Page 58 of Soldier Cowboy
“Yes, well, he isso…romantic, right? But he’d already made the big production when he asked me, so he made sure I liked the ring and just slipped it on my finger.” She cleared her throat. “And then he kissed me, of course.”
Jennifer briefly wondered if Delores was referring to Cherisse with the reference to ‘woman he loves.’ Maybe he’d been trying to spare Jennifer’s feelings, and hehadasked Cherisse to marry him. Maybe he’d made a big deal out of it, going down on one knee, or writing it in icing on a cupcake. Jennifer decided then and there that Delores would be her conduit to all things Colton. There were certain parts of his past it made sense he would not discuss with her.
This shouldn’t matter to Jennifer because she wasn’t actually Colton’s fiancée. She couldn’t quite figure out why it made a difference, but it did. There was a thirst inside of her to know all things, maybe the casualties of the investigative reporter side of her. She was curious, that was all.
“Why did he never propose to Cherisse?”
Delores shook her head. “He was too smart to do that. But he must have promised her something because for a while she waited for him.”
He must have promised her something. Of course he had.
“My brother is a soldier, and he had a girl back home. They weren’t engaged but very much in love. Thank God, she waited for him.”
Unfortunately, that hadn’t lasted long after he’d come home, full of anger and hostility, ready to start a fight with anyone who even looked at him the wrong way.
Her gaze followed Colton and found him a few feet away from Riggs, who was chasing one of his boys, taking a fork away from him.
And then, a woman intercepted Colton, tugging on his arm. He turned and a scowl formed on his face.
“Oh, good Lord. There she is, thatCherisse.” Delores shook her head and patted Jennifer’s arm. “I bet she came with one of her brothers, who probably couldn’t get a date. Don’t you worry about Colton, now. He’s true-blue. When he loves you, he loves you.”
Except he didn’t love Jennifer. Maybe true-blue Colton could find a way to forgive his first love. After all, Sean had forgiven Bonnie Lee for leaving him to go to Hollywood.
“He’s never been one to go after bright and shiny. Single-minded, that one.”
“I’m sure it’s why he made a good soldier. Better than average.”
It was in the way her father had referred to him in quiet serious tones.I’d trust this man with my life.Colton was an above-average soldier, a Green Beret, and now he’d be an above-average cowboy.
Cherisse was beautiful, too. And blonde, though tall, and definitelynotpetite. Yet another woman wearing a hat and matching boots. Hers were red with black piping. She had a presence about her, too, one that said, “I know I’m beautiful and you’d be lucky to have me.”
Were there any women in this town who weren’t blonde and beautiful? TherewasBonnie Lee, of course, a redhead though that hardly counted. It was even rarer.
Behind her, and frankly all around her, the former contestants on the show were taking selfies with each other. With Lori and the cameraman. With one of the caterers. Jennifer’s gaze roamed to those in attendance and landed on a pretty brunette flirting with a man who looked vaguely familiar. He could be another actor, perhaps, but he did seem to be a resident as he sat at a table with a group of others. Perhaps they were also from the show. But yeah, at last, another brunette!
“Who is that?” Jennifer pointed to the familiar man sitting with the brunette. “He looks familiar.”
“That’s Jackson Carver. He’s a country western musician you’ve probably seen on TV and he and Winona were married for about a minute.” Delores chuckled. “But Eve, that’s his wife sitting there with him, she was his first love and they got back together when he came home for his brother’s wedding.”
Which wasexactlywhat Colton had done.
Was she the only one who saw the pattern? It made her uncomfortable, as if she was the only person standing between Colton and a reunion with his first love. Of course, she was hardly between them other than for appearances’ sake. But she didn’t want to be the reason Colton didn’t get everything he wanted. She’d leave here sooner rather than later, and he’d be alone. She pictured the Ladies of SORROW and every single woman in town bringing him casseroles, cakes, and pies, making sure he understood thatJenniferwas the villain for leaving him. Then, along would come Cherisse, and with Jennifer fake-priming Colton for marriage, she’d swoop right in and have their first sweethearts’ reunion. Piece of cake.
“Oh now, don’t be upset, honey.” Delores patted Jennifer’s arm like she’d read her mind. “Not everyone winds up with their first love. I didn’t marry mine. He was an idiot.”
That made Jennifer snort-laugh. “Mine was, too.”
She pictured Ethan, a man/boy that had been as different from her father as humanly possible. He was white but wore dreadlocks, hated the government, was a vegan, and smoked marijuana. Jennifer thought he was perfection. He thought gun ownership should be illegalized and the military complex wiped out. Ethan was also super cute, looked like a young Jude Law, and Jennifer fell for him. Hard. She’d hoped they’d graduate from college, and he’d sweep her away to a secluded island where they would live a bohemian lifestyle. They’d make macrame to sell to the villagers and he’d fish for their dinner every night. Yeah, she was an idiot.
Instead, in their senior year he’d been arrested for dealing drugs on campus. Last she heard he was an accountant in New Jersey.
“I married my second love, the great love of my life. This may be the only time when it doesn’t matter if you’re the first. Only that you’re the last,” Delores said. “It’s not a race.”
She had a point. But Jennifer wasn’t going to be last with Colton, either. She wasn’t going to be anything at all but a favor he’d done for her father.
Colton seemed engaged in a heated conversation with Cherisse. It didn’t look to be pleasant for Cherisse. However, the discussion looked passionate.
Passion was generally preceded by strong emotions like…love.
