Page 2 of Welcome Home, Cowboy
She was talking quickly now, a mixture of excitement and nerves. She’d always been horrible at interviews, but this one wasn’t going so badly. Allison appeared to be listening, interested even. “I’ll show you.” Folding her body forward, Julie secured her hands on the white tile floor at her feet and stepped back, shaping her body into an inverted V. “This is Downward-Facing Dog,” she said, looking at the world upside down between her knees. “It’s one of the most basic positions. You’d be surprised how much focus it takes to stay inverted like this.” The blood rushed to her head as she spoke.
Then two combat boots came into view between her legs. Her eyes widened. Focus shattered. The blood drained from her body.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty focused,” a man said in a smooth Southern drawl. Standing behind her, she imagined that he had a perfect view of her…
“Oh!” Julie’s balance shifted. She wobbled, as one foot started to slide out from under her. Trying to gracefully stand was useless at this point. It was either go to her knees or fall on her butt. Neither of which spoke to her skill as a yoga instructor.
As she started to fall, the man’s hands steadied her waist, fraying her composure completely. Then he gently pulled her upright, holding her tightly against his body for a solid moment that felt like forever before letting go.
“Sorry ’bout that. I guess I startled you,” he said, as she turned to face him, finding herself a little too close for comfort.
She swiped at the blond hair in her face and blinked through the burning in her cheeks. There was also an unwelcome buzz humming in her stomach—the kind that came with a man’s touch. Her lips parted as she took in his cowboy hat and pale-as-water eyes. “I know you,” she said. “You’re Lawson Phillips.” She’d met him last year when her sister had started dating his best friend.
Lawson smiled, slow and easy. “Nice to see you again, Julie. You dropped your umbrella outside.” He held it out to her.
She looked at it, then back up at him. “You’re the idiot behind the wheel of that truck.”
—
As Julie took her umbrella, Lawson tried to contain his grin—and not look down again at her very nice curves. When he’d arrived at the Veterans’ Center to fix a few squeaky cabinets for the director, he’d expected to see a bunch of retired Marines. He hadn’t expected to run into Julie Chandler.
“You two know each other?” Allison Carmichael asked, seated at the table in front of him.
“You could say that. Her sister married my best friend last year. Which kind of makes us friends-in-law, or something like that.”Smooth, Lawson.
Julie didn’t smile. He remembered that about her. Before his last deployment, he’d tried like hell to flirt with the woman, but she was untouchable. She’d barely given him the time of day back then, or even looked him in the eye. Similarly, she tore her gaze from his now and returned her focus to the center’s director. “Um. Well…” She hurried back to the table and collected a folder. “I know you said you were in a hurry. I can get you a dry copy and let you review it in your free time, if you’re interested.”
Allison nodded. “That would be great, Julie. The owner here has said we won’t be offering new programs until next year. You never know when things will change, though. Military life is synonymous with change, right?”
“Indeed,” Julie said.
“And I’m always interested in new ways to meet our service members’ needs.”
Julie smiled, but Lawson could see it was a façade. The truth shone in her green eyes. Defeat. “Thanks for your time, Allison.” She shook Allison’s hand, offered a sideways glare at him, and headed out of the kitchen.
“The cabinets are fixed,” he told Allison.
“You’re the best.” The slender redhead pointed her index finger at him. They’d had drinks a time or two before, but both had realized early on that their easy banter warranted friendship only. And considering Lawson’s current state of mind since returning home from the desert, friends were all he needed these days.
“Well, if that’s all, I have somewhere I need to be.” Like work. But that wasn’t where he was running to right now. Despite the little voice inside his head telling him to leave it alone—leaveheralone—he was going to check on Julie.
“Sure. Thanks again, Lawson. Volunteers make this place possible.”
With a nod, he waved and hurried down the hall toward the front entrance. With any luck she’d still be there and he could apologize.
Stepping out into the rain, which had fizzled to a light sprinkle now, it looked like luck was on his side today.
And luck was definitely not on Julie’s.
Her engine whinnied like a sick mare, then fell flat. He watched her from the covered walkway in front of the parking lot for a few minutes as she attempted to crank her car again, and again. After several tries, she slammed a hand against her steering wheel. Then she folded over and rested her head there.
Stepping out into the light rain, Lawson walked to her car window and tapped. She jumped, nearly out of those wet clothes she was wearing—which he had to admit would be a sight for his sore eyes—and stared at him. This was the second time he’d startled her this morning. Three if he counted splashing in beside her when he’d parked.
“Move over,” he ordered.
Her chin lifted stubbornly. Then she folded her arms in front of her chest, making cleavage pop through the still-damp shirt she was wearing.
Eyes in your head, Lawson,his mind chided.
