Page 15 of Headstrong Cowboy
Before she had time to blink, Ryder took hold of her hand and raised it up toward his mouth.His lips brushed across her knuckles and she had to lock her knees so that she didn’t collapse into a heap on the ground at the old-fashioned gesture.“Until tonight, my sweet flower.”
He released her hand, tapped the tip of his hat, and got into his truck.Chrissy watched as he backed out and departed in a cloud of dust—just like how he’d arrived.
“Whoa, as someone who watches a lot of romance movies, that was one slick move.Even I had to fan myself.”
Chrissy whirled around to find Tilly standing behind her.She rushed up to her youngest sister and pulled her into a tight hug.“Tilly, it’s so good to see you.”
Tilly tended not to come out to the farm much as she had her own place in town.A place she’d moved into after her failed relocation to Houston.
“You saw me last week, sis.”But Tilly squeezed her tight as if she needed her big sister’s support.
God, how she’d missed her family while she’d been in Buffalo.It had been hard for her to come home and then leave them all, which was why she hadn’t done it often during her time in Buffalo.
Chrissy looked around, but couldn’t see Tilly’s car.“What are you doing here?When did you arrive?”
“About fifteen minutes ago.I was out with a friend and got them to drop me here.And now that I know you’re heading into town for dinner, you can drop me home.”She gave an impish smile and Chrissy shook her head.No way could she resist her sister.
“Fine.But if I wasn’t having dinner in town tonight, how would you have gotten home?”
Tilly shrugged.“Either stayed here for the night and sweet-talked you into taking me home in the morning.Or suggested the Bloom sisters hit Grey’s Saloon for a girl’s night out and then I would’ve walked home.”
“I’d like to see you try and convince Sunny to go to Grey’s.”Their middle sister was notoriously shy and going to a place as busy and loud as Grey’s would have her breaking out in hives.
“One day we’ll get her to loosen up and do something out of her comfort zone.”Tilly tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder.“So, who was the guy?Tell me all about him.Why was he here?Did you invite him out?”
With Tilly, conversation went from one subject to another very quickly.She could get a job as an interrogation expert with the way she fired questions off.“His name is Ryder Chamberlain.He’s a former bull rider.He saw the sign for the flower farm and wondered if we sold flowers to the public.I showed him around.”
“He just pulled in off the highway to see if we sold flowers and then was happy to have a tour.Who does that?And doesn’t that sound weird to you?”
Now that Tilly had said it, Chrissy looked at the encounter a little differently.Had he sought her out deliberately?When they’d met at Riley’s, she told him her name.She’d gone home and looked him up on the internet.It was entirely possible he’d done the same, or he could’ve asked Riley about her, because he’d still been there grooming his horses when she’d left.
He certainly hadn’t seemed surprised to see her when she’d asked him why he was there.That had to be what had happened—he’d cornered Riley for information.The buzz of attraction that had shown up when he’d kissed her hand increased.The asking about purchasing flowers was definitely an excuse.She hadn’t quite believed it at the time, especially since he was staying at the Graff and they were known to do everything to make their guests comfortable.He hadn’t wanted to come out and say that he’d come to see her.
“I met him at Riley’s yesterday.There was nothing sinister about his visit.Come on, you can help me pick something out to wear tonight.”
“Yes, because you need all the help you can get in the fashion department.”
“Hey!”Chrissy playfully slapped her sister’s shoulder.“I do not.”
“I don’t know.”Tilly looked her up and down.“What you’re wearing isn’t going to set the fashionista influencers abuzz with the need to dress like that.”
Chrissy looked at her practical clothes, so different from what she’d worn in her corporate job in Buffalo.But she was comfortable, and it wasn’t like they were inundated with visitors.“What I’m wearing is perfectly fine for around the farm.I wouldn’t go out on a date wearing jeans and a plaid shirt.”
A date!I’m going on a first date!
The thought slammed into her.The last time she’d been on a first date had been when Beau had asked her to the school dance when she was a sophomore in high school.Which was many years ago, when everyone knew everyone—the downside of going to high school in a small town.Of course, Marietta had expanded a lot since then, so there were more and more people, and she was sure the high school dances these days were very different.She’d seen videos of “promposals” on social media.Nothing like that happened when she was at school.If she recalled, Beau had come up and said,Hey, wanna go to the dance with me?He’d been cocky, but he’d also been the cutest boy in school, so it had thrilled her that he’d asked her out.She’d stammered out a “yes,” and the rest was history.
Chrissy sighed.They’d had a good life together, and she was sad that she could continue to live hers, but Beau couldn’t.
“Hey, are you okay?You kind of spaced out there.”Tilly touched her arm, grounding her in the here and now.
“Just remembering my first date with Beau.”
They were on the back porch by then, and Tilly gave her a hug.“I’m sure he’ll be okay with you moving on.After all, you guys had been divorced for a few months before he died.”
“I know he’d be fine with it.We were still good friends before he died, and our marriage had long been over before the papers came through.I’m just sad that his life was cut short.”
“He was a good guy, and I’m glad you two were still friends.That’s what you always had, wasn’t it?A good friendship?”
