman with him was exactly where she was meant to be. Did she see that? Feel it? How could she not? Their friendship was comfortable. It was easy and effortless. They…worked. They always had.
Slipping into the seat next to her, he wondered what he could do to make her see that. He didn’t want to be disloyal to Bandit, but Wyatt couldn’t picture himself with anyone but her. The thought hit him like a sledgehammer. Why did his epiphanies have to have such bad timing?
“Yeah,” he said and cleared his throat. “Let’s sit this one out and cool off a little.” Most likely, that wasn’t going to happen. The cooling off part. Not when she was so near.
Inwardly, he groaned. Bull riding was so much easier. It was simple. Sit, hold on for eight seconds, done. No deep thoughts. No questions. Why couldn’t everything be like that?
Chapter 15
Tossing off the covers, Gabby sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. It was pitch-black outside, and she hadn’t had a wink of sleep yet. She had too much on her mind. Going out with Wyatt that night had been fun and a dream come true. She could have sworn he’d almost kissed her again, but she’d stopped it. It had taken every ounce of will power to do it, but somehow she’d managed. Besides, what if he’d kissed her and then apologized again? That would have been worse.
She trudged to the door and peeked out
to make sure no one was up. There was no noise floating up from the first floor, and if her family was still up, there would be. Quiet was not one of their attributes.
Once she was sure she was in the clear, she tiptoed downstairs. As she passed the living room, she startled. “Daddy! You don’t sit in a dark room at night. You’ll give someone a heart attack.”
He turned on a nearby lamp. “Me? How about you? You’re out sneaking around. I’m older and have more risk.”
She wandered over to the closest chair and turned it to face the window like her dad’s. “Anything interesting out there?”
“I think I saw a few rabbits, but other than that, it’s been uneventful.”
“Well, we are out in the middle of nowhere,” she said with a chuckle.
“What’s got you up so late, baby girl?” He laid his head on the back of the chair.
She crossed her arms over her chest and sat back. “Oh, nothing. Just...awake.”
He snorted. “You sure it ain’t Wyatt West that’s got your sandman in a headlock?”
Did everyone know about her crush on Wyatt West? Good thing she didn’t play poker; otherwise, she’d be in the poor house. “I’m not thinking about him.”
“Oh, really? That’ll be a first.”
“I’m over him,” she lied.
Her dad lifted one bushy eyebrow and leveled his eyes at her. “You went on a date with him last night, and now you’re up and unable to sleep?”
“He was just being nice because Bandit wasn’t able to take me out. I used to have a crush on him, but I’ve outgrown that.” Now that she said it, that’s exactly why Wyatt had volunteered. Which meant she’d also imagined the part where she thought he was going to kiss her. In a way, she was sad that she hadn’t had the brains to figure that out sooner. It would have been a disaster if she’d actually puckered up. Talk about embarrassing.
Her dad lifted his head and looked at her. “Okay, if you say so.”
She scoffed. “I have. I need to be over him. He thinks of me as a friend. I’ll always be that little girl with the crush. It’s foolish to hold a torch for someone who can’t even see you.” Wyatt had never really seen her. Ever. If he did, she sure didn’t know it.
Her dad remained quiet for a moment and then said, “Talk to me, baby girl. What else is on your mind?”
Her relationship with her dad had always been like this. He was someone she could always come to. He never passed judgment or made her problems feel small. If she was going to tell anyone, it’d be him.
“I lost my job at the paper. I thought I was getting a promotion, and they gave me a pink slip. They wanted fresh blood. Like somehow twenty-four is too old all of a sudden? I’m not seventy.”
“Hey, now. I’m not too far from that, and I can tell you, fifty is the new thirty.”
Gabby giggled. “Sure, Dad.”
“All right, keep going. Give that boulder on your shoulder a shove.”
She’d missed this too. They’d done just this thing numerous times. It was like he knew she’d need someone to talk to and was waiting for her. If she ever had kids, she wanted to have this kind of relationship with them. One where they knew they could talk to her about anything and she was never too busy for them.
“I’m thinking about getting a loan and buying the paper here in Caprock Canyon. I’ve been looking at the Small Business Association website. I think I can do it.” She glanced at him.
He nodded. “Well, of course you can. You just need a solid plan and a good business model. We’re going to need a paper once the town is prospering again.”
She twisted in her chair to face him. “Exactly what I thought.”
“It’ll be hard work. You know a business isn’t easy. You’ll be the boss, and you’ll have to keep a close eye on costs.”
“I know. I figure I’ll look into the financials of the newspaper and see how they were fairing when they were open. If I adjust for inflation, it should give me a good idea what to expect as far as expenses and possible profit.”
“Sounds like a good start.”
She shrugged. “I hope so. I have some savings, and I think I’ll try using the local Caprock Canyon Bank.”
“That’s real smart. I’ve known the president since she was a wee thing. They had this fella from Florida or somewhere for a while. Couldn’t stand him. Iris Hastings is smart as a whip. We were glad when she came home and took the job. Haven’t had a bit of trouble since she took over.”
