“You think you’ll give Alexis some competition someday?” Boone winked.
“Maybe. One thought is to open a wedding shop and start there. That’s how Vera Wang got her start. After she’d worked in the business for a while, her father gave her the money to get started.”
Feeling in unfamiliar territory again, Boone cocked his head quizzically. “I’m guessing this Vera is a great designer.”
“Um, yeah, you could say that.” Sofia chuckled. “Anyway, I’m making contacts through the boutique and Alexis. I know she’s a little pushy, but hey, that’s probably how she got to where she is. She knows a lot of people in the business. Soon, I’m going to ask her to look at my portfolio.”
“Why haven’t you asked her yet?”
“I’m just waiting for the right time.”
After dinner, Boone walked Sofia back to her car. She clicked it open, then turned to him.
“Do you want to come over for a little while?”
“Sure. Just follow you home?”
She nodded, reached up to kiss him and ran her fingers through his hair.
Boone followed her home in his truck, surprised when they headed to the commercial area of Bronco Valley, passing the fire station. Then she pulled into the post office parking lot, and he thought there had to be some mistake. But she parked not far from two postal trucks, got out of the car and waved at him to park right next to her. He followed her to a side alley and steps leading to a second floor. There was a balcony landing that overlooked the alley.
“This used to be my sister’s place, and when she moved in with Jordan, I took over the lease. Before that I was living with my parents after college, and it was time to get back out on my own. As you might imagine, it’s in the right price range for a single working woman.”
She unlocked the door, then flipped on the light switch. “It’s not much, but it’s home.”
In Whitehorn, he’d lived in a similar apartment. It hadn’t been quite this small. This place was the size of his mother’s new walk-in closet. Though the studio apartment wasn’t much, as she’d said, the small space was clean and tidy. One room, a tiny kitchen off to the side, a small bed in a corner and a love seat. She’d made the most out of the small space, the warm colors lending it a homey, comfortable feel.
And then...her view. A side alley parking lot. Every morning he woke up to a view that most people would kill for. Big open sky, mountain ridges, the occasional deer or sheep running wild. He could hike for a day and still not cover all their property.
Chapter Six
“I just wanted to show you that I’m like you—hardworking but without much to show for it.” Sofia swept her arm around the room.
He swallowed hard, guilt flickering through him. “It won’t always be like this. I mean, especially once you become a world-famous fashion designer.”
“Of course.” She winked. “Want something to drink?”
“Thanks,” he said, settling on the cushy love seat.
She handed him a cold beer, and they clicked bottles together. “To the best things in life—family and friends.”
“And domestic beer,” he said, to lighten the mood.
This charade of his would be over soon. If he didn’t come clean, there was a chance someone else would and he couldn’t have that happen. Boone would tell her before the wedding on Saturday. Wearing the clothes she’d picked out for him, he’d explain everything and she’d understand. She must know that some people with money were afraid to be liked for all the wrong reasons.
But in this moment, he had a chance to get to know everything about her with all barriers down. Without complications ensuing from knowledge about his family and how they’d come into their money.
“Tell me about your family.”
“My parents emigrated from Mexico thirty years ago. They’ve always worked hard for everything they had, and now so do their children. We were raised with the hope that we’d do better than they did.”
“Hard work never killed anyone last time I checked.”
And sometimes Boone thought he’d been happier without all this money complicating his life.
“What about your parents?”
She plopped down beside him, and the love part of the seat took on its real meaning. They sat hip to hip.
“My dad had his hand in a lot of businesses for many years. Mostly a lot of fails. My mother was actually a very successful businesswoman climbing the corporate ladder.”
“I love that!” Sofia tucked her legs under. “You know, my mom is the manager of the hair salon where she works. They do a good business. I always wonder, if not for all of us children, maybe by now she could have had her own salon.”
“I’m sure she didn’t see you kids as a hardship.”
She shook her head. “We’re all her little blessings, as she says.”
