Grand-Prize Cowboy

by Heatherly Bell

  But if Boone ever treated Sofia badly, if he ever lied to her again, she’d be gone in a second. He respected that and wouldn’t have it any other way.

  * * *

  Sofia wondered if the Daltons had prime rib every week. At the Sanchez house, that dish was reserved for once a year, on either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Day. Then again, from everything she’d seen, this was the home of bona fide cattle ranchers. And despite their wealth, they weren’t particularly showy about it. The home was large but homey. These were down-to-earth people that were still adjusting to their windfall.

  Dale, the “funny-looking” brother, was almost as strikingly good-looking as Boone. Heck, all of the brothers were. She’d wondered where they got their looks, because Neal wasn’t quite as handsome. Tall, yes. Imposing. Almost a little scary. But she’d gotten her answer when a beautiful blonde had waltzed in the room.

  Deborah Dalton wore a pageboy hairstyle and looked a little like an older Grace Kelly. Classy. Though all of the brothers took after their father with brown hair, Boone had his mother’s riveting blue eyes, a deep indigo. And speaking of style, Deborah wore jeans and a long-sleeved blue peasant top. Nothing extraordinary, but she wore it like a model on a runaway, exuding confidence and assuredness. So similar to the way Boone carried himself. Sofia liked her immediately.

  Deborah obviously straddled both worlds, and Sofia could just as easily picture her leading a corporate boardroom meeting as hosting a dinner as a wealthy rancher’s wife. The matriarch of five boys, she was clearly adored by each one of her sons. But it was nothing compared to the way that Neal doted on his wife. Sofia thought it verged on the ridiculous, but extremely sweet.

  Still, she could feel the tension practically coming off Boone in waves anytime Neal said a word.

  Forgive. I’m not good at that.

  That much was clear. She felt bad for Boone. Life was too short for regrets and for withholding love. She wished she could do something to bridge the gap between father and son. But she had a feeling it would have to be a significant emotional event to get Boone to forgive Neal. Someday, for the sake of them both, she hoped it would happen.

  Later, after dessert, which turned out to be a two-layer chocolate cake with raspberry filling, Holt and Amanda excused themselves, saying that Robby had a strict bedtime. Morgan and Erica, too, left soon after, because Josie had begun to fuss. Other than that, Sofia was surprised at how well behaved the children had been through dinner.

  “Coffee, anyone?” Deborah rolled her eyes at her husband. “Don’t worry, I have my decaf.”

  “Let me help you.”

  Sofia followed Deborah to the kitchen, listening in the background as Boone and his two younger brothers talked smack about fake Tinder profiles and whose turn it was to muck the stalls.

  “Those boys of mine,” Deborah said. “They’re always playing practical jokes on one another. But none of them has ever resulted in my meeting a lovely young lady.”

  Sofia smiled. “Thank you. You know, your family reminds me of my own in many ways.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Large and loud. I feel right at home.”

  “It’s kind of you to say that. Your mother was equally welcoming, very down-to-earth and warm to everyone. But I know that my husband isn’t well liked in town. That’s because they don’t know him. Just wait until they all find out he’s one of the smartest businessmen I’ve ever met. Completely self-taught.”

  Sofia didn’t think it appropriate to mention the schism between Boone and his father. Deborah was well aware, and Sofia had nothing to add in terms of solving the problem. Together, they prepared the coffee, Sofia grinding the fresh beans and loading the coffee maker while Deborah brought out the china cups and saucers.

  “Oh, how I miss my coffee,” Deborah said with a slight shake of her head. “It used to make me buzz around the house for hours. I got so much done in those days.”

  “I’m sorry to hear about your heart attack.”

  “Thank you, but though I’ve got a clean bill of health from the cardiologist, you wouldn’t know it by looking at my husband. He really is going to have to calm down and realize I’m not going anywhere. I’m not breakable.”

  “You don’t look breakable.” In fact, she reminded Sofia of her own mother, someone who hadn’t taken a single sick day in a decade.

  “My heart attack scared them. Heck, it scared me, too. Life is too short to hold on to anger and resentments. I’ve vowed never to go to bed angry with any of my loved ones.”

  “I admire that attitude.”

  “Listen, I’m sure you’ve noticed that Boone and his father aren’t on the best of terms. But don’t judge him for that. Boone is just overprotective of me. My husband and I had some tough times, and the boys always sided with me. Boone, he’s always been the proverbial middle child. Our peacemaker. Whenever the brothers had a fight, you would see Boone getting in the middle, taking the hit if he had to. He loves his brothers, no matter how much they tease one another and play pranks.”

  “My brothers are the same way.”

  “How many do you have?”

  “Three. And one sister.”

  “At least your mother had two girls. I’m so grateful for Josie, and I hope that my boys will give me more granddaughters. I’d love to reestablish the gender balance in the Dalton family.”

  The way Holt and Amanda, not to mention Morgan and Erica, stole sultry looks at each other all through dinner, Sofia would bet there’d be another Dalton coming along soon enough.

