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Olivia smiled and hooked her arm in Whitley’s. “Nonsense. This will give you the exposure you need, darlin’. Say you’ll do it. Please!”
Whitley smiled at Olivia and then at Mrs. P, who had the fakest smile on her face I’d ever seen. She knew just as much as I did that Olivia was doing this on purpose.
The moment Whitley turned to me, our eyes met, and her smile faded, but it quickly came back.
“I have a few things to read over. I’ll meet you back in my truck, Miss Reynolds. ” I gave her a weak smile.
She nodded and turned away.
I gave Mrs. P a kiss good-bye on the cheek and excused myself.
“Good-bye, Layton. I hope to see you soon!” Olivia called out.
I completely ignored her. I made my way around the house and back to my truck.
By the time I got into my truck, I felt like I was struggling to get a breath. She’s getting married.
My cell phone started ringing, causing me to jump. I picked it up and saw it was Reed. “Yeah?”
“Dude, guess who in the hell is in town?”
I sucked in a breath of air, still trying to get my breathing under control. “Who?”
“Kevin!”
A smile played across my face. Kevin had been my brother’s best friend from high school. They had served in the Marine Corps together.
“No shit. He’s home on leave?”
“Yep, and he and a few other guys are heading to Joe’s tonight. What do you say? Welcome-home party?”
I put my head back on the seat. I knew Misty would be working tonight. I didn’t really want to see her again, but I needed to talk to her. Plus, I hadn’t seen Kevin since Mike’s funeral.
“Yeah, I need a few beers. I’ve had a shit-filled afternoon. ”
Reed laughed. “He’s in!” He sounded as if he’d turned away from the phone, talking to someone else, and then his voice came back clear over the line. “Awesome, dude. See you at nine. ”
I looked up and saw Whitley and Mrs. P talking as they headed toward my truck. I looked to see if Olivia was with them, but it was just the two of them. I watched as Mrs. P said something to Whitley, causing her to laugh. I couldn’t help but grin. She had the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen. Her eyes actually seemed to sparkle when she smiled. Her hands were flying everywhere as she talked.
Shit, that would drive me crazy.
She glanced up and caught me watching her. She crinkled her nose, and I had to laugh. All she had to do was look at me, and I pissed her off.
As they got closer, I jumped out of the truck, walked around to the passenger side, and opened the door for her. I heard Whitley tell Mrs. P that she would come back out in a few days to work on ideas for the party, and then they said their good-byes. When Whitley turned, she glanced at me and hopped up into the truck.
I shut the door and said good-bye again to Mrs. P.
“Layton, I’m sorry for what Olivia did. You have to know, she was just a bit jealous from seeing you with another girl. I’ll explain to her who Whitley is. I’m sorry Olivia hurt you. ”
I smiled slightly. “Mrs. P, I highly doubt Liv is jealous from seeing me with another girl. After all, she’s the one who left me, remember? No need to explain who CG is. It’s none of Liv’s business. ” I gave her a wink, and I started walking around to the driver’s side.
Mrs. P called out, “Layton, stop teasing that girl! She hates that nickname you’ve given her. ”
I smiled and tipped my hat at her before jumping into the truck. I looked over at a very happy girl sitting next to me.
She looks good in my truck. It’s a perfect fit.
Shit! Shit! Shit! Don’t even, Layton.
“Okay, CG, let’s get you home, shall we? Where do you live?”
“Jesus Christ, stop calling me that, you asshole! And how dare you embarrass me like that in front of a potential client. Are you insane? Do you know what planning her engagement party means for me?”
I threw my truck into reverse and glared at her before hitting the gas pedal. “Yeah, I know exactly what the hell it means. ”
I hit the pedal so hard that her head snapped back. I’d never wanted to leave that house so much in my entire life. I just needed to get drunk and forget this day even happened.
“I’ll stop by Jack’s, so you can get whatever you need out of your car. ”
She was staring out the window and didn’t answer.
“Whitley, I’m going to stop by Jack’s garage first. Then, where do I need to go?”
Nothing.
When I reached over and tugged her arm, she jerked away from me.
“Jesus, are you okay?” I asked.
She turned and looked scared to death. “Um…yeah, I’m sorry. I guess I was lost in a memory. What did you say?”
“Would you like me to stop by Jack’s garage to get what you need out of your car? I’m not sure how long he’ll have it. I’m sure he doesn’t keep fancy car parts on hand,” I said with a wink as I watched her holding her cell phone up.
“Ha-ha. That’s fine. Oh, yes! I have a signal!”
She hit a number on her phone, and all I heard was another girl on the other end, going off in a high-pitched voice.
Whitley looked at me and smiled. “Hey, Court. So sorry, Lollipop. My car broke down in the middle of Bumfuck, Egypt, and I had to ride a horse back to this cowboy’s house. Then, he called a tow truck and brought me to my appointment. No, in his truck. Um…”
She turned and looked at me. Her face was red, and the blush covering her cheeks caused me to smile.