Boone sat his beer bottle down and threaded their hands together. “What time should I pick you up for the wedding?”
“Actually, I hope you don’t mind, but could you meet me there? I offered to ride with Camilla and Jordan. They have to go early.”
“Sure. I’ll just meet you there.” He tugged her close and kissed her.
She wrapped her arm low around his waist and deepened the kiss till they were both breathless. When he broke the kiss, he framed her face with his hands.
Tell her now. The thought echoed in his head, but he silenced it. No, on Saturday he’d drive up in his Land Rover and explain everything to her. They’d have a good laugh about it, and he’d return all the clothes so they could be donated to a shelter or something. After that, he was going to start spoiling her: fancy dinners, trips, flowers, candy, jewelry. New York City. Whatever she wanted.
Sofia was the real deal.
“I better go, because that bed of yours is pretty close. If I stay much longer, you’ll be in it.”
Sofia chuckled. “I know I should laugh and call you optimistic.”
He stood, wishing he could stay but knowing he should go. He didn’t want to rush them. They had a connection and he felt like he’d known her for years.
Besides, they couldn’t go any deeper with this lie between them. She didn’t know everything about him yet. Whatever negative rumors she’d heard about the Daltons she would soon associate with him. At least he’d had the chance to show her first who he really was.
He’d tell her everything tomorrow, and if he was lucky, she’d want to see him again.
She walked him to the door, holding his hand.
He kissed her again at the door, a kiss so passionate and deep that he reconsidered leaving. Maybe he should explain everything right now. “Maybe I should...”
But she smiled and with one finger against his chest, gently pushed him back. “You better go. I’ll see you Saturday.”
* * *
“At least it’s not snowing,” Sofia said on the day of the wedding.
But even without snow, the Montana autumn was biting cold. Heat lamps had been set inside the barn at strategic places, because no matter how beautiful, nothing much could be done about a drafty barn.
The barn at Happy Hearts Animal Sanctuary, which usually housed the educational center, had been transformed. The doorway was draped with soft and billowy white curtains held back by a sash. Beautiful wildflowers were set atop repurposed wine barrels on either side of the entrance. Inside, white fairy lights were strung from the rafters from one end to the other.
“Isn’t it all so beautiful?” Camilla said as they carried in the wedding favors.
“Shabby chic,” Sofia said. “Very classy and rustic.”
“Cornelius must be having a fit,” Camilla said. “Did you hear about the menu?”
“Since you’ve talked of little else for months, I have.” With the bride being a vegetarian, despite being the daughter of one of the area’
s largest beef ranchers, the menu was meatless.
“We have some fish, but everything else is plant-based and absolutely delicious if I do say so myself. Our chef can create anything and make it taste good. The man is a genius.”
Sofia felt all the color drain out of her face, because spotted ambling in the barn loose...was that... “Is that a pig?”
“That’s Tiny Tim. He’s practically the mascot around here. Did you know potbellied pigs are pretty smart? They’ve trained him to walk down the aisle and carry the rings.”
“Are you kidding me right now?”
“Nope. And their dog Barkley is the ring bearer.” Camilla smiled. “This wedding is all Daphne and Evan. Their love story.”
“And it involves a pig.” Sofia still had a hard time getting her mind around that. “Aren’t they dirty?”
“Don’t worry, he’s pretty much a house pet. He’s been bathed, and no mud will get on that gorgeous dress of yours.” Camilla snorted.
“Hey, it’s a Valentino. And is it wrong to want to look good at one of the weddings of the year?”
“Not wrong at all.”
Together, they walked toward the section of the barn divided by another set of draped curtains and white lights. Round cloth-covered tables were gathered in groups. The food would be served buffet-style and kept warm under food lights. Hired servers from the Library were already bringing out some of the hors d’oeuvres.
And there in the middle of it stood Brittany Brandt Dubois, directing the action. An event planner, she used to work for Bronco Heights Elite Parties, but she’d recently gone into business for herself.
