Fool for You (Southern Bride #7) - Kelly Elliott Page 0,3

Waco in my restoration shop.

After finishing the last of the ties, I turned to my father. “If you don’t have anything else for me to do today, I’m going to head on home and shower.”

He nodded. “That’s it, son. Thank you for helping me with this. I know you’re tired from your trip.”

I had flown back into Dallas last night after traveling up to North Carolina to check on the race team my father and Malcolm both partially owned. It’s the same team I had raced for when I was driving in NASCAR. Not to mention that I was still co-owner of a car as well. I was more of a silent partner, though, and I liked it that way. I hated being in the spotlight; another one of the reasons I left racing.

“It’s all good—I’m going to head on out. Let me know if I need to bring anything other than the wine tonight.”

“Will do! Make sure it’s not another pussy-ass wine this time!” he called out as I climbed into my truck.

I looked back at him and gaped. “Pussy-ass wine? Excuse me, that was Noah who brought the damn fifty shades of fucked-up wine.”

He looked up in thought and then laughed. “Oh yeah, that’s right. Leave it to Malcolm’s son to bring something so crappy.”

Laughing again, I shook my head. My father and Malcolm were the best of friends, but they still had a bit of competition between them. It was all in fun, but they loved sticking it to each other anytime they could. And sometimes it was at the expense of us kids.

“Later, Dad!” I called out before I drove off and headed to my place. I had bought a house a few months ago, not far from the ranch but closer to Waco. I knew I wanted to be close to both Emmerson and my folks, as well as the shop.

My phone rang, and Emmerson’s name popped up. I hit answer with a smile on my face. “Hey, Emme.”

“Hey, are you still able to meet me?”

“Yeah, I’m heading back to my place to shower and change. Do you want to tell me what’s going on? What kind of trouble are you in?”

“Um, let’s just wait and talk in person.”

I groaned. “Emme, are you…I mean…have you gotten yourself…you know?”

“Have I gotten myself what?” she asked.

“Pregnant?”

There was a silence so eerie on the other end of the line, I was positive she was about to confirm my worst fear. Then she broke out in a fit of laughter.

“Pregnant! I’d actually have to be having sex to get pregnant, Landon.”

Christ Almighty, the sense of relief I felt was almost terrifying.

“Well, what in the hell was I supposed to think, Emme?”

She laughed again and said, “Just meet at my place, then we can go and pick up that expensive-ass wine you’re getting from Rachel.”

I let out a sigh of relief that the woman I was secretly in love with wasn’t pregnant with another man’s baby. “I’ll be there soon.”

“Drive carefully, Landon.”

“I will.”

I pulled into the driveway of the small house Emmerson had bought six months ago. It was a historical home a block from the main square in Clifton. She had always loved the house, and when it came on the market, she’d somehow won out on the swift bidding war that had taken place. It helped that the original owners knew our families and adored Emmerson.

“Landon, how are you doing?” Mrs. O’Conner asked as she waved her free hand at me. She held onto her large black lab with the other as she stopped walking.

“Afternoon, Mrs. O’Conner. How’s business?” I called out to her.

She gave me a thumbs up. “Thank God people like beer!”

I laughed as I headed up the sidewalk that led to Emmerson’s front porch. Mr. and Mrs. O’Conner owned O’Conner’s Irish Bar, about a two-block walk from here. I had found myself drunk there plenty of times after partaking in my fair share of Guinness.

Using my key, I let myself in, then called out Emmerson’s name as I shut the door and tossed my keys into the small dish she had sitting on a table by the front door. I smiled when a small German shorthaired pointer came running and sliding across the floor as she tried to stop. I caught her right before she collided with me.

“Hey, Peaches, how are you doing today?”

“Stop calling her Peaches, you know her name is Lady.”

I glanced up to see Emmerson standing there desperately trying not to smile