Page 10 of A Cowboy's Bride
With a couple of other people working behind the counter, it didn’t take long for his order to be up. Tansy brought it to him, snagging him by the arm and hauling him toward the front door. “You’re with me.”
Aiden went willingly, amused that the Heart Falls ladies seemed comfortable dragging him around. Not that he was displeased with the concept, but it did make him wonder.
Just outside the door, Tansy whirled on him and pressed the bag into his hands. “You didn’t order enough food for the three of you, since I assume this is for your brothers as well. I tossed in some extra roast beef sandwiches and a half-dozen muffins.”
“Thank you.”
She nodded decisively then narrowed her gaze. “What are you doing with Petra?”
“Well according to what you told your twin sister—and you will have to explain how that’s possible sometime—what I’m doing with Petra is kissing her. And doing a good job of it.”
Tansy’s gaze remained intimidating but her lips twitched as she fought a smile. “You’re a sly one.”
“I’m private,” he corrected. “I’m all for Petra sharing whatever she wants to share with her girls, but if you want details, you need to ask her.”
He got a kick out of it when Tansy’s glare morphed into a pout. “Dammit, I hoped you’d say that, and I wish you hadn’t. Petra didn’t spill the beans last night other than mentioning she was happy you were here and that’s all she wanted to say about it for now.”
“I’m certain that if you put your mind to it you’ll be able to encourage her to share more. You strike me as the resourceful type.”
Tansy took a deep breath then grinned. “Dammit, Ilikeyou. Why do you have to be all charming and stuff?”
Aiden shrugged. “Just lucky, I guess.”
She patted him on the chest then tilted her head toward the door. “I need to go before my sister puts out an APB. But rest assured I will work on Petra and learn everything I need to know. But so far, I don’t plan to warn her away from you.”
“I always enjoy having a good wingman at my side,” Aiden said. He lifted the bag in the air. “Thanks for this. Next time I’ll pay it forward and buy the guy behind me in line his lunch.”
Tansy waved goodbye and pushed through the door, but she had a thoughtful expression on her face.
He meant every word about Petra deciding what she shared with her friends. Everyone needed someone to talk to, and he was thankful he once again had his brothers. Not everyone was so lucky.
Aiden demolished his portion of the food en route home, stopping just long enough to stick the lunch bag in the fridge. Then he took off with the list Jake had given him which included a massive stock up grocery run in the nearest big community.
Hours later, once the trip was done and he’d found storage places for everything, he got started on steaks and fries with a salad for dinner. All of them could cook to some extent, but it wasn’t his favourite thing.
Still, he liked to eat, which meant cooking was required.
He had the barbecue fired up and the fries in the oven when a message came through on his phone.
Petra: Hey. You asked me out for next Friday and I never responded. Up for a picnic supper? I know a great place we can ride to. Or if you want to drive, we can do that.
Aiden: Hey, darling. A ride to a picnic spot sounds amazing. Need me to bring over my horse? Five o’clock? Six?
Petra: Nope to bringing your horse. My brother co-owns a dude ranch, so we have horses. If you can make it for five, that gives us more time before we lose the light. I’ll pack the meal if you bring the drinks.
Aiden: Five is perfect. I’ll bring dessert as well. I make a mean Jell-O.
Petra: I don’t know if I should be terrified or not.
Aiden: Lol. Looking forward to seeing you. Sweet dreams until then. Or not so sweet…
Petra: I’m not ready to start sexting with you, sir. Not that it wouldn’t be fun, but I’m sitting in the living room with my family and getting squirmy and bothered right now is not in the plan.
Aiden: Okay. Getting you squirmy and bothered is on hold until a better time. Have a great evening. We’ll chat soon.
She responded with a thumbs-up to his final message, but it was enough.
Aiden whistled as he returned to his cooking, and thoughts of exactly how he’d get Petra to the point she was squirming under him were a happy distraction.
