Page 62 of Soldier Cowboy
“That’s…good.”
She was with him every second until the moment he said, “This is a job.” She had hoped he meant the service but couldn’t miss the clear facts here. They wouldn’t be here together had her father not asked him for a favor. He wanted someone to keep his daughter safe and Colton was a man he trusted.
Now, she understood why. He was strong and honorable and took any duty handed to him with serious intent. She was certain he would take love with the same amount of intensity, too, and imagined how much it had hurt to be dumped when he was off fighting a war.
And if she understood Colton, she had to believe it was all because of Joe. Because of her father. Because she understood the mindset of a soldier and how difficult it was to hear simple and well-meant words like “thank you for your service.”
“Joe said he understands why people thank him, but every time they do, he remembers. He remembers…things he did for which no one should be thanking him.”
Colton nodded. “Exactly. And whatever happened to your brother? You never said, although I figured out that was him on your podcast. Anonymous Joe, not to be confused with G.I. Joe. He sounded good.”
“It’s a happy ending. He got the help he needed, no thanks to my father. Now he and a girlfriend have joined the Peace Corp and he’s doing good overseas. I think. I haven’t heard from him in a while.”
“You will.”
“He didn’t have the same kind of welcome and support that you have here.” Jennifer glanced around. “I’m proud of him for getting to the other side of all that pain.”
The song ended and Sean approached them.
“Can I cut in?” Sean asked sheepishly. “I’ve danced with every woman here and Bonnie is starting to give Tabitha the evil eye every time she tries to dance with me again.”
Colton laughed. “Sure, brother.”
Sean took over, dancing with a healthy distance between them. “Tabitha was the runner-up inMr. Cowboy.”
“I heard. She’s pretty.”
“Bonnie knows that, too, which is where the jealousy comes in. She has no reason to be, of course, but old habits die hard. She’s always been in a competitive field.”
“Well, theywerein competition with one another over you.”
“Yeah, hard to get past that. But for me the contest was over when Bonnie arrived. I’ve never been able to love anyone else and believe me, I tried.”
“Something about first love, I guess.”
Sean shrugged. “Guess so.”
Jennifer turned to see that Colton was dancing with Cherisse and there didn’t seem to be the healthiest of distances between them.
Sean caught Jennifer looking. “Don’t worry about her. Colton has been trained to be a gentleman, as we all have, to the women in Stone Ridge. From birth to eighty.”
“Well, Cherisse is a lot younger than eighty.”
“Don’t worry. When Colton loves you, he loves you hard. And he doesn’t easily change his mind.”
“I have heard.” She tried a smile.
Except he didn’t love her.
CHAPTER16
It was close to midnight when the party ended, and Jennifer followed Colton to their cottage. The production company would be cleaning up for hours.
“It’s nice that the show offered to do all this for Bonnie and Sean.”
“I personally think it’s nice theyallowedthem to. Don’t forget they agreed to an exclusive photo shoot of the bride and groom they’re going to sell toPeoplemagazine.” Colton held the door open for Jennifer. “I’m getting up early tomorrow because I’ll be taking over for Sean while he’s gone on his honeymoon. And I have a talk scheduled with Riggs, too.”
“Okay. So, I guess I’ll just stay in all day?”
