Page 35 of Marrying a Cowboy

“Austin and I met a few years back. At a retreat. We. . . hit it off.” She lied. Why was she lying? There was something about the way his grandmother was staring at there that made her feel terrible. After she took a deep breath, she forced another smile. She was doing this for Austin. She needed to focus and put her game faceon.

“Funny. Austin’s never mentioned you.” Mrs. Maverick said, folding her arms and leaning back on thechair.

“He wouldn’t have. We parted ways and didn’t meet up again until the wedding.” Her face heated as she slammed her lips shut. What was she doing? Maybe she should feign sickness and book it back upstairs to wake up Austin. But, from the skeptical look Mrs. Maverick was giving her, she was rooted to herspot.

“So, let me get this straight. You haven’t seen Austin for a few years. You met up again at a wedding this last weekend and now you are married?” Her gaze bore into Emma’s. It was like she knew that they were fakingeverything.

“Well, we hadn’t physically met. We’ve been, you know, messaging—texting. That sort of thing. Since the retreat.” Why did Emma have the sinking feeling that Mrs. Maverick just might ask for proof? She seemed like that kind ofperson.

Mrs. Maverick interlaced her fingers and set them on top of the table. “You were doing this all while he was dating Georgia? Were you the reason they broke up? What kind of person texts a guy who is engaged?” Her eyes narrowed as she stared atEmma.

Emma nearly choked on the apple chunk in her mouth. What had she gotten herself into? Everyone in town had been right. Alayna Maverick was just as scary as they hadsaid.

After her coughing fit died down, Emma swallowed, her eyes watering from the tickle in her throat. Mrs. Maverick stood and made her way over to the counter where she grabbed a tissue and handed it over to her. Emma took it and nodded thanks. Mrs. Maverick then returned to her seat to studyEmma.

Emma should have never come to Montana. Everything that she’d gone through these last few days were going to be for naught. His grandmother pretty much guessed their lie after being in Emma’s presence for only a handful of minutes. How was she going to keep this charade up for longer thanthat?

Before Emma opened her mouth and stuck her foot farther into it, Austin’s figure appeared in the doorway. His hair stuck up on one side, and his eyes were barelyopen.

“Emma?” he asked as he made his way into the kitchen. “Why didn’t you come back to bed?” He made his way over to the cupboard where he pulled it open and removed a coffeemaker.

“Hello, Austin,” Mrs. Mavericksaid.

Austin stopped. From where Emma sat, she could see his shoulders tighten. The seconds he took to turn around felt like hours. Emma was terrified and relieved at the same time. Could he keep up the lie better than her? What if hecouldn’t?

“Gran?” he asked as he turned and looked straight at her. “What are you doing here so early?” He glanced up at the clock that hung over thedoor.

Mrs. Maverick sighed as she glanced over at Austin. “I didn’t realize I needed to announce myself in my own house. It’s not yours, Austin. Not yet.” She turned her gaze back to Emma and narrowed hereyes.

“I was chatting with your wife. It seems she’s telling me the same story you did.” She glanced over at Emma. So, she did know. Why all thegames?

Emma wanted to dissolve on the spot. How could one woman eliminate all her confidence with a single look. Not knowing what else to do, Emma just shot her a smile. Hopefully, it looked confident and not like she just might have a few screwsloose.

“Coffee, Gran?” Austin asked, pulling Mrs. Maverick’s attention back over tohim.

“Of course,” she said. “But wait, I have the blend I like.” She stood and made her way over to the door. “It’s in my suitcase. I’ll be rightback.”

Once she was gone, Emma slid off her seat and marched right over to Austin. He was going to give her answers. Now. “Not as bad as everyone said, huh?” she asked, leaning against the counter so he had to look ather.

“What are you talking about, Emma?” he asked as he flipped the faucet on and fill the pot withwater.

“Austin, your grandmother. She’s scary. Why didn’t you warn me?” Emma folded her arms. For the first time, she felt a bit betrayed. They were supposed to do this together. Not separate. Why didn’t he feel like he could tell herthis?

Austin’s jaw muscles were twitching when he placed the pot down on the counter. “People like Susan and Jasmine, they don’t know. She’s not thatbad.”

Emma raised her eyebrows. Really? That’s what he thought? “Austin, she basically said I was your bootycall.”

Austin’s gaze whipped over to her. “I don’t even think my grandmother knows what a booty callis.”

Maybe she’d been wrong. But probably not. Emma had always been pretty good at reading women. Men—not so much. “She blamed me for breaking up your relationship withGeorgia.”

He stared at her. “Why would she dothat?”

Heat raced to Emma’s cheeks. “She asked me how long I’d known you. I told her since the retreat.” Emma dropped her gaze. “And that we ended up at the wedding together. But then I added that I had been in contact with you since we saw each other the first time.” Now that she was saying it out loud. It did sound bad. She did sound like a homewrecker.

“Why would you tell her any ofthat?”

Emma sighed and rubbed her hands with her face. Her emotions were out of whack. Perhaps it was the strangely clean air. Or wide-open spaces. Or the confusing man in front of her that had her questioning everything. “I don’t know. It’s early. And. . .” Emma shrugged. Maybe she was crazy. These last few days had put her on a rollercoaster. Add exhaustion to that and it equaled an emotionally crazedwoman.

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