Page 10 of One-of-a-Kind Bride

“Oh, I see. And why is that?”

“Because Muffin’s her real name.”

“Says Coop, the guy who’s gone by his shortened last name for his entire life.”

“Says the girl who was chasing down a dog in someone else’s weddin’ gown.”

She gave him her chin. “How do you know it’s not my…my wedding gown.”

Hell if it was. His brows lifted. “Is it?”

She shook her head. “No. Do people still call you Coop?”

He eyed her. “Most people do. My wife used to call me Ryan.” Coop took a swallow, wondering why on earth he just told her that.

He didn’t talk about Francine. Not to anyone. She’d been gone for three years and still the pain gnawed in his gut.

“Get in. I’ll give you a ride back to Julie’s.”

Taylor was silent as she opened the door and climbed into the cab of the truck.

He tucked Muffin over the Silverado’s side panel and set her inside the bed. “Lie down,” he said firmly. The dog did as she was told and set her head on her front paws. She gazed up at him, looking remorseful. “Stay.”

“Is she safe back there?” Taylor asked.

“Should be. Didn’t want her dirty paws ruining the gown.”

“It’ll be an easy fix,” she said, unconcerned.

She was a big fashion designer now. She’d gone after her dream and had achieved it. At least losing her had meant something. At least she’d been the success she’d always wanted to be, so it wasn’t all for nothing.

“I’m sorry about your wife, Coop,” she said quietly. “I didn’t hear about it right away. I’m…it must have been hard.”

Her voice held too much sympathy, too much understanding. He didn’t know what to do with that. He couldn’t say, “It’s okay.” Because it wasn’t. He couldn’t pass off Francine’s death as something frivolous. Losing her had been monumental and put a giant hole in his heart. “We met when I was living in LA.”

She nodded and turned her body toward him. “You have a child?”

Coop couldn’t keep the smile off his face. His daughter was a bright spot in his life. “Cassie, yeah. She’s eight. We live with my father now. Dad was getting up in age and Cassie needed the stability so we moved back here.”

“You’re working construction with your dad?”

“Dad’s mostly retired. He’s Grandpa Joe now, and helps out with Cassie.”

“I bet he loves that. Your dad was always good with kids.”

“Yeah, he does.” Coop gave her a glance, their eyes connecting.

He had to stop looking at her like she was the girl he knew, the girl he’d played with every summer. The girl who’d stolen his young heart. He didn’t know Taylor at all anymore. She had a whole life back in New York. And he’d moved on too, their lives taking completely different paths. He couldn’t forget Francine and how much she’d meant him. How she’d filled a void in his life and gave him a daughter. Seeing Taylor again after all this time shouldn’t matter. It didn’t. She was once his friend and that was how he’d leave it, despite the green eyes and familiar pretty face. Despite her long, dark wavy hair and contagious smile.

He started the engine and made a U-turn with his truck, keeping his gaze focused on the road. Taylor was quiet on the short drive and he wasn’t about to encourage any more conversation. Once he pulled up to Julie’s house, he set the parking brake and gave her a glance.

Her eyes fluttered and she sighed, as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. What was with her, running around in that getup, showing up three weeks early to Last Stand? Yeah, he’d noticed.

“Well, thanks for the ride,” she said, breaking the awkward silence. “And for the rescue.” It struck him how she sat in the passenger seat with all that ivory cascading around her like a porcelain doll encased in folds of material. “I don’t think I would’ve caught up to Muffy without your help.”

“No problem.” He got out of the truck.

Taylor climbed out too, struggling with the gown a bit as she met him around the back end, where Muffy was waiting, her paws scratching at the tailgate.

---