  “Robby sure is all boy,” Sofia said.

  “He sure is.” The coffee brewed and Deborah began to pour some into the cups. “He reminds me a lot of both Boone and Holt when they were that age. So busy, so active.”

  “What was Boone like as a little boy?” She could almost picture him now, a mischievous smile, those adorable dimples.

  “In trouble a lot.” Deborah laughed and glanced up from the pouring. “But he always took care of his brothers. At school, Boone was always the one in the middle of a fight defending whichever kid was being picked on that day. He’d always wind up with a shiner himself. And lord forbid anyone who went after his brothers!”

  Sofia laughed, thinking of how he referred to his brothers as Thing 1 and Thing 2. And because of them, she’d had a chance to meet Boone. Otherwise, she wondered if they would have ever met. At least, not in the way they did, because he would have never walked into her shop otherwise.

  “I honestly never thought that boy would settle down, but then Neal bought him his first horse. And nothing was the same after that. He found his focus.”

  “It was Neal who did that?” Sofia took one of the cups and saucers and placed it on the tray Deborah had on the counter.

  “Ironic, isn’t it? They were close when the boys were little. All of them were. Neal was a good horseman for most of his life, but he admits that he’s no match for Boone.”

  The thought that his father had introduced Boone to his passion would have maybe carried more weight at another time. Now Boone hardly seemed to acknowledge it.

  The conversation between Sofia and Boone’s mother was so smooth and easy that Sofia almost felt like she did in her own mother’s kitchen.

  That is, without all the teasing about her relationship status. Then she wondered what Deborah would think once she realized that Sofia had fallen in love with her son.

  Maybe then there would be two mothers waiting for grandchildren.

  One on each side.

  * * *

  Later, Boone drove Sofia to get her car. The snow had lightly covered the hood, and Boone brushed it off. She would have no trouble driving home.

  “Thank you for dinner, and...everything else,” Sofia said as they kissed one last time, remembering “everything else.”

  “Text me when you get in, or I’ll worry abou
t those tires.” Boone pulled his huge jacket tight around her, then pressed his forehead to hers. “And remember that I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Sofia drove home, a sense of giddiness enveloping her. As she turned on the road leading her back to Bronco Valley, she felt caught between two places. She was still the same old Sofia, but falling in love with Boone made her feel...new. It was like being caught between two opposing views. The old Sofia wanted to warn the new Sofia that this was all happening too soon. Too quickly. Love grew with time. It didn’t just sprout up one day fully formed. Right?

  Gosh, she didn’t know. The feelings were unfamiliar and a little overwhelming. She hadn’t planned for this at all. First, she was supposed to get her career established. Then, at one point, she’d meet “the one.” She and her man would date for two years, realize they were in love, and have a long engagement, followed by a lovely wedding.

  She had already accepted that she couldn’t move away from Bronco, as her family would be devastated. But there would be frequent trips to New York City for Fashion Week and the like. She definitely wanted a big life that involved more than Bronco, Montana. Somehow, she’d veered wildly off plan.

  By the time Sofia arrived at her apartment, she was hyperventilating.

  She nearly knocked her own door down in a hurry to get inside her apartment to something familiar. Comforting. She was a different person than the one who’d left here earlier today, and it felt a bit like whiplash.

  After changing into her jammies, Sofia curled up in front of the TV. First, she texted Boone that she’d arrived okay. Next, she texted Camilla:

  Help! I think I’m in love.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Lately whenever Sofia wanted to see Camilla, she’d head to the Library. After her panicked text on Sunday night, Camilla suggested this couldn’t be a conversation held over the phone. So it was dinner out, Monday night, just the two of them, as long as they could eat at her new restaurant. Sofia had heard all the statistics straight from Camilla: most restaurants failed in the first five years. And Camilla was determined to be a success. This meant she practically lived at the Library.

  Camilla’s restaurant was in Bronco Valley, at the location of the town’s former abandoned library. Last year Camilla had devised a business plan and found a silent partner, and the old building had been completely renovated. Considering that every time Sofia had been here there was a line out the door, she figured business was going well. She was so proud of her sister, working hard and achieving her dreams. She’d always been such a good example for Sofia and she’d helped Sofia put together a business plan, too.

  Only Sofia hadn’t done much searching for an investor. She still felt far away from that step. Her portfolio and book of design sketches would only take her so far if she never shared them with anyone who could help. Like Alexis. And yes, maybe she’d been dragging her feet on that end, enjoying the creation part far more than the business aspect. Unlike Camilla, Sofia didn’t have a head for business. Unlike Camilla, Sofia had never taken business courses.

  As a designer she could sell her sketches to a major design label before she ever created her own brand. She could get started right at BH Couture, with Alexis. Maybe that was the way to go, but opening up a bridal shop like Vera Wang had started out might be the better option to begin. Still, she would need investors for that.

  “You have to try the potato skins,” Camilla said from across the table. “Rafael really outdid himself with those.”

