Page 40 of Soldier Cowboy
She came away from the couch where she’d been watching one of the few shows they could get with their rabbit-ears antenna. It was one of those gossipy celebrity-obsessed “news” shows. Lately, since her life had started to resemble a true crime show, she’d switched from her steady diet ofDatelinere-runs and moved to Hallmark movies when she could get them. Those inspiring movies were the equivalent of painting a room with bright colors, which were scientifically proven to make people happier. Somewhere there was probably a study that monitored the lowered blood pressure of viewers after a rom-com.
When Colton didn’t answer, but simply started banging pots and pans around, she joined him in the kitchen. In the center of the small round farm-style table sat a little pink box, looking suspiciously like it might hold a ring inside. Surely, he hadn’t…oh boy. She picked it up and twirled the box in her hands.
“Did you…”
Please don’t say you spent your money on a ring.
“We needed something while we keep up this charade.” He set a skillet on the stove. “It belongs to Delores, and she wanted you to have it. It’s probably not something you’d prefer, and I’ll expect to get it back from you at some point. But for now, it will do.”
Jennifer opened the box to find a shiny plain gold band with etching on the sides, giving it a unique appearance, like someone had carved beautiful swirling lines through the chunk of gold.
“Deloreswanted me to have it?”
“She likes you. I’m sure you can tell. Guess you won her over when you looked through those old photo albums.”
“This is a gorgeous piece of jewelry. It’s like an antique.”
“I told her you’d like it. She wasn’t sure since it isn’t a diamond. Go ahead, put it on.”
Yes, of course, because it would make absolutely no sense forhimto put it on her. She slipped it on the ring finger of her left hand and turned it toward the light, admiring it. Funny, she’d never even tried costume jewelry on this finger, thinking there would be only once in her lifetime when she’d wear a ring there. How wonderfully and spectacularly naïve of her.
Life had taken some strange turns along the way. Here she was pretending to be engaged to this hot and surly cowboy who loved to cook.
Is this my life?
“Does it fit okay?” He glanced up from the cutting board where he was at work chopping green onions.
“Yes.” It was actually a little snug but not significantly so. It should work fine for their purposes.
“Good thing I don’t need a ring. Cowboys are forever taking off their rings, so they won’t get them caught in machinery, or God forbid, inside of a heifer giving birth. Sometimes we have to help pull out a calf.” He smiled as if the thought pleased him.
She thought she might lose her breakfast. “Eww.”
“Right. And the other half of the time we’re wearing gloves. No one notices a ring or lack of one.”
“Hmm, it seems a little unfair. Like I’m branded but you’re not.”
“Let’s not forget neither one of us is, as you put it, branded.”
“Right. It’s just for show.” She wiggled her finger, wondering what her old friends would say if they could see Jennifer now.
Colton’s meal began to overpower the smell of anything else in the room. She could no longer smell his clean fresh scents of soap and leather. He wasn’t following a recipe but had apparently memorized many of them from the cooking shows he’d listened to and watched. The scents of onion, garlic, and butter wafted through the small kitchen as he seemed utterly involved. He chopped, he stirred, and he boiled.
Eventually they sat down to a dinner of stir-fried rice with chunks of chicken, peas, and eggs. They sat and ate like an old married couple that neither bothered to talk nor have sex anymore. Except they weren’t old. Or married.
Or had ever had sex. She would definitely remember that.
She wished he would talk a little more. Silence was uncomfortable, this empty space that felt stifling and oppressive.
“Delicious,” she said, to fill the quiet.
“It is.”
“So, um, tomorrow? The quilt thing.”
“I’ll take you.”
“If you think it’s necessary.”
