“Wow, I’m impressed. I honestly thought that you’d be miserable over there.”
“It’s not so bad. But obviously, I’m not loving it or anything,” I said. “I mean, it’s not New York.”
She laughed. “I’m sure it’s not. I don’t even want to know how different it is from the city. So, how much longer do you have there?”
“I think roughly about three weeks or so.”
“Three weeks! Oh, that’s like forever.”
I chuckled. “Nah, it’s not so bad. This first week went by so quickly, and they’re keeping us very busy. I have a feel the time is just going to fly here. I thought a month was going to drag, but I don’t think so anymore.”
“Okay, well that’s a good thing at least. And how about the locals? Are they as backwards and weird and we thought they would be?”
I thought about the sweet Harold and how he had gone out of his way to make us all feel comfortable in his farm. I thought about Brady and wondered if I should tell her all about the dinner we had tomorrow night. But for some reason, I decided not to.
“Some of them are. And some of them are actually really nice.” I almost pointed out that there were both wonderful and awful people in New York too, but I didn’t.
“Well, you better come back soon.”
“It will go quickly. How are you?”
“Oh, you know me. Nothing much is going on, except the usual. I have so much to tell you about Keren, though.”
“You do? Why, what happened?” I asked. Keren was another friend of ours that we sometimes went out for cocktails with. She was more Victoria’s friend than mine, though. I generally only saw her when she saw her.
“Oh, she’s broken up with Brandon and is now hooking up with Pete. The whole thing is a big mess. But I’d rather tell you in person. It’s a long story, and we need cocktails while I tell it to you. I miss you here. And I hate the thought of you in that small town with nothing to do. I want you back in New York so we can go shopping together. Keren wants to go with me, but it’s not the same. Hurry up, will you.?
I laughed. “I’ll hurry up.”
“And I’ll make sure I have a delicious skinny latte waiting for you.”
“Thanks, Vic,” I said and smiled.
I thought about the coffee that Brady had given me the other day, and I suddenly lost all craving for the skinny latte. In fact, even the thought of shopping didn’t seem as great to me as it used to.
Chapter Eleven
Brady
“What are you doing?” I said to myself in the mirror.
Sloan was due in just over an hour for dinner, and I still wasn’t too sure why I had invited her in the first place. She’d been nice that day with the horses, for the most part at least, but other than that she’d been a complete annoyance to me. She was a beautiful woman, but she was the sort of woman that expected the whole world to bow down at her feet. And I hated people like that more than anything. She was the opposite of me in every way possible.
And yet, I’d watched her act the day before, and I’d seen something in her that I had seen before. A sense of vulnerability seemed to be lurking beneath the person she presented to the world. Although, she was and actress, so perhaps all I’d seen was someone who knew how to change in front of the camera. I had, however, been impressed with her acting skills that day: something I never thought I’d be.
I sighed as I got things ready for the night ahead. I should’ve invited Grant and Emily so that I’d at least have some backup. But that would feel too much like a double date then, and I didn’t need the pressure. This wasn’t a date, anyway. It was just me being far too kind. Also, if Grant caught wind of the fact that I’d invited her over, he’d think that I was interested in her. He’d been yapping at me for years about meeting the ‘right woman’ and all that jazz. He’d stopped pestering me lately, mostly because I think he’d just given up on me. I didn’t need him to start all over again. When I heard a knock on the door, I sighed. There was still an hour until Sloan was due, so I knew it must be Grant at the door. How was I going to get him out quickly without him suspecting anything?
I opened the door and was just about to say something when I saw Sloan standing in front of me. I looked at the time again and raised my eyebrows in question.
“You’re early,” I said.
“Well, I know what you’re like about people being on time, and I didn’t want to be kicked out for dinner. I figured I’d get here early in case.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Well, come on in. It’s good to see you.”
Sloan walked in and I went to close the door behind her. I realized in that moment that her car would be spotted by Grant if he even just happened to look outside, but when I peered out, I didn’t see anything.
“Where did you park?”
“Park? Oh, I don’t drive. The driver dropped me off.”
I tried not to show my annoyance. “Oh, of course he did. Well,” I said to change the subject. “Shall I show you around?”
“That would be great.”
While we walked around the house, I noticed that Sloan wasn’t wearing one her regular nightclub outfits. She still looked amazing and was still far more nicely dressed than the women in this town. But she at least looked like she wasn’t trying so hard anymore.
“What?” she asked as she caught him staring.
“Nothing,” he said and continued to walk.
“Wow, this place is amazing, Brady.”
“Really? It’s not quite a New York loft though, is it?” I teased.
She laughed. “It’s not. But my apartment would look very odd in this town. This house is great. It’s bigger than I expected. Do you live here alone?”
“All alone. I’m used to wide open spaces. I don’t think I could live in a place that was small. And this,” I said as I took her to the porch outside. “This is where we’ll be having dinner tonight.”
I watched as she took in the scenery before her. The best thing about my house was definitely the expanse of garden. It was the best place to sit and enjoy food on a beautiful summer’s day.
“Oh wow, this is your yard?”