“Yes. Uh…really? Right now, Courtney?” She sighed as she looked toward the window, and then she tried to talk softly. “I don’t know…ugh. Oh. My. God! Nine! Are you happy, you bitch?”
Jesus…is she rating me? And if she is, why the hell am I a nine and not a ten?
“Yes, a real one. Yep. ” She glanced back and looked down at my feet. “Yes, Court…the whole package. ”
I started laughing. “Are you seriously talking about me while I’m sitting right here next to you?”
Whitley shrugged her shoulders and gave me a smirk.
Yep, she’s from New York all right.
“Listen, I have to stop and pick up some things that I left in my car, and then Layton is going to drop me off at home. Will you be there?” She let out a sigh. “You’re joking, right?”
She peeked back at me with a funny look. The way she smashed her lips together and frowned had me adjusting myself. I’d never been so attracted to a girl I couldn’t stand to be around.
What in the hell is wrong with me?
“Listen, I’ll just talk to you when I get home okay?” She ended the call and glared at me. “Don’t go thinking I was talking about you being all hot and everything. Courtney is obsessed with real cowboys. That’s all. ”
I glanced over at her and smiled. “Okay. ”
“I mean, really…I hardly even know you, and to be honest, you’ve gotten on my nerves more than anyone ever has in my entire life. ”
“Wow. Nice way to pay me back for helping you out today. ”
She snapped her head over at me. I stopped at a Stop sign and looked at her. Our eyes met again, and I swore I couldn’t pull myself away from her. Something about her drove me totally insane. One minute, I couldn’t wait to get away from her, and the next, I wanted to know more about her.
Zedd’s “Clarity” started to play on the radio as I pulled my gaze from hers and took off driving. We both reached down to turn it up. Our hands bumped, and the shock that ran up my arm startled me.
Shit. I just need this girl out of my truck. With any luck, I’ll only run into her every now and then.
“I’m so sorry. It’s your truck. I just, um…I just like this song. ”
I gave her a half-smile and reached back down to turn it up.
Whitley had gotten a few items out of her car, and she was back in
my truck, giving me directions to her house.
“You live in the center of town?” I asked her as I turned down Sandstone Street.
“Yeah. When I told my father I wanted to move to Llano, he flew here and looked at property. There was a house right on the river that he fell in love with. He sent me pictures, and I loved it, too. So, my parents bought it for me with the plan that I would pay them back. ”
She gave me the address.
“You live in the old Peabody house? That place is beautiful. ”
She smiled as she tilted her head and looked at me.
Jesus, I like when she looks at me like that.
“Yes, it is beautiful. My dream has always been to buy an older home and restore it. I fell in love with the sandstone. I love that house. ”
“It’s a good thing since your dad picked it out. ” I pulled up and parked in front of her house. “Why didn’t you come down with him? That’s a lot of trust you put in your dad to let him pick out your house!”
Her smile faded, and her eyes filled with sadness. “I, um…I had some things to take care of in New York City. ” She gave me a slight smile.
I knew it. She’s from New York City.
I nodded. “Gotcha. Well, Miss Reynolds, it has been…an experience, meeting and getting to know you. ”
She tried to look pissed but ended up laughing. “Are you going to be a Southern gentleman and help me carry this stuff inside, so my neurotic friend can eye you up properly? She’s been dying to see a real cowboy,” she said as her eyes moved up and down my body.
I laughed and jumped out of the truck. I grabbed two boxes while she carried a few other items. As we walked up to the front door, I could already see the changes she’d made to the house. She had added potted plants, and the landscaping in front of the house was amazing.
“You painted the front door red. I like it with that stained glass,” I said.
She turned and gave me a proud smile. “Thank you. I’ve always wanted—”
The next thing I knew, the front door swung open, and I was looking at who I was guessing was Courtney. She smiled, and I couldn’t help but look her up and down. She had on the shortest shorts I’d ever seen along with a Texas A&M T-shirt. She was about five feet five inches with blondish-red hair and sky-blue eyes. She was breathtaking but not as beautiful as Whitley.
She has nothing on my CG.
Wait—what? What in the hell is going on with me?
“Ah…” I stood there, just looking back and forth between them.
“Shit, Court, can you get the hell out of the way, so he can come in and drop off my stuff?”
Courtney smiled, and I swore I’d never been eye-fucked so openly before.
City girls.
She moved out of the way, and when Whitley walked by, she whispered something in her ear.
“Shut up, Lollipop. You’re an ass. ”
I took a quick look around. The living room was in the process of being painted, and the wood floors were covered up, but I could tell they had been refinished.
“Layton, this is my best friend, Courtney. Court, this is Layton Morris. ”
Courtney flashed me a grin, and her eyes lit up. “My first official cowboy. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Morris. ”