Diamonds And Denim (Country Brides & Cowboy Boots)

by Danni Lee Nicholls

  Willow’s heart skipped a beat. The thought of Mick being all hers delighted her; at the same time, she became conscious of her fingers grazing his skin. She pulled back and tucked her hands between her knees. Maybe Mick had a girlfriend. She had been so concerned about Curtis that the thought of Mick coming with an attachment hadn’t even entered her mind. “Maybe you can tell me about Simone,” she said.

  Mick gave her a furtive look before rising from the chair, but said nothing. He reached his hand out for Willow, who took his offer of help by placing her fingers in his palm.

  “Give me just a minute,” he said. “And then, you can tell me about your …” He searched for the right word. “Your engagement.”

  Willow pursed her lips as she gave Mick a quick glance before they walked backed inside the hotel lobby. The rumor mill was already at work. Yes, she needed to tell Mick about Curtis, but what would she say? She wasn’t promised to Curtis, but she and Curtis were promised to the town of Sunrise Creek.

  Chapter 11

  After giving Pilot a happy greeting, Mick glanced at Bert, who was standing just outside the bay of his shop, watching, as he climbed into Willow’s truck. “He doesn’t miss much, does he?” Mick said, jerking his head toward Bert.

  Willow shrugged, but her tension came to Mick on some unseen frequency. “Not if he can help it.” Willow’s voice held a chill.

  Mick said nothing, but he hoped his presence wasn’t causing Willow any trouble. There had been nothing in their relationship that was inappropriate, and he kept his growing feelings for Willow to himself.

  They made the short drive to Marilyn’s Diner and got out of the truck. The restaurant was crowded with patrons, and Marilyn handed them two menus at the cash register while giving them a look of disapproval and telling them to sit wherever they wanted. Willow chose a seat by the window, overlooking Coyote Ridge. Its pine-and-fir-covered hillside mixed with jagged rock, and all of it loomed over Sunrise Creek. The sun began peeking through the gray clouds, warming the rocky face and trees. Mick was grateful to see the sun. Maybe it wouldn’t snow after all.

  Marilyn came to take their order. “So, Willow, how are things at the Double W?” she asked with the pen and small notebook in hand.

  “Good. We’re getting ready for winter.”

  “Shouldn’t you be home now, working on that very thing? By the way, when is Curtis finishing school?” Marilyn asked as she tossed a cold glance toward Mick.

  Willow gave her a penetrating look. “I’ll tell my dad you said, hello, and I’ll have the usual.” She closed the menu and handed it back to Marilyn.

  Marilyn scratched something on the pad before turning toward Mick. “And what about you?” Her demeanor was chilly.

  “I’ll have what she’s having.” Mick handed the laminated menu back over to Marilyn, and she bustled off behind the counter.

  Curiosity bit at Mick, and he leaned over. “What was that all about?”

  Willow met Mick halfway, her arms folded on the table. She whispered, “Curtis used to work here as a busboy in the winter months when he was in high school. It’s how he saved for college. Anyhow, Marilyn …” Willow stopped. “No, the whole town seems to think that Curtis and I are getting married.” Willow hesitated. “And …well, Marilyn has been after my dad since my mom died. He’s not interested in her because she’s been married twice before and never had anything good to say about either husband. He doesn’t think he’d fare much better.” She folded her arms on the table. “She’s a great cook, though. And the only place in town.”

  Mick lingered near Willow. He loved her closeness. A stray strand of her long blonde hair fell against his arm, sending a shiver of possibility throughout his body.

  “I’ll be the judge of the cooking,” Mick said, but his thoughts stuck on her earlier words about Curtis, and a small ray of hope beamed into the dark curiosity he had carried around Willow and Curtis. He shifted in his seat. “I’m just going to come right out and ask this, Willow. Are you and this mysterious Curtis engaged? Because most of this town is adamant about that. Bert’s told me a couple of times that you’re going to marry his nephew, but …” He hesitated. “I’ve looked for a ring on your finger, and I don’t see one.”