Gabby cast her gaze to the floor as she tried to remember an Iris Hastings. “Oh, yeah, I think she was a senior when I was in middle school. The high school would have them come over and talk to us. She was a cheerleader.”
“Yep, her dad was a good man. Her momma is still getting around, but I heard she took a bad fall. That was one of the reasons Iris moved back. Sweet, sweet girl to do that.”
It felt like the planets were coming into alignment for Gabby. Her dad seemed to think she could pull it off. She had an in with the bank president. Okay, so maybe that was taking it a little too far, but she at least had a history with the woman. “If I’m careful, I think this could work.”
“I do too. I bet Stephanie would help you with a website.”
“Yeah, I thought maybe I’d ask her when the craziness of the holidays is over and I’m not on maid-of-honor duty. That also reminds me that I’ve got to come up with a bachelorette party. Not sure what I’m going to do yet.” Especially since she hadn’t even thought about it until right that second.
Her dad chuckled. “Well, it’ll be nothing too wild, I hope.”
Gabby rolled her eyes. “Dad, no. Carrie Anne’s favorite thing is watching movies and eating junk food. I’ll probably have us go to dinner at a nice restaurant. Maybe we’ll go dancing or something, but that’s as wild as I’ll get.”
“That does a dad’s heart good.” He smiled.
They sat in comfortable silence a while, watching as different animals made appearances. The thought of owning the orchard tugged at her thoughts a few times. It was nice being on the ranch. The quiet beauty of the land. Having miles and miles of stars to watch and partnering with someone to give families the chance to experience it themselves. It was a nice dream, but that’s all it was.
“Daddy, do you really think I could pull off re-opening the paper?”
“I do, but like I said, it’ll be hard work.”
She nodded. “I can work hard.”
Her dad stood and pulled her up with him, putting his arms around her. “Baby girl, you’ve got a sharp mind, a strong spirit, and a kind heart. Whatever you decide, I know you’ll put your all into it. Personally, I’ll just be glad to have you home, paper or not.”
Until he hugged her, she didn’t realize how much she’d needed her dad. It was the soothing hug that said he understood all her fears, hopes, and heartaches. That he was there for her no matter what and believed in her. “Thanks, Dad.”
They stood there a moment, and then he stepped back. “It’s past my bedtime. I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”
Gabby’s smile faltered a little. “Sure.”
“What has your smile taking a dive?”
“I guess it’s hard for me to have dreams without Wyatt in them. I’ve tried to tell myself that I’m just done, but…”
“He’s been a big part of your life.” Her dad inhaled and let it out slowly. “You know, just because all the parts of a dream don’t come true when you think they should doesn’t mean they won’t ever. I’m not saying he’ll ever wise up, but don’t wait. You walk on and do what you need to do to be happy.”
“Yeah, you’re right. And thank you.”
He winked. “Go get ’em, baby girl.”
She watched as he left the living room and then sat down again, the dark outside swallowing everything but a few inches out from the house. Getting her dad’s approval of her idea had meant the world to her. If nothing else, it gave her the gusto to work even harder to make it a reality. He was alwa
ys proud of her, but she wanted to give him an even better reason.
Maybe he was right about Wyatt too. She’d keep moving on, and if he ever decided to catch up, it would be great. If not and he was too late, then that was on him. She wasn’t standing still anymore. Not for him, not for anyone. She was loving someone and setting them free, and she was going to do the same for herself.
Chapter 16
“Gabby?”
The sound of her name brought her back to earth. She’d spent the last week following Carrie Anne’s plan and preparing for the date. Phase one was being unavailable to Wyatt. Apparently, making herself unavailable was supposed to drive him crazy. If it was working, he was doing a good job of hiding it. It did make it easier on Gabby. She wasn’t stuck with Wyatt every second of the day, which was what she’d envisioned when she’d went along with the whole scheme.
Carrie Anne called her name again. “Gabby? What do you think?”
Gabby blinked and took in the dress her friend was wearing. It was beautiful, but something was missing. “I like the lace and the empire waist, but it doesn’t fit your personality.”
“Where were you just now?” Carrie Anne eyed her, and the question caused everyone to stare at Gabby.
Gabby’s mom patted her on the arm. “Daydreaming, huh?”
“A little. I’m sorry.”
Mrs. West chuckled. “It’s been a pretty long day.”
“Long week,” Carrie Anne added. “I’m sorry. I thought it would be easier to find my dress, but I just haven’t found the right one.”
Gabby’s mom stood and walked to Carrie Anne. “Love, it takes time. We’re happy to be here.” She fussed with Carrie Anne’s hair. “You’re going to make a beautiful bride, and you need the perfect dress.”
Stephanie took a deep breath. “Maybe we need to go to a bigger city.” She looked around. “No offense to this store. I mean, I love that dress you have on, but if it isn’t the one, you can’t settle.”
“I’d hate to do that after all their hard work. They’ve brought in a ton of dresses for me.”
The Best Friend's Billionaire Brother (Caprock Canyon Romance Book 1) Page 11