Page 5 of Marrying a Cowboy

She patted his arm, pausing to give his bicep one last squeeze, and then walked away, waving down a pimple-facedteenager.

Emma had returned to eating when Austin turned his attention back to her. For some reason, he felt nervous. He just wasn’t sure why. They’d already talked, and he’d already offended her. So, their reunion was off to a greatstart.

“I brought this for you.” He set the glass of champagne down and then noticed the one sitting in front of her. “Oh, I didn’t see that you hadone.”

She glanced up at him and gave him a smile. “The waiter dropped one off earlier. He just barely beat you toit.”

Well, she was talking to him. Maybe she wasn’t as mad as he’d thought. “Mind if I sit here?” he asked, pulling out the chair next to her and waving towardit.

“Sure,” shesaid.

Austin sat down, not quite sure where to look. He wanted to talk to her, but for some reason, his tongue was tied. What was happening to him? It must be the polluted New York air. It was muddling up his brain. “So, you’re still single?” Just as he said it, he kicked himself. Who says that? Of course, he knew she was single. It had been made abundantly clear since he’d mether.

She glanced over at him and then took a sip of her champagne. “What gave me away? Was it my total lack of a ring or the fact that every person over the age of fifty seems to have the magical remedy to cure my single-itis?”

Austin laughed. For how quirky she was, Emma had a wit that drew him in. “Single-itis? That’s perfect. I’m going to have to use that in thefuture.”

Emma nodded as she swirled a piece of steak around in some sauce. “As progressive as we are as a society, you’d think that men would get reamed out for not being married just as much as a woman.” She shook her fork at him. “Not true. Take George for example.” She nodded in the direction of a man with a comb-over who was leaning back in his chair, scratching his stomach. “He’s forty and single but do you see all the elderly do-gooders swarming his table? Nope.” She stabbed another piece of steak with a bit too much gusto. “You’relucky.”

Austin leaned back on his chair as he mulled over herwords.

Before he could say anything, she spoke up. “It must be because men don’t have a biological clock.” She took a sip of herchampagne.

Now, he really didn’t know what to say to that. Growing up an only child never prepared him for what to do when women talked about anything physical. She glanced over at him as if she expected him to respond. Desperate to say something, he blurted out, “You’ve got time.” His face heated as he studied her. Was that the wrong thing tosay?

Emma turned back to her plate and sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. This”—she motioned to her face—“ is not me. Weddings just bring the worst out in me, ya know?” She picked up the napkin on her lap and wiped her lips. “I’m being rude. And I was rude earlier. It’s been years since we’ve seen each other. There’s no way you would rememberme.”

Austin studied her. He liked how honest she was, even if she was yelling at him. She was transparent and it wasrefreshing.

“It’s okay. I totally get it. I’m the same way.” Austin drummed the table as he watched the guests milling around the room. A few brave souls were on the dance floor moving like they didn’t care that half the room was watching them. He understood. He’d been content in his single life before he’d decided to pull the trigger with Georgia. And what did that gethim?

Not wanting to spend a lot of money on the wedding, Georgia had agreed to an elopement. Too bad he’d already added her to his bank account right before they set the date. Not only did she not show, but she drained his accounts. Now he had nothing to fix up his crumblingranch.

“Marriage stinks,” he said. He needed to stop thinking about his poor decisions. Wasn’t the reason he was here was to forget his pastmistakes?

When he glanced back at her, he saw that she was studying him. There was a hint of curiosity in her gaze. Like she was trying to figure him out. Or he had food on his face. One way or the other, it made himuncomfortable.

“Thomas tells me you’re a food photographer? What’s that?” he asked. Moving the conversation back to her seemed like a good idea. Plus, it gave him time to make sure his face was clean. He nonchalantly reached up and rubbed his lips and cheeks. When he didn’t feel anything there, he let out the breath he’d beenholding.

Emma took another bite and sighed. “See the food?” She motioned to her half-full plate. “I take pictures of the items on it. Well, before someone eats it. I’m aphotographeroffood.” She gave him a hintedsmile.

Austin nodded. “Ah. See, it was thephotographerpart that was messing meup.”

She chuckled. “It trips most people up. And what about you? You’re still acowboy?”

If only it were so glamorous. “I’m a rancher. I inherited my ranch from my grandfather.” Just as he spoke, a waiter appeared with a plate full of steak and potatoes and set it down in front of him. Austin thanked him and dug in. He didn’t realize until now how hungry he was. After Thomas’ call last night, he bought the first plane ticket out just to show up in time for his tux fitting and thewedding.

He heard Emma’s soft chuckle when half of the food on his plate wasgone.

“Don’t ranchers eat?” Sheasked.

He nodded. “I just haven’t eaten sinceyesterday.”

She leaned closer to him. “Scared you wouldn’t fit into your tux?” She gave him a sly smile and straightened. “I get it. It’s like every bride’s nightmare. I don’t think Shannon has had solid food in three weeks. She’s all apple cider vinegar and Cajun pepper.” She stuck out her tongue as she shook her head. “That won’t be me. . .” Her voice trailed off as she glanced down at her foldedhands.

Austin studied her. It had to be hard. Being the last to get married. Feeling that social pressure for different reasons than him, but hard none the less. Before he could say something to help her feel better, a woman appeared next to them. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun and a pair of readers was perched on her nose. She looked like an older, more tight-lipped version of Emma. Her gaze floated from Emma and then over tohim.

“Hello, dear. And who isthis?”

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