Page 27 of The Cowboy Contract
“Oof.” Leland stumbled, his eyes dropping to the floor. “What the?” He bent, picking up the basket she’d abandoned hours ago, determined to forget its existence. “Are these your emotional support socks?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I was already in a bad mood. The last thing I wanted to do was fold socks.”
Leland’s lips quirked. “Fair enough.” He slid onto the mattress next to her, passing over the remote as he settled the basket in front of him.
Which was disappointing.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to fold your socks.” Leland dumped out the pile of laundry as he tipped his head at the television. “And when I’m done, I’m going to fuck you while you watchPersuasionfor the millionth time.”
Epilogue
Paige
Two Months Later
“YOU MUST HAVE some sort of inside connection.” Janie carefully wound a strand of Paige’s hair around the curling iron in her hand. “I didn’t think they had any openings here for two years.”
Paige forced her eyes to stay still as Evelyn—the only person she knew who could apply strip lashes—carefully laid down the sticky line of frilly fringe. “Maryann called and told me they had a cancellation and if I could be ready in two weeks, the day was mine.”
Two weeks wasn’t long to plan a wedding, but the women around town were more than ready to pitch in. Besides Janie doing her hair and Evelyn applying her makeup, Dianna made them a cake. Mae was catering it since Mariah was now in Wyoming. Nora helped with decorations. The Bridge Bitches were serving as their ushers and all the Pace brothers had been kind enough to handle the setup.
Was it going to be the most perfect wedding ever?
Yes. Yes it was.
Evelyn leaned back, head tipping as she looked over Paige’s face, eyes bouncing back and forth between the lashes fluttering in the breeze from the fan pointed right at her since she couldn’t seem to stop stress sweating. “I think they look pretty even.” She picked up the hand mirror from the counter next to them and passed it off to Paige. “Here. See what you think.”
Paige took a deep breath, unsure how she was going to react to seeing herself like this.
As a bride.Leland’sbride.
She lifted the mirror and stared at her reflection. When Evelyn had offered to do her makeup, there hadn’t been a doubt in her mind she would do a great job. But this… This was insane.
“I look amazing.” Paige blinked hard, successfully controlling the emotion trying to undo all Evelyn’s hard work. “You are so freaking good at this.” She angled the mirror, getting a look at the gentle waves Janie was working into her blonde locks. “Holy shit. My hair looks fantastic too.”
She’d worked so hard for so long, spending the majority of her time at The Creekery, so her social life was pretty limited. And now that Leland had leveled up to fiancé, she should probably start making more of an effort to build connections.
Not that Leland wouldn’t still be her best friend. The man was stuck with that title for eternity. Now he’d just also be her husband.
And the father of her babies.
“It helps that you’re hot.” Janie moved to stand in front of her, smoothing out any wayward strands with a rat tail comb and a can of hairspray. “I’d seem way less impressive if you weren’t gorgeous.”
Paige smiled, warmth blooming in her chest. “Thank you.”
Maybe her social life wasn’t as limited as she thought it was. Maybe she’d just been so focused on one specific friendship that she hadn’t noticed all the others she was in possession of.
After a few more spritzes, Janie straightened. “I think you’re good.” She set down the items in her hands and turned to the garment bag hanging on the back of the door to Paige’s room at The Inn at Red Cedar Ranch. “You ready to get in this thing?”
Paige pulled in another deep breath, trying to settle the butterflies in her stomach. “I guess it’s pretty much time, isn’t it?”
Janie carefully slid down the zipper, revealing the off-the-rack gown Paige and Beverly found at a shop in Billings. “I mean, you can wait if you want, but I’ve got a feeling your fiancé is going to be hella impatient.” She turned, waggling her brows. “He’s waited for you a long damn time.”
It was true. And if she didn’t think things through the whole way, it could make her feel like an idiot. All these years they could have been together. Building the life she’d been dreaming of.
But when it came down to it, that didn’t happen because they loved each other too much. Would do anything—make any sacrifice—to make sure they didn’t lose what they had.
