Page 19 of Special Delivery Cowboy
"Your friend has good taste in alcohol, at least." I picked up the bottle of champagne. "This is the expensive stuff."
"I cannot believe this is happening." Tinsley was still laughing, wiping her eyes. "First I accuse you of being a stripper,then dog pee on the rug, now my best friend's pleasure basket shows up like some kind of cosmic joke."
"Could be worse."
"How?"
"Could be snowing harder."
She threw a pillow at me. I caught it, grinning.
"Want to open the champagne?" I asked.
"Might as well. This night can't get any weirder."
I opened the bottle—proper pop and everything—and poured us each a glass. We settled back on the couch, the basket sitting on the coffee table like an elephant in the room.
"So," Tinsley said after a long sip. "I guess Melody thought I needed... this."
"She's a good friend."
"She's insane."
"Can be both."
She laughed, shaking her head. "I told her not to send a stripper. Should've been more specific about the no-sex-toys thing."
"Would've saved some embarrassment."
"Some." She glanced at me. "You're handling this remarkably well."
"I've seen stranger things on a ranch."
"I highly doubt that."
"You'd be surprised what cattle get up to."
That earned me another laugh. God, I was starting to love that sound.
We drank champagne and talked—easier now, the awkwardness from the surprise delivery fading into something comfortable. She told me about growing up in Kalispell, about her parents, about her brother studying engineering at Montana State. I told her about my siblings scattered across the country,about my parents retiring, about what it meant to be the one who stayed.
"Do you ever regret it?" she asked. "Staying when everyone else left?"
"Never. This is where I belong."
"It’s good you already know that."
"You'll find your place, too."
"Maybe." She looked at the fire, then back at me. "I guess there’s still a little time left to ask Santa for one more wish.”
The way she said it—quiet, hopeful—made my heart beat faster.
I set my glass down. So did she.
We sat closer now.
"Tinsley—"
