Page 48 of Taming the Billionaire Cowboy
She’s mine. She’s mine, and I’m hers, and I can’t believe it took me this long to get here.
CHAPTER 21
CARLY
“How does this look?” Oliver steps back from where he’s just finished hanging blue and white streamers along my mom’s back porch.
“Perfect,” I tell him.
He catches my eye and smiles, and it hits me that he’s not just here for Bradley. He’s here for me, for whatever this is turning into, and it makes my heart flip.
“When do the first guests arrive?” He smiles again, more nervous than I’ve ever seen him.
I check my phone. “Two minutes ago. You okay?”
“I’ve never done this before,” he says.
“What, a party?” I joke.
He crosses his arms, clearly uncomfortable. “Met this many people… try to make a good impression…”
“I thought that was half of your job as CEO.”
He drops his arms, his soft gaze locking onto mine. “It’s never mattered this much. I want to impress everyone, you know? It’s my first time stepping out as your boyfriend.”
Boyfriend.
The word makes me smile, makes me feel like I’m walking on air. “You’ll do fine,” I tell him. “Don’t worry about it.”
He reaches down to touch my hand, and I give his fingers a squeeze. This, the two of us together feels a bit like living in an alternate reality, but I’m becoming more acclimated to it each day. It helps that every moment is golden, even when he’s not around, and I can’t remember ever being this happy.
Bradley runs out the back door, squirt gun in hand, his friend Parker following after him. “Looks like the first guests are here,” I say.
Oliver takes another deep breath, and I smile, finding his nervousness endearing. What I don’t tell him is that I’m also a little on edge. How will everyone in my life respond to him? This party is set to be a big one. In small towns any party means a high percentage of the population showing up.
People filter in quickly after that, everyone coming over to meet Oliver, the most recent talk of the town.
“Glad you could come,” I say for the third time in five minutes.
“We wouldn’t miss it,” a neighbor tells me. “So, this is your new fella?”
“This is Oliver Greer,” I say, like I’ve practiced. Like I’ve got it under control.
The neighbor nods. “Looks serious,” she says, and I blush.
“He bought the ranch,” I say, wanting to get away from talking about my personal relationship.
But the neighbor waves her hand dismissively. “Oh, we already know all about that. You’ve got the town in a tizzy. Seen nothing so exciting since old man Presley brought that elephant through town for the summer fair years ago.”
I laugh awkwardly. “Well, I’m glad we could add some excitement.”
“They do look lovely together,” she tells her friend as they move away from us.
Oliver leans in and whispers in my ear. “We’re doing good so far, huh?”
“I’m not getting my hopes up until Bradley’s birthday wish comes true,” I playfully tease him back.
He raises his eyebrows. “And what would that be?”
