The Cowboy One

by Samantha Drake

  “By the way, Liam will be here any minute now. Is everything ready?” She asked.

  “Yep. The guy over here took care of everything.” he said proudly.

  Leila shook her head and unwounded her arms from around his, taking a few steps back.

  “In that case, shall we go in?”

  Chapter 11

  Leila clearly remember the last time she saw the beach. That memory was so far away, it had probably been her first year of college. She went there on her eighteenth birthday. Of course, back then, it had been just her and another girl. They had both been too shy to venture too far into the resort, and too broke to indulge in too many activities. However, basic as her trip had been, it still held a dear place in her heart.

  It had been the first time she tasted the saltiness of the waves, and the heaviness of the air. It had been the first time she walked on the wet sand and went hunting for seashells. Even after years she could still taste the cheap beer they’d buy and the greasy fast-food they’d eat at sunset. She hadn’t talked to the girl in a while, but she was still a major character in one of the sweetest memories of her teenage years.

  Leila now found herself on the same beach. Everything had changed in her life, but not that beach. It remained the same as she remembered. The sand was still soft, melting beneath the crushing waves. The waves were high, clear and foamy, their song was pleasant, in a continuous sync with the sound of the seagulls.

  Yes, a lot had changed. She had changed. But nature and time remained untouched.

  She smiled and took in a deep breath, wrapping her arms around her, feeling the hem of the loose beach dress as it fluttered against her thighs, tickling her skin. Her hair had a life of its own too, the strands lashed into the breeze, sticking in all directions.

  Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms around her, but she didn’t jump to the sudden presence. She immediately know who it was. The familiar smell gave him away, but so did the shape of his body. Ethan was the only person that fit her body like the missing piece of a puzzle.

  Leila leaned into his touch, her hands grabbing his arms, wrapping them tighter around her. For a few seconds they said nothing, they just stood there by the ocean, their feet welcoming the flux that came and went. They enjoyed each other’s company, the way they deserved it.

  After the opening ceremony, they had had a few months of utter chaos. Leila had to go back to England and sort everything out. Ethan had to go to court with the accusations of plagiarism, a trial that he won. After her return she had started working with Ethan as COO. She had years’ worth of files to read and a vast history of the restaurants to get accustomed to.

  All in all, they had been buried in work for a long time. But they finally had the time to relax. Ethan had surprised her with the trip. He didn’t tell her where they were going, she just woke up one morning with two suitcases in the car and Ethan’s constant nags that she should hurry up and get ready.

  It was only after they arrived at the airport to pick Sebastian and Jonathan, along with the girls, that they finally told her where they were about to go.

  “Do you like it?” he asked, his breath fanning her neck.

  Leila didn’t answer with words, she just turned around and nodded, her lips pecking his. For a moment, they looked at one another, losing themselves in each other’s gaze. Being there with Ethan still felt surreal. Mainly because no matter how long she stayed by his side, she would never get over the fear of losing him again.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” he chuckled.

  Suddenly, their little moment got interrupted. Leila gasped and pulled away, water dripping from her dress and hair. With wide eyes, she looked at Ethan, who was drenched in water too. She didn’t need to look to know who had done it. Jonathan’s laugh was loud enough for the entire island to hear.

  “You are going to pay for this!” Leila shouted.

  She was already sprinting towards him, her feet going as fast as she could. She nearly fell when she tried to wrap her hands around Jonathan. Unfortunately, he was faster than her, he dodged her and ran towards the ocean, leaving her behind.

  Leila didn’t give up, she followed him into the ocean. Leila plunged into the water too, head first. She half swam half walked the distance between Jonathan. He was standing there, half buried in water, his hands raised in defeat.

  “Okay, I surrender. I surrender.” he pleaded between laughs.

  “No!” Leila shook her head. “You don’t get to surrender. You’re dead.”

  “I’ll do anything.” he faked a pout.

  Leila was about to decline, but suddenly, an idea sparked at the back of her mind. Slowly, she turned around to take a look at the other two girls that were standing by the shore, their giggles reaching her ear. With a sly smile, she turned towards Jonathan and shrugged.

  “There is one way. But I’m afraid you’ll need the guys’ help on this one.”

  “I don’t like this.” Jonathan said, “What do you want?”

  One hour later and many complaints later, the girls were tanning beneath the strong sun, the shadows of the guys casted around them. The sound of muffled laughs and giggles was loud, but so were the groans. Through her shades, Leila looked at Ethan and barely held herself from laughing. He was wearing the Greek costume they had crafted from some sheets they’d found back at the hotel. The tree leaves taking the place of the olive branches.

  Sebastian seemed to be the one most in pain. He fanned them with constant and rhythmic moves of his hand, his eyes glaring at Jonathan at all time. Jonathan was feeding them grapes and pouring Champagne, every once in a while, sending the other two guys apologetic smiles.

  “I was a victim too. I still don’t get it why I have to do this.” Ethan said.

  “One for all and all for one?” Leila shrugged with a chuckle.

  “He’s right. You should just kick his ass. I’ll help you.” he said, already turning towards Jonathan, pointing the fan towards him in a threatening manner.

