carried in the rolls. “You sure are pretty,” he said as he set the rolls on the table and faced me.
I couldn’t help but laugh. He was a little Shaw in the making. “Why, thank you, kind sir.”
Blayze jutted out his chest some. I could instantly picture a younger version of his father doing the same thing. Hell, any of the Shaw men. “I did have dibs on Kaylee, but Uncle Ty won her heart. You know, Uncle Tanner and Uncle Dirk both said they had dibs on you at the wedding.”
That caused me to raise a brow. I ignored the way my stomach jumped a little at this bit of news. “Did they now?”
He nodded. “Yep. I heard them call it on ya. I’d like to go ahead and call dibs too.”
I was positive my mouth was slacked open and my eyes were as wide as saucers.
Stella appeared out of nowhere, shaking her head. “Good Lord, boy. There’s no calling dibs on a girl at any point in time.”
“But, Uncle Tanner and…”
“Blayze…” Stella sternly warned. “A gentleman doesn’t call dibs on a young lady. The boys were kidding, isn’t that right, Timberlynn?”
My head jerked between the two. I wasn’t sure if I should laugh, be angry, or maybe get a little excited. Both Tanner and Dirk were beyond good looking. I had to admit, it was a confidence boost for sure.
“Um…”
Stella tilted her head as she watched me.
I swallowed hard and said, “That…that is right. It most certainly will not win the heart of any woman…er … girl, um…to, ah…to have dibs called on her.”
Blayze looked as if he was thinking that through. “Then I take my dibs back. So, does that mean I’ve got a better chance of winning your heart since they called dibs and I didn’t?”
I shot a glance at Stella who was attempting to keep from laughing by covering her mouth with her hand.
“Well…” I said, trying to hide my own smile now as I tapped my fingers on my lips. “I think I might be a bit old for you, Blayze.”
“I don’t mind waiting.”
Oh dear.
“You’re too late, buddy,” Tanner said as he walked up. I quickly looked over at him and felt my stomach drop. Those dimples...they made my knees feel weak. He stopped next to me, and I forced myself not to feel the heat from his body. “I do believe Miss Timberlynn is going to go horseback riding with me tomorrow morning so I can show her the ranch.” He leaned down and whispered loud enough for me and Stella to hear. “I’m hoping she’ll think it’s a date.”
Blayze furrowed his brows and asked, “When I got my horse and saddle from Santa, I was gonna ask her out, but you asked her out before me?”
Tanner looked over at me, waiting for me to answer.
Stella now had her hand over her mouth, her eyes darting back and forth between her son, grandson, and me. She found this humorous. What in the heck was I supposed to say? I looked at Stella once more for guidance. She simply jerked her chin toward Tanner. What was that supposed to mean?
“H-he did, Blayze, and I said…” Another look at Stella and she nodded ever so slightly. “Um, I said yes.”
With a dramatic roll of his eyes, Blayze tossed his hands in the air and let them fall to his sides. “This is why I should have tossed my hat in earlier. I knew it.”
“What in the world?” Stella said as I finally lost the battle and laughed. Tanner did as well, rustling Blayze’s hair.
“Sorry, buddy. Maybe next time,” Tanner said as he smiled at Blayze, then looked over at me and winked.
My stomach fluttered, and I pressed my hand against it. I swore my breath seemed to be caught in my chest.
“Oh, poor Brock and Lincoln,” Stella said as she placed her hands on Blayze’s shoulders and guided him back to the kitchen.
Tanner watched them leave and then faced me. “Sorry, it was either that or you’d be forced to go on a date with my six-year-old nephew.”
Blayze would have been the safer option, I thought to myself. “He is…something else,” I said as I followed Tanner back to the kitchen.
“You have no idea.”
“We’re not really going riding, are we?” I asked, peeking over at him.
He looked at me with a sexy smirk. And there went my stomach once again. “Of course we are. You already agreed to go with me. No take-backs at this