Sofia followed Camilla as they walked up to greet her.
“It all looks so beautiful, Brittany,” Camilla said.
Brittany smiled and nodded. “Don’t worry. There are more water goblets in the van.”
Camilla and Sofia exchanged a look. Either Brittany was speaking into her headset to someone else or the stress of her new company’s first large-scale event was really getting to her.
“I’m sorry,” Brittany said, gesturing to the headset. “I so badly want it all to be perfect for Daphne and Evan.”
“It already is as perfect as it can be.” Camilla put a hand on Brittany’s arm. “You’ve outdone yourself.”
“I totally agree,” Sofia said. “And I love your dress.”
Brittany twirled. “You should. You fitted me for it last month.”
“I thought that looked familiar,” Sofia joked, because she never forgot a fitting.
“Excuse me, ladies.” Brittany tapped her headset. “I have to get back to it. I’ll see you afterward.”
She walked away, muttering into the headset.
“Is Boone your plus-one today?” Camilla asked, headed toward the buffet table.
“I asked him to meet me here.” Sofia wrapped her arms around her waist. “I really like him. He’s so...down-to-earth. Real.”
“I can’t wait to meet him.”
From behind her, Jordan strode up to Camilla and wrapped his arms around her. “Hey, gorgeous.”
It was as if no one else was in the room.
“Hello to you, too, Jordan,” Sofia scoffed.
“Oh, hey, Sofia. Didn’t see you there. You look nice.”
“She has a date,” Camilla said. “Someone new. Boone, right? I just realized you never told me his last name.”
“Dalton. It’s Boone Dalton.”
Camilla blinked. “Really?”
Sofia shook her head, ready to explain he wasn’t one of the wealthy Daltons.
Jordan crinkled his brow. “Any relation to Mor—”
“Jordan.” Jessica Taylor, Jordan’s stepmother, walked up, interrupting. “I could use your assistance.”
Sofia knew that must mean Cornelius was already complaining about something. Unless he’d refused to attend, something he’d threatened poor Daphne with repeatedly. Sofia had heard from Camilla that Jordan would be the one giving Daphne away. Not Cornelius.
“Excuse me,” Jordan said, giving Camilla a quick kiss and following his stepmother out of the barn.
People were beginning to arrive, sitting in the rented white folding chairs whose backs were draped with a panel of burlap, a handful of baby’s breath tucked inside the wrap.
Sofia had to hand it to Daphne. For a wedding in a barn, this was classy. Except for the pig, she thought as she chuckled. She scanned the space to take it all in again and saw Boone walking alone in the distance. Her breath hitched. He was wearing the wool suit he’d won, and a gray button-down. His only concession to his normal cowboy look seemed to be his matching Stetson. Stetsons were expensive, and she wondered if he’d purchased it just for today.
She met him just outside the barn. “Hi.”
He reached for her hand, his brow furrowed. “I need to talk to you when you have a minute. It’s important.”
“Sure. Of course.” Sofia pulled him off to the side because it sounded so serious. He looked worried. “Is something wrong?”
“Lord, you look good,” he said, gently touching her hair.
“Thank you, sir. And so do you.” She tweaked the brim of his hat. “Is this new?”
“Actually, no. That’s kind of what I want to tell you. I’m—”
“Sofia.” Camilla came up behind her, a frantic look in her eyes. “We need your help. A wardrobe malfunction.”
“Sorry, Boone. I’ll be right back.” She looked around for someone she could introduce him to but saw no one he might be comfortable with, so she squeezed his arm. “Will you be okay?”
“Go. I’ll be fine.”
“What’s wrong?” Sofia followed Camilla at a good clip, toward the building that housed the Happy Hearts office.
“I’m afraid it’s Agatha.”
Sofia didn’t know an Agatha, but there were many of Evan’s relatives that she’d never met.
“Why? She hates the dress? What did Agatha say?”
“She didn’t say anything,” Camilla said, swinging the door open. “It’s more like what she ate.”