  Leila turned towards the girls, catching Sophie as she snapped a couple more photos of them. None of the guys seemed to notice her, which was a good thing. Leila doubted they’d let them keep the pictures.

  “Leave them Sebastian. It’s their loss, you know.” Ethan suddenly said with a dramatic sigh.

  Now he got her curious. She felt there was something behind that sentence, something she was eager to find out. She didn’t seem to be the only one noticing it, Aline and Sophie turned too, each raising her shades so that they could take a better look at him. It was in moments like that, when they were negotiating for their freedom that Leila could truly see the business man that lived deep inside of them.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, we kind of wanted to prepare a surprise for you. But we are seemed to be caught, I doubt we’ll have the time to prepare it anymore.”

  Leila would lie if she said she wasn’t curious. The guys had already prepared for so much, she wondered what they had in store next. It was like gambling, you could never know what waited for you in the next moment. Leila looked at Sophie and Aline, silently asking them if they were as curious as her. She had no words in reply, but judging by the looks lingering on their faces, she could guess they were more than ready to end the guy’s punishment.

  “Why not? Me and the girls were about to go back home and clean up. Right girls?”

  *****

  Leila walked around the room with two dresses in hand. She held one around herself then exchanged it with the other. She looked at the other two girls, asking for an opinion. Aline tapped the handle of the makeup brush against her chin, her eyes squinting as she tried to figure out which one suited her better. Sophie looked at Leila through the mirror, still struggling with a strand of hair and the new curling iron.

  “Go with the blue one.” Sophie finally said.

  “But the green one has an open back. Imagine Ethan’s face when he’ll see that.” Aline debated, pointing towards Leila’s left hand.

&
nbsp; “Okay, okay! I’ll just go with the other red one.” Leila finally said, throwing the two dresses on the armchair in the corner of the room.

  With fast steps, she headed towards the closet, her hands immediately wrapping around the glittery fabric of the dress. The dress was beautiful, made entirely of red sequins. It was had a low cut and reached mid-thigh. Indeed, it was probably the least comfortable dress she owned, but it complimented the color of her skin and hair. It also hugged her body in all the right places, and with a pair of heels, Leila was ready to kill.

  “You should have showed this one to us from the beginning.” Sophie said with a sigh, shaking her head in disappointment.

  Leila chuckled and slipped into the dress, struggling with the zipper. She had picked her dress, but much like any other night out, her struggle didn’t end there. She still had to do her makeup and hair. The other two girls were almost done, they just needed to pick up their outfits.

  “Can I do your hair?” Aline asked, but didn’t seem to be waiting for an answer. She was already by Leila, her hands reaching for the loose strands of her hair.

  “I wanted to curl it a bit.” Leila looked at her through the mirror, admiring her beauty.

  “How about an up-do? Those shoulders deserve some attention.” Aline asked as she pulled her hair upwards knotting it in a twist, showing Leila a preview of what it would look like.

  “I’ll do her makeup!” Sophie suddenly declared from the corner of the room, as she threw the pair of pants she had been trying on.

  For the next couple of minutes Leila had the pleasure of experiencing something she had never experienced before. If she were to have any siblings, she guessed this is how it would feel. The girls joked around and shared stories, even talked about the guys while they played with makeup.

  Leila had never been this pampered. Nor did she ever look so good. Before, she had prided herself with makeup. But her skills were now put to shame in front of Sophie’s abilities. In less than half an hour she had managed to cover up every spot on her skin and make her blue eyes to look like two orbs that reflected the waves of the ocean.

  The golden eyeliner and long dark lashes framed the elongated shape of her eyes, the nude red lipstick being the perfect spot of color on her face. The up-do had been the best choice, it did not only bring attention to her narrow shoulders, but it also complimented the shape of her face.

  It was safe to say, that by the end of the transformation, Leila couldn’t wait to see Ethan’s reaction. Luckily, she didn’t have to wait too long to see it. In time, the three girls were ready to join the guys on the beach, right where they had agreed.

  While they had gotten ready, Leila had tried to imagine what the guys prepared. Of course, she had imagined a fancy dinner, maybe a fire, but she couldn’t even come close to imagining what they had truly managed to accomplish in such a short time.

  The beach was no longer empty, it was now decorated with lanterns and twinkling rows of light. There was a table placed in the middle of the beach, with white veils and roses draping from the pillars situated in each corner. There were candles too; their flames twinkled in the darkness, breaking through the night’s blackness.

  Leila was breathless, she took everything in, and yet still couldn’t realize what she was looking at. Indeed, Ethan had done a lot of things for her, but this one surely was beyond them all.

  The guys seemed to know it too. They stood by the table proudly, with goofy smiles on their faces. Leila, however, only saw Ethan. Her eyes traced his handsome features. He was wearing a white shirt that was loose around his body. His hair wasn’t styled either, but the careless look suited him, it gave him an air she hadn’t seen in a while.

  Suddenly, there were fireworks across the sky. The noise took her by surprise, but so did the sparkles that suddenly erupted above her. In a heartbeat Leila raised her gaze to look at the vibrant colors. They sparkled across the sky, the light slashing through the darkness. The colors were like blooming flowers, opening their arms to take over the sky.

