and he loves her like crazy,” I agree.
“And you wouldn’t want that, would you?” he states.
I turn back to face him. “Of course not. I’m more the heartless-mess magnet myself.”
He doesn’t laugh; he just watches me. Then, he walks the bouquet over to his cousin, hands it to her, and turns back to me.
“There. The voodoo is hers to deal with,” he calls before lining up with the other bachelors to watch Walker get handsy with his new bride.
Truett catches the garter, and he looks at his date, Katlynn, who is also his cousin, who is holding the bouquet. He instantly tosses it back to Walker, who wraps it around his bicep before scooping Elle up into his arms and twirling her around as the music begins.
“He hasn’t taken his eyes off you all night.”
I start at the sound of Bellamy’s voice in my ear.
“Who?” I ask.
“Who do you think? Foster.”
“Yes, he has,” I disagree.
“Not for very long.”
I shrug.
“You know, he’s always had a thing for you,” she says.
“He has not.”
“Yes, he has. Don’t tell me you can’t see it too. Every time you come to visit, he finds reasons to come up to the house.”
“Bells, he’s married, and he works on your ranch. He has legitimate reasons to be there,” I defend.
“Whatever. I know he likes you. He’s sweet and sexy, and his marriage is over.”
“So?” I ask, trying to keep the flutter in my stomach at bay.
“Just planting a seed. Do with it what you will,” she admits before walking off as Foster approaches again.
As he passes her, she calls, “Hey, Foster, help me get Sonia out there on the dance floor with us, will ya?”
The traitor.
He looks at me and grins as he tilts his head in invitation.
Oh, what the hell?
I take his hand, and he leads us out into the middle of the floor. Then, he tucks me tight to him as a slow song fills the surrounding air.
I’m not a fan of love songs at the present time. They seem like sweet lies being whispered in my ear, but it feels good to be in his strong embrace, and after a few moments, I begin to relax and melt into him. He smells good, like the woods after a rain. My head is on his shoulder, and we are swaying to the melody when I feel the press of his lips against my temple.
I lean back and bring my eyes to his.
“Was that okay?” he asks.
I nod.
His eyes fall to my mouth.
Involuntarily, my tongue darts out to lick my bottom lip. My breathing stutters as his head moves to the side and he kisses my temple and then the tip of my nose, and finally, my cheek just above the corner of my mouth.
It’s brief, sweet, and his breath is soft and warm, and for just a second, I let myself get caught up in the romance of the night.
Our eyes meet and he leans down to kiss me fully, when the song ends, bringing me back into the moment. I take a step back before his lips find mine and look up at the beautiful cowboy standing before me.
“Thank you for the dance.”
My hand finds its way to my cheek as I turn to walk off the floor. I can still feel the tingle of that kiss lingering on my skin as I make my way through the sea of bodies. As the thrill fades, an ache starts to take root. As much as I want to be back in Foster Tomlin’s arms, I know that it’s too soon. It would just be a temporary patch to fix the rupture in my soul. He doesn’t deserve that.
Ricky’s only been gone for a couple of months, and my heart is not ready to move on.
Not yet.
October
Sonia
“Momma, are you sure you want to sell these?”
My mother, Kathy Chambers, owns a retail shop, The Cottage Boutique, and the consignment store beside it, Plum Nearly New, on Main Street in our hometown of Poplar Falls, Colorado. The shops are open to one another through the workroom-slash-stockroom and share a counter. My mother is a jack-of-all-trades. She’s a seamstress, she does embroidery, she tailors, she does a plethora of crafts, and she sells new and gently used items in her shops.
I hold up the two soft, thick cowl-necked sweaters she knitted over the weekend. They are gorgeous.
“I’m sure—unless you want one for yourself?” she answers.
I tug on one of the oversize cream-colored pullovers, and it is warm and cozy.