  When the waitress came by, Camilla ordered for them both. “Now, why are you freaking out about finally falling in love?”

  “Everything is happening so fast with me and Boone, and I didn’t plan for any of this.”

  “You fell in love. It’s about time it happened to you, but that’s not something that can be planned.”

  “But by the time you fell for Jordan, you were ready to start your restaurant.”

  “So what? We’re sisters, but think about how different we are. You’ve always been confident, and I used to struggle believing in myself. Worrying that if I tried when I wasn’t entirely sure of myself and my strategy, I would fail. You dress like a model half the time, and I still dress like a teenager. Our lives are not going to be the same. You’re lucky that you found Boone while you’re still young. What about people who wait forever and never find the one for them? Think of poor Winona! She had to spend her whole life away from the man she loved, and their child.”

  Just the idea that Sofia would be separated from Boone for decades sent little tremors of fear running through her.

  “But I still feel so far behind on my dreams. And I can’t let anything or anyone derail me.”

  “Then don’t let him.”

  “But I love him. He’s my first love. Why did he have to show up at the wrong time? Why did I have to meet the perfect man right now?”

  “Hmm,” Camilla said. “Maybe the fact that the timing is all wrong says that he’s not the right man?”

  “No, he’s the perfect man for me. But I wish I was...ready for him.”

  “What is it that you’re really afraid of? How can he derail your dreams unless you let him?”

  It was a good question. Maybe because falling in love this hard had already changed her. Picturing spending the rest of her life with Boone felt like everything she’d ever wanted. It didn’t scare her or make her want to run. But she worried that she’d change a little bit more every year, and pretty soon she wouldn’t even recognize the woman she’d become. Then she’d look back on her life and be sorry that she hadn’t pursued her dreams.

  “What if he wants marriage and children sooner than I do? Believe me, he’s ready! Does that mean that I have to give him up? I don’t want to lose him, but is that fair to him?”

  “Oh, boy. I’ve never seen you like this before.” Camilla patted her hand. “It’s going to be okay. Look, if he loves you, he’s going to give you all the time you need. Remember what happened with Jordan. He gave me the space I asked for so that I could be sure, and he didn’t go anywhere. If it’s real love, it will last through some minor disagreements on the way to happily-ever-after.”

  Sofia left the Library feeling so much better about everything. Boone wouldn’t rush her. He’d already proved that by giving her a few days of space when she’d said she wanted to slow them down. When she was ready to resume their relationship, he was there. He understood her better than anyone else, so of course he would understand that she wanted to wait for marriage and children.

  The next day, she texted Boone her good morning as usual, along with all the heart emojis, then got ready to leave for work. It wasn’t until she walked up to her car that she noticed something markedly different. Clearly, her back tires had been replaced. They were sparkling clean and had that bright white mark. She walked alongside the car, and yep, the front tires were new also.

  She shook her head. “Oh, Boone.”

  One thing she loved was that he always gifted her with things that she needed and didn’t send generic gifts like flowers and candy. She pulled out her phone to text him:

  Thank you for the tires. xo

  He replied:

  You saw that. You’re welcome. I didn’t want to worry anymore.

  She’d nearly saved all the money already, so she’d catch him on her next paycheck. She would always expect to pull her own weight, even if her boyfriend was a millionaire. But it was nice that he wanted to take care of her.

  Her day at work went smoothly, and she styled another male customer in some of the clothes he’d seen Boone wear in the photo shoot.

  “I’d like the Boone Works,” he said, and Sofia had become used to the term by now. “There’s a woman, and I’m getting up the courage to ask her out.”

  “Good for you. They say clothes make the man.”

  But not always, as she’d found.
Some cowboys were perfect just the way they were.

  Alexis was happy, their customers were happy, and Sofia was happy. Any moment now little bluebirds would start singing and help her put the clothes away.

  “Wow, you’re in a good mood,” Alexis said. “Is it because of Boone?”

  “Yeah, we’re getting along.” She hesitated to spill her guts to Alexis, because she’d always kept her personal life separate from work.

  Another thing had changed in Sofia since she’d fallen for Boone. She had a lot more faith in her sketches, and she honestly wondered why she’d waited so long to talk to Alexis about her ideas. Maybe now was the right time. When there was a lull in customers, Sofia steeled herself and took a deep breath. She went to her car and pulled out the lovely leather-bound case that contained her portfolio of sketches. Some of these she’d been working on since she was away at college.

  “Alexis, do you have a minute?”

  “Sure, what’s up?” Alexis looked up from the catalog of couture designer lines that she regularly purchased from. She was already looking at the spring lines.

  “I would love your advice.”

  “Say yes!”

  “Huh?”

  “The minute Boone asks you to get hitched, say yes in the next breath, and become Mrs. Filthy-Rich Cowboy. Then have plenty of his babies.”

  You’re as bad as my mother.

  Sofia gulped. “That’s...not what I wanted advice about.”

  “Honey, I’m just kidding.” She waved dismissively. “That’s what I’d do, but then again, you’re not me. What can I do for you?”