Sofia gasped when she saw an old goat roaming freely around the office. “What the—”
Daphne fought back tears. “Somehow Agatha wandered into the office and chewed the hem of my dress.”
Her vintage dress, a billowy off-white with accents of rose and detailed sequins throughout. It was long-sleeved with a plunging neckline, fitted at the waist. Instead of a veil, Daphne wore a crushed velvet hat. She looked like a 1950s glamour girl.
Sofia went hand to heart. “Your dress? She... Agatha eats satin?”
“Goats will eat almost anything,” Camilla muttered.
“Can you fix it?” Daphne held up the frayed hem on one side of the dress.
Sofia walked up to Daphne and put a reassuring hand on each shoulder. “I can. Just watch me work.”
“If anyone can fix this, it’s my sister,” Camilla said.
“I’ll just need to go to my car and get my emergency sewing kit.”
Daphne quirked a brow, and Camilla shrugged. “Yes, that’s right, she carries that with her instead of a first aid kit.”
Sofia caught the comment and turned back to the women. “Fine, go ahead and make fun. But at least no one can have a wardrobe malfunction around me.”
In a matter of minutes, Sofia had arranged the frayed material in a style befitting the nuance of the dress. She hiked it slightly up on one side, quickly sewed part of the frayed hemline to the bodice. It got the job done, and showcased a little leg, which Sofia didn’t think Evan would mind.
When she was done, Sofia hurriedly joined Boone near the back of the barn, just before the music started up. He squeezed her hand and smiled. “This is my kind of place,” he said.
He’d probably seen all the horses outside in the pastures. They
were allowed to roam freely as all the farm animals were. Daphne had a good heart. And considering that a potbellied pig walked down the aisle followed by a “ring bearer dog,” the only minor disaster of the day had been thanks to Agatha.
The ring bearer, a yellow Lab, made sense to Sofia. And it was such a cute idea to involve Barkley in the wedding. Apparently, his mother had been dropped off at Happy Hearts days before giving birth. All the puppies were adopted out, but a sad Barkley was returned because the owner’s child turned out to be allergic. Daphne said he’d sniffed around, searching for his siblings, whimpering so much it broke her heart, so she took him into the house for the night. That night wound up being the first of many.
As the two recited vows to each other, they glowed with love and warmth. Sofia could almost feel it in the air, surrounding them, infusing and wrapping around Evan and Daphne like a cloak. At one point, Evan teared up and Sofia had to bite her lower lip to keep from crying, too. Just the way they looked at each other moved her close to tears. Even with all these guests, their vows had an air of intimacy about them.
Someday she wanted this, too. She wanted to love someone deeply and be loved in return.
After the ceremony, they were all led into the section of the barn for the food.
“I’ll get us a table,” Boone said.
Sofia pulled up short when she caught sight of Winona Cobbs walking toward her, looking like a showstopper in her red dress.
“Winona, you look amazing, as completely expected.”
The older woman thanked her, then gestured to their surroundings. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She gazed around the barn at all the little touches that had made this a perfect venue for Daphne and her great-grandson’s special day. “But don’t be dazzled by all this glitter. That’s not what really counts.”
“I know. None of that stuff matters much to me,” Sofia said. “I’m here with Boone Dalton, and he’s a local ranch hand.”
Winona quirked a brow, and she looked a little confused, poor lady. Thankfully, her daughter Daisy walked up just then and led her to their table.
Soon it would be time for dinner and her sister’s amazing food. Only the Library could make meatless dishes that Sofia would happily eat. For a while, Sofia couldn’t find Boone among the throngs of Taylors, Cruises and Abernathys. She saw Brittany’s husband, Daniel, and their little girl, Hailey, heading toward Brittany. Sofia waved to Brandon Taylor and Cassidy Ware, sitting at a table with newlyweds Melanie and Gabe Abernathy.
Grand-Prize Cowboy Page 6
