Page 1 of Nashville Cowboy
Prologue
There’s apparently a small matter that I need to address. The very nature of our little town has some young women taking temporary leave of their senses. Yes, you may have heard the rumors, and they’re true. We hold the dubious distinction of being the town with the greatest number of runaway brides in…ahem…history.
And though we’re nevercompletelyshocked when this happens, it’s still a sad situation. Jilted grooms are not what we’d like our town to be known for. The problem is, because our women have often dated more than one man, and they have such fine choices before them, they hesitate to settle down with one.
Why do they get all the way to the altar before they figure this out, you may ask?
I wish I knew!
You may have guessed, but this is also true: there’s a wedding in the works and our very own “Nashville” cowboy, Jackson Carver, will be coming home to be his older brother Lincoln’s best man. As luck, or fate, would have it, the maid of honor, Eve Iglesias, happens to be the same woman who left poor Jackson at the altar.
While we don’t exactly expect a brawl to break out between these two, anything could happen. And we sure don’t want anything to interfere with the Stephens/Carver wedding, a long time coming, believe you me.
To say we’re all alittlesensitive about these upcoming nuptials is perhaps an understatement. We’re worried sick!
~ Beulah Hayes,acting president of the Society of Reasonable, Respectable Orderly Women (SORROW), and author ofThe Men of Stone Ridge, tenth edition ~
Chapter 1
Lincoln Carver woke to a beautiful naked woman splayed all over him, her long sweet-smelling hair fanned across his chest. Her arm was slung across his waist, one curvy leg between his two legs. Good thing it was his fiancée. Sadie Stephens, also known as the love of his life.
Lincoln Carver was one lucky cowboy and he knew it. He scrubbed a hand down his face. But Jesus. Lucky or not, he wasnotlooking forward to today. His brother would be arriving.
“Baby, wake up.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you know what I have to do today?”
“Make me coffee?”
“Pick Jackson up at the airport.”
“Mm,” she mumbled, and then as if just now hearing him, “Oh.”
“Yup.” She shifted and he tugged her into his arms. “Not going to be a fun time.”
She sat up straight, her hair adorably mussed. “Today! He’s coming back today.”
Uh-oh. He did not like the look on her face, filled with hope and anticipation that had nothing to do with him, or how luckyhemight get this morning.
“Sadie,” he said in a warning tone. “We talked about this.”
“I know we did, and I’m not doin’ anything but standing by watching, helpless, as Jackson and Eve are reunited once more.” She smiled and smoothed down her hair. “You can’t stand in the path of true love. All I’m doin’ is providing the perfect opportunity. They’re going to stand up for us at Trinity Church and when they glance at each other across the altar…”
“He’ll reach over and wring her neck?” he provided helpfully.
“No, baby.” She settled back down into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. “They’re supposed to realize that could have been them at the altar. And that maybe it’s not too late.”
“There’s a little thing you’re forgetting. She ran out on him on the day of their wedding and my brother is not the forgivin’ type.”
“What if he still loves her?” She propped her chin on his chest.
“There you go getting carried away again.”
“I just want them to be as happy as we are. Remember, you didn’t want to fall in love and get married, either? And now look at you.”
“Yeah, now look at me.” He splayed his hands behind his neck. “Mornin’ sex. Afternoon sex. Nighttime sex. I’m really sufferin’ here.”
