Ain't She Sweet (Seven Brides for Seven Mothers #2) - Whitney Dineen Page 0,55
goosebumps to pop up on Ruby’s arms. She doesn’t bother to say anything else before turning and hurrying to the front desk to warn them not to extend Syd’s stay, even if they have the room.
James
I can’t remember anything Tara and I planned to say today. While it’s possible the fall from Thunder dislodged the information, it’s most likely that sheer nerves are to blame. My shirt is soaked through with sweat.
“You met in a bar?” Rachel prompts.
Tara’s body is rigid in front of me as I hear myself answer, “We met at the Branding Iron on Bucking Bull Night. They’ve got the fastest mechanical bull in the whole state.” It’s like I’ve been possessed or something.
“Really? Who was riding?” This is apparently not what the reporter was expecting to hear and again, I have no idea why I’m saying it. Although the bull riding scene from Charlie’s Angels was quite effective, so maybe my brain really is scrambled right now.
“It was Ladies’ Night, so it was Tara. She was something else.”
“I bet every guy in the place wanted to ask her out after that,” Rachel comments.
“You’d think, but the Branding Iron is mostly full of older couples. They were pretty impressed though.”
“Older couples participate in mechanical bull riding contests?” She sounds astounded. As she should be because I have no idea what I’m talking about.
“The locals are rugged folk,” I tell her, fully committing to my story.
Tara turns her head slightly backward and hisses, “For the love of God, will you shut up already?”
“What was that, Tara?” the seasoned reporter veers her horse closer.
I wink at Tara before I answer for her. “She just told me that she can’t wait to kiss my injuries and make them better.” I know the very nanosecond the words are out of my mouth I’ll pay for them later.
By the time we get to the garden site, both Tara and I are beyond tense. When I help her off her horse, she warns, “Stop making crap up. You’ve got to stick with the story we created or this whole thing is going to fall apart.”
Rachel calls out, “Would you mind giving me a hand? I don’t know how to get off this thing on my own.”
“Be right with you,” I tell her. Then I look at Tara who’s standing snuggly in my arms, where she landed after dismounting Oatmeal. “I’m sorry,” I tell her honestly. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I’m crazy nervous.”
My admission seems to soften her mood because she says, “I get that, but you have to quit improvising. Stick to the script.” Then she leans in and kisses me gently on the mouth. “That was for Rachel’s benefit. Now go help her off her horse.”
Once Rachel is down, I begin to tell her about the garden that Tara and I are designing. “It’s going to be spectacular when it’s all done.”
“I didn’t know you were a gardener,” Rachel says to Tara.
“I’m not, but James is, and my being the pastry chef at the lodge obviously means there are things I want to have planted. It’s a fun project to do together.”
“What else do you do together?” she asks.
Tara answers before I can, probably because she’s worried I’ll say something like naked skydiving, or goat yoga. “We do what any couple does. We go for long walks, snuggle on the couch and watch movies, and sometimes James cooks for me.” Then she looks in my direction and says, “Tell Rachel about that lovely stir fry you made the other night.”
Rachel waves me off like my exciting recitation of how to make a stir fry isn’t of interest to her or her readers. “Why don’t you tell me about what life is like here compared to LA,” she asks Tara.
“Life here is wonderful. It’s quiet and calm. At least it was until you and Syd Byerly showed up,” she answers, alerting the reporter that her secret is out.
“I was surprised to run into Syd, too,” Rachel calmly responds to the implication.
“Why is he here?” Tara wants to know.
“He said he was looking for you. Something to do with Romaine.” Rachel pauses a moment before saying, “I guess you’re totally over Romaine now that you and James have started a relationship. Does that have anything to do with the rumors that he didn’t want a fat girlfriend?”
“Ah, you mean the rumors the press started?” Tara asks before saying, “Romaine never claimed he had an issue with my gaining a few pounds.”