  Mick’s breath was suspended between desire, hope, and a sudden rush of deliverance. He would finally know Willow’s relationship status once and for all, and he was glad there wouldn’t be any more guessing. But other emotions crowded in, and he prayed he wouldn’t be disappointed in her answer.

  “We are not engaged,” Willow answered quietly.

  Mick sagged against the back of his seat as he drew a deep breath through his nose and closed his eyes, tension draining from him. He sat up. “So why is everyone telling me that you’re getting married, and what are all of these comments about?” He jerked his head in Marilyn’s direction.

  The woman was watching them from her perch behind the cash register.

  Mick raised his palms in a question. “Is it that these folks feel the need to protect you from an outsider like me? I mean, I know I don’t belo—”

  Willow vehemently shook her head. “It’s not you. My relationship with Curtis is… complicated.”

  Mick leaned forward. “I know you’ve got other things to do, but I’ve got all day.”

  Willow was silent for a moment, and Mick gave her the space she needed to think.

  “Curtis is literally the boy next door,” Willow explained. “But around here, that could mean he lives down the lane or across the valley. Curtis and his family own the ranch next to ours, and it just seems like a natural thing for the two of us …” Her voice drained of sound.

  “What? Everyone is expecting you to marry this guy for a business deal?” Astonishment laced Mick’s words. How could a woman like Willow give herself to a man in order to build a bigger ranch? The whole idea was absurdly archaic.

  Willow took in a sharp breath. “Well, no. It’s not like that, really. I’ve known Curtis all of my life, and we’ve always been intended for one another. But I knew we’d end up together when my mom got sick. He quit school his freshman year, came home, and helped us run the ranch while we were trying to take care of Mom. He loves my family. My dad relies on him, and I know Curtis loves me, too.”

  “Well, what’s not to love?” Mick bit his cheek. He wasn’t sure he should be thinking about love and Willow in the same breath. He cleared his throat. “I mean, you’ve got a great truck. It’ll at least get you over these mountains. And Pilot is definitely a keeper.”

  Willow laughed. “The truck’s name is Clementine.”

  Mick was glad to be talking of another subject besides Curtis. “You’ve named your truck?”

  “Uh-huh. She’s been around longer than any of the cows, so we named her. She’s a sturdy girl.” Willow sat back from the table. “I see your opinion of Pilot has changed.”

  Mick grinned. “Well, maybe a little, but it would’ve been gracious of him to trade places with me on that cold night.”

  Willow laughed again as she shook her head. “Nope. He knows his place, and he’s not giving it up for anyone.”

  “What about Curtis? Does Pilot have to ride in the back when he’s a passenger in Clementine?”

  Mick watched a cloud come over Willow’s features, and he regretted his question. He didn’t want to do anything that threw a shadow over their time together.

  “No, but only because I’ve put my foot down. Curtis believes dogs should stay outside. He’s not a big believer in pets. But Pilot is my dog, and Clementine is my truck, and Pilot pulls his weight around the ranch. He has a sixth sense that lets me know when something isn’t right with one of our animals. Besides, I’ve raised him since he was a puppy, so I’m not giving him up. The matter is settled now, or at least I think it is.”

  More questions piled up inside of Mick, and he devoured every answer, looking for something that would spell out her personal feelings around the man everyone had decided she was to marry. “How does
Curtis help your dad?”

  “He gives Dad an extra pair of hands who knows what needs to be done. In the summer, he helps with haying, irrigation, and moving the cattle from pasture to pasture, depending on where they’ve been grazing. We try to make sure the fences are all in good order in the spring, but we always need to be checking them. Summer is never-ending work, and Curtis knows that work, and he’s good at it.”

  Marilyn bustled toward their table and plunked down two steaming plates with omelets, potatoes, fruit, and homemade bread for toast.

  Mick’s mouth watered as he looked over the meal. The presentation was ordinary, but as he bit into the omelet, he let the flavors roll on his tongue. Just the right amount of salty ham mingled with mushrooms that were still firm and gooey cheese. Everything was perfectly cooked. The potatoes were evenly seasoned with the right amount of crust, and the homemade toast with butter rounded out the meal.

  Willow held her fork in midair with a steaming bite of omelet. “Well?”

