Page 10 of Soldier Cowboy
Two bedrooms, thank you, God. One of them seemed more like a guest room containing a dresser and a small twin bed with a faded green-and-white patchwork quilt. She’d take that room because she couldn’t see a man the size of Colton fitting on the bed.
“This is nice,” she commented as Colton brought in her suitcases and his own.
One. He had one bag. He set them down in the foyer and shut the front door.
“That’s it?Onebag?”
“I travel light. Figure some of my clothes will be at the main house in my old room. And I’ll buy new stuff if I need it.”
He ran a hand through his closely cropped hair and scanned the room as if looking for something he recognized. Sometime during their long drive, short dark beard stubble had made an appearance. But rather than make him look tougher, now he just seemed…human.
And a little bit out of sorts, which made him somewhat endearing.
She studied the man who’d suggested they pretend to be engaged. The idea had shocked her to the point of being speechless, a rare thing.
The real surprise was she was actuallyconsideringit. She hated lying, but some lies were necessary to get to the truth. Ironically. As a budding independent investigative journalist, Jennifer didn’t lie when she reported. She always tried to be unbiased even if she sometimes failed due to the reason ofalsobeing human. Occasionally, in order to get close to a subject, she had stretched the truth.
I’m friends with your sister (acquaintances). She mentioned the problem (briefly, and on another news report). I’d like to know more (exclusively).
And there were always the occasional lies of omission. Not her preference, but nothing law enforcement didn’t also do to get to the real truth. If the end justified the means, it had to be done. This was at least one way in which she and Colton understood each other. A lie that wouldn’t hurt anyone was harmless.
And maybe if she’d lied to Dan, told him therewassomeone else, he might have stopped.
Colton’s expression after he’d suggested they pretend to be engaged, eyes fixated on the road, had ranged from impassive to unreadable. But she’d heard something in the tone of his voice she recognized. He reminded her of her brother, Joe, the year he’d come home from his service overseas. An obvious separation from those he remembered because the setting had changed, if not always the people. While any soldier was gone from his normal life, life moved on. Some businesses closed. People moved away. In theory, every soldier understood this, but the reality of experiencing coming home could be entirely different for each one of them.
Her heart ached for Colton, who might feel like Joe had a few years ago, struggling to reintegrate into civilian life again. Family was important to him. She owed him the same compassion and acceptance she’d give to her brother. The compassion she should give any soldier simply following orders given by command. In this case, her own father.
Maybe he wanted to lie because he wanted his family to think he was fine, had managed to find a solid relationship. He was rooted. Healthy. Nothing to see here, folks.
“Is there another reason you want me to pretend to be your fiancée?” She’d decided if he gave her honesty, and was open about this, she would consider the ask far more seriously.
“The first reason is a little embarrassing. If anyone thinks you’re single in this town, there will be a line out the door with suitors by tomorrow.”
Not at all what she’d expected him to say. He looked awfully serious to be making a joke. Plus, she got the distinct impression he didn’t knowhowto be funny.
“How does that work, exactly?” She decided to play along.
He sighed. “There have never been many women in our town, as I explained. So that means the ones that are here, and single, are frequently chased. Looking the way you do you’ll have to beat them off with a stick. It will make my job a thousand times more difficult, especially if you actually want to date any of these cowboys.”
Looking the way I do?She was wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and her trusty red-and-white high-top Chuck Taylors. If this was a backhanded compliment, he’d failed.
“Oh, I’m not datinganyone.Not for a long while.”
“Kind of figured you were soured on the experience. There won’t be an issue. If you’re my fake fiancée, you won’t have to date anyone. It will be hands-off because you’re taken.”
While this sounded crazy pants, she would be the first to admit to being out of her element. Having never lived in a small town, she had no idea if he was making this up as he went.
“Colton? Ireallydon’t want a line of men out the door. Even if they mean well.”
Coming from her recent experience with Dan, the idea of being a hot commodity chased by a man sounded as unnerving as jumping off a bridge. While on fire. She wanted to disappear at this point.
“These are good men, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not what you need right now. And I get it. I wish I could think of another option, but we didn’t have much time to plan.”
All her father’s fault, of course. He’d put them in this predicament simply because he relished controlling situations. And people.
“Can’t I just be your girlfriend?” If they were okay with two engaged people shacking up, surely they’d be okay with him bringing home and living with his girlfriend.
“Yeah.” He sighed and ran a hand down his stubbled jawline. “This is where you might help me, just a little. You don’t have to, of course, but I’d appreciate it. I’ve been trying to think of a way I can assure my oldest brother that I’m serious about staying home. He’s a little jaded because I never managed to before. But this is different. I’m done with the military, and I’ll be staying. Riggs is pretty traditional, more so than Sean or me, and having a fiancée will go a long way to convince him I’m putting down roots.”