  When Leila lowered her gaze again, Ethan was no longer standing a few feet away from her. He was now standing right in front of her. The first thing she saw were his eyes. They looked into hers with anxiousness and fear and other feelings she could not immediately recognized. Leila felt her heart skip a beat. No, in fact, it stopped altogether simply touched by the way Ethan was looking at her.

  Then, taking her by surprise, Ethan lowered himself on one knee. In that moment, Leila felt like she couldn’t breathe anymore. Her eyes were already blurred with tears, although Ethan was still to say another word. He seemed to be searching for words, his hands were shaky, his fingers struggling to open the black velvet box he had retrieved from his pocket.

  Leila looked at the four other persons standing to their right, realizing she had been played. They had all been aware of it since moment one, thus the interest the girls put into her appearance. The girls giggled, while the guys whistled in encouragement.

  Ethan, on the other hand, was still on his knee, looking at Leila.

  “I had a nice speech ready, you know. I wanted to tell you of all the reasons I love you, I wanted to remind you of all the happy memories we had together, but of the bad ones too. I wanted to sit here and talk until the guys would kick my ass for boring the life out of them.” He chuckled nervously. “But, just like always, I seem to be at a loss of words when it comes to you. Although I can’t remember the words, and although I find it hard to breathe, I can still ask you to marry me. I can still be selfish enough to ask you to get married to the most imperfect man on earth, to bind your life to a person who is lacking in so many ways. I can’t promise you a life without problems, God knows our family is known for attracting them. But I can promise you, I’ll be there throughout whatever hardships. I’ll try to be there when the world seems like a vast empty space. I can promise to try to make you smile and to hold you when you can’t.”

  Ethan stopped for a second, he took in a deep breath and took the ring out of the box. He looked at it, his eyes examining the band, as if sealing each one of his words within the diamond.

  “So, shortly, will you marry me?”

  Leila was breathless. In her head, she had said yes, a million times. But in reality, her lips failed to utter the words. So, instead, she chose to wrap his arms around the man and kiss him. Her lips crashed onto his, moving against them like there was no tomorrow.

  When she finally pulled back, she noticed the unshed tears in his eyes too, they glistered beneath the artificial lights as brightly as the diamond in hand.

  “Just so you know, you won’t have time to change your mind. The wedding is tomorrow.”

  Chapter 12

  It is common for girls to imagine their wedding day. Ever since a young age, most girls tend to think of every detail for their big day. By the time they are even old enough to have a boyfriend, they have already decided not to have half the things they want. It is rarely that boys think about it, however. Even when they are old, or even engaged, guys are less often to give much thought to the ceremony that is meant to bind them to their better half. Usually, they either don’t care or are too careful about their manliness to show such emotional interests.

  Of course, that had never been the case for Ethan. Ever since he attended a relative’s wedding when he was around seven, he had constantly thought of his wedding day. He remembered seeing the groom with tears in his eyes. Constant words of prayer resting on his moving lips. The images seemed to be engraved in his head but also his heart. When he was younger, he had judged the man for displaying such intense emotions.

  He had called him an actor, convinced that no one could be so in love. In his teenage mind, he had believed that the wedding day wasn’t any different than any other day. Why would he even feel anything differently. Of course, after he met Leila for the first time, he started to consider the sincerity of the man’s display. Even when she was gone, he still sometimes found himself wondering how he would f
eel if he was to wait for her by the altar.

  Now, there he was, in his suit, beneath the clear blue sky and with the roaring ocean behind him, waiting for the love of his life to appear. Saying he felt butterflies would have been an understatement, so would have been any other words used to describe his state. What he felt was beyond that. It was beyond any word used by humans. It was beyond any description and imagination. It was so strong, that he feared his body would burst.

  Looking around, Ethan felt happy. He hadn’t invited anyone to his wedding, it was just him and the guys. But they were all they needed. They were the only family that mattered. They had been with him through the worst; they deserved to be there through the best day of his life.

  Ethan turned around to look at Jonathan. In return, his nephew smiled at him with sympathy, probably remembering the emotions that he experienced not too long ago. Ethan took in a deep breath and returned his gaze back to the isle, or whatever improvisation they had of an aisle.

  “The bride is coming.” he heard the priest say.

  They had no music to which Leila could match her pace to. So, instead, she seemed to match her steps to the sound of the ocean. She took one step with every wave that crashed against the shore. She didn’t look like she was walking; instead, he swore she floated.

  The dress was perfect on her, the thin material was fluid, cascading down from her hips in pools of material. The dress was simple, lacking the lace that most brides had nowadays. Its simplicity suited the thematic of their rather minimalist wedding.

  On her head she had a crown made of wild flowers. And from beneath that crown flew a veil. The veil was long, it swirled with the wind, following the rhythm of its song.

  It was safe to say that Leila resembled a vision. She was like a dream that had descended to bless him, like an angel sent by heaven to protect a sinful man such as him. If there is truly a divinity, Ethan was more than sure he loved him. Otherwise, there was no way he would have blessed him in such a manner.