  Mick smiled and nodded as the food melted in his mouth. “This is good,” he said. “It’s really good.”

  Willow’s face relaxed into a grin. “I’m glad you like it.” She settled into her seat. “Now it’s your turn. What’s going to happen with your car?”

  Mick gave her a reluctant smile. Although he was relieved Willow wasn’t engaged, his questions weren’t satisfied. She had volunteered that Curtis loved her, and talked about how she knew they’d end up together, but there didn’t seem to be any declaration of intention on his part. More importantly, Willow had not spoken of her love or deep attachment for him.

  Mick sighed while he put down his fork as angst and disappointment filled him, diminishing his appetite. Maybe he wouldn’t know Willow’s feelings for Curtis today. She obviously was finished talking about herself and Curtis. But at least he had a little information, and it gave him hope. If there wasn’t any engagement, she was free to see him, if she so desired. Oh, how he hoped she would want his company as much as he desired hers.

  “Mick?”

  Mick blinked and a quick and heated blush rose up through his body. “Oh, right. The car. Bert told me it has a blown head gasket. Whatever that is.” He gave Willow a quick look. “I don’t know the first thing about cars.” His tone was apologetic. “But I know the car isn’t going anywhere unless I sink three thousand dollars into it. Bert’s starting work when he gets the parts. And even then, I don’t know that it’ll get me to Seattle.” Mick played with his food. “This trip wasn’t all that well thought out,” he said. “In fact, I probably shouldn’t even be here.”

  “Was it Simone’s idea?” Willow ventured softly.

  Mick nodded as the familiar picture of Simone rose up from his mind, but the image jarred him. Even the thought of her didn’t belong in Sunrise Creek.

  “She must be very mysterious,” Willow prodded.

  “Not really.” Mick stopped for a moment. “Actually, I guess she is, and it drives me crazy. Or I guess I should say it drove me crazy. I probably wasn’t ten minutes out of town before she and my ex-best friend started partying in my condo. He was supposed to move in and look after the place. The next thing I know, I’m on Instagram, posting pictures of my trip, and they’ve outdone me with photos of the two of them all cuddled up while throwing lavish parties in my house with people I don’t know.”

  Mick took in the look of exasperated gall that crossed Willow’s face.

  “What? Who does that?” she asked. “I wouldn’t say that’s mysterious. I’d say it’s bad manners and, well … just plain mean!”

  Mick put his fork down as a wave of nausea overcame him. “Yeah, well, whatever it is, it’s done now.”

  “I can see why you would react the way you did when your earrings were missing. It sounds as if you’ve had several betrayals by people you thought you could trust.”

  Willow’s words hit Mick in the chest, making it hard to breathe. It was one thing to believe this, but it was another to hear it from Willow. “Yes.” His voice was a raspy whisper as emotions of loss and the full impact of Simone and Paul’s deception roiled through him. “After the mugging, the whole thing was a little overwhelming.”

  “Why didn’t you go back?” Willow asked gently. “You could’ve driven back to New York and thrown them out of your place and straightened all of this out.”

  The question hit Mick like a blow to the head, and he held his breath, suspended between Paul and Simone’s betrayal and his own reaction to keep heading west. Why didn’t he go back? “It never even occurred to me to go back,” he said. “I think I couldn’t get far enough away after what they’d done. The whole thing felt so sleazy, and I didn’t want to get caught up in it.” He paused. “Or maybe I just didn’t want to face it.”

  Willow raised her eyebrows but said nothing.

  Mick shook his head. “Just the other day, I realized I would never go back. I plan on selling the condo as soon as I get settled. New York isn’t my home anymore.”

  Mick squirmed in his seat as the heat of discomfort rose from some unknown and telling place within. Did he really even miss Simone? Or was he thinking about her out of habit and hurt? And what about all of his earlier posts on Instagram? Could it be that he was just trying to jab at her with his selfie stick because she had wounded him? Maybe there was less love involved and more pain than he realized.

  He hadn’t posted on social media since the Jag broke down, and Simone hadn’t messaged or texted him to make sure he was all right. Just as importantly, he hadn’t even noticed. He was too preoccupied with figuring out what to do with the Jag and navigating a new life in the environment in which he’d been thrust but was beginning to value.

  “I’m really sorry,” Willow placed her hand over Mick’s. “This trip must be really hard. If it’s any consolation, I’m glad you’re here. You’ve given me a fresh view of my world, and that means a lot to me.”

  A vague delight filled Mick at Willow’s words and her touch, but it mingled with a deeper dissatisfaction. He was happy she enjoyed his presence, but he wanted more.

  Mick squeezed Willow’s hand. As she returned the press of his fingers, blissful joy radiated through his chest, expanding his lungs and helping him breathe.

  He looked up to see Marilyn frowning from the counter, but he turned away and faced the window. “It’s so pretty here, and so…personal. Is that hard?”

  Willow’s expression turned serious. “I’m not sure yet,” she said.

  Mick met her eyes and wondered if the new depth he saw was his imagination or if it was real. Before he could decide, a look of adventure came into Willow’s eyes.

  “Would you like a little field trip? Maybe come out to the ranch and look around? You can meet my dad and Shorty. The original farm to table.”

  “I would love it!” Enthusiasm rode over all of Mick’s concerns around Curtis, Marilyn, or anyone else who might disapprove of him spending time with Willow. His excitement was stopped short. “Who’s Shorty, again?”

  “He’s our cook.”

  “You’ve got a cook on the ranch?” Mick asked incredulously.

  “Sure do.”

  Mick’s eagerness bubbled over. There was no way Mick could ever catch the richness of the life Willow led in this town and valley on the end of a selfie stick, and now he was going to spend an afternoon surrounded by that life. It was more than he could’ve hoped for.

  Willow smiled. “Ever ridden a horse before?”

  “No.” One more obstacle, but he was determined to overcome anything to spend an afternoon with Willow at her ranch.

  “Well, I hope you’ve got a pair of solid and comfortable jeans.”

  “Yeah. They’re dirty, though.”

  “Perfect. No one ever rides in clean jeans, anyway,” Willow said as she mopped up the last of her breakfast with her final bite of toast.

  Mick threw a few dollars on the table before grabbing the check.

  Willow gave him an uncertain look as he read o
ver the bill. “Are you sure? You really need to save your money to get your car fixed.”

  Mick winked at her. “Oh, I’m sure,” he said. “Don’t forget, you saved my life. The least I can do is buy you breakfast. Let’s go.”

  He reached out, and as Willow slid her fingers into his palm, he was struck with the desire to gently tuck her arm through his and pull her close so he could feel her next to him. Acting contrary to his sense of longing, he simply rubbed her warm fingers within his own.

  Disappointment crashed into Mick’s yearning when Willow dropped his hand as they made their way to the cash register. He tried not to let his discouragement show. Instead, he walked tall, with his gaze looking forward. He could feel all eyes on him and Willow as a hush fell over the restaurant guests. Mick didn’t mind the scrutiny. Instead, he relished how everyone looked at the two of them as if there was a possibility that they were a pair.

  Once inside Clementine, Pilot greeted Mick with a happy wag of the tail and a quick lick on the back of hands, making Mick laugh. “I think we’re friends now. What do you think?”

  “Absolutely,” Willow replied.

  A highwire of tension tied Mick to Willow as she hurriedly started the engine, and a kernel of regret took root within him. It was selfish of him to wish for more from Willow when his presence might cause her distress and discord with the townsfolk.

  Glancing at her, he noticed her lips pushed together in a tight line.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I probably shouldn’t have gotten so cozy with you. I-I—”

  Willow shook her head. “My friends are my own business,” she said. “I don’t have to answer to anyone.”

  Pilot moved from Mick and lay down against Willow’s thigh.

  Mick relaxed into the seat, but Willow’s strain still filled the cab of the truck, and he wondered if she believed her own words. He studied her for a moment. “What is it?” he asked.

  “It’s just that I’m sure someone will call Curtis before we make this last light out of town.”

  Mick’s mouth went dry. Willow was on shaky ground, and he had placed her there. “What does that mean?” he asked.