“Part of it is. My brother lives next door, and he has the other part. But yeah, it’s mostly mine. And can you see that building all the way there in the distance?”
She looked out and nodded. “Yeah.”
“That’s the ranch.”
“Seriously? Oh wow, it’s close.”
“Yeah. Every now and again I walk to work. But for the most part, I take the car. It’s close, but it’s still a fair distance to go on foot. And after a long day out at the ranch, I don’t usually feel like walking. But yeah, this is my life.”
“It’s great, Brady,” she said, and she actually sounded like she meant it.
“Thank you. Anyway, like I was saying—this is where we’ll be having dinner tonight. There’s no way we can’t eat outside on a day like today. I hope you like steak.”
“You’re grilling them here?” she asked.
“Oh yeah,” I said and patted the grill. “It’s the best way to have them.”
“I’ve never had steaks cooked on an outdoor grill.”
“What? Are you serious? And before the other day, you’d never ridden a horse. Well, you’re experiencing lots of firsts in Wyoming. Before I start the meat, can I get you a drink? A glass of wine maybe?”
“Wine sounds lovely. Red if you have it.”
“Red wine and steak. Of course. Take a seat, Sloan. I’ll be right back.”
I walked back in the house to get the wine and marveled at the fact that Sloan had never had meat prepared on an outdoor grill before. I’d spent so many years out on the ranch that I’d almost forgotten what it was like to hang out with city people. Even then, I’d hung out in Arizona, which is still a far cry from the people in New York. They were different.
I poured us both a glass of wine and took it outside. When I got there, Sloan was smiling out into the distanc
e.
“Thank you,” she said. “You know, it’s quite something out here. It feels so peaceful.”
“It is,” I said. “It’s my favorite place in the world.”
I put the steaks on the grill and went to join her. I’d been worried that things were going to be awkward between us, but so far the conversation was flowing.
“So, what’s your favorite place?” I asked her.
She seemed taken aback by the question, and for a while, she just sat there sipping her wine and thinking about it. Finally, she shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Really? Come on; there must be one place you love over anything. What about your apartment? I thought you loved that place.”
“I do. I mean, it’s wonderful. And it overlooks the whole of New York City, which is really something. But I’ve only just moved there, really. It’s not my favorite place or anything. It’s not like . . . this. Uh, I don’t know, Brady. That’s an interesting question.”
It wasn’t exactly a hard question. I thought everyone had a favorite place. A place that they felt completely at ease. It was sad that Sloan didn’t have that, but I decided not to push it.
“Do you also live alone?” I asked.
She nodded. “Oh yeah. And I like that. So, you say your brother lives next door? Do the two of you get along?”
“Grant. Yeah, he’s a good guy. He moved here from Arizona awhile back. He was working as a real estate agent and wanted a change. He came to stay with me for a while, and I put him to work at the ranch. He ended up falling in love with the place, and falling in love with one of the local girls. Now he’s moved in, he got a full-time job as a firefighter, and he’s engaged. And he never wants to move away.”
“That’s quite some story. I hope I get to meet him.”
“Oh, you will. He’s dying to come and see what’s happening at the ranch. Also, he knows all about you, and I’m sure he’d love to meet you.”
She laughed. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, go for it,” I said and got up to turn the steaks.
“Did you have any idea who I was when you first met me?”
“Uh, no. I’m sorry.”
“Did you know anyone else? The rest of the cast?”
I shook my head. “Not at all. I’m a little far removed from society sometimes. I don’t think I realized that until now, though.”
“I see that.”
I took the steaks off and set them down on the table, then I went to the kitchen and came back with a big salad and a few small buttered rolls.
“Okay, help yourself,” I said as I handed her a plate.
“This looks amazing,” she said as she admired the food on the table.
“I’m glad you like it. It’s simple food, but tasty, I hope.”
We sat back down and started eating, and I was pleased to see that Sloan was enjoying her food. She took a bite of the steak and told me it was the best piece of meat she’d ever eaten.
“I don’t usually cook for people. So, I’m glad you’re happy. Don’t you want a roll?” I said as I sliced mine open to butter. “They’re made by a local baker, and I got them fresh today.”
She shook her head. “Oh, I try not to eat too many carbs. Got to keep the figure, you know.”
I looked over at her slender body and sighed. “You could stand to put on a few pounds. And trust me, the bread is worth it. Life is far too short to worry about calories.”
She hesitated, and then reached over for a roll. She buttered it and took a bite. She grinned at me. “Whoa. This is amazing.”
“And you honestly shouldn’t worry about your weight. In fact, you should think of it in the opposite way. You’re a role model for so many girls out there. Better to show them that worrying about weight is not the most important thing in life.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” she said as she took another bite.
I was surprised to find that I was enjoying myself with her. And there was definitely a softer side to Sloan that I enjoyed.
“So, a brother next door. Who else?” she asked.
“I have four brothers. Ian, Ryan, Grant, and Reed. Or, as I know most of them, Gunner, Knuckles, Patriot, and Moneymaker.”
“What? Why do you know them as that?”
I chuckled. “My father is part of a motorcycle club back in Arizona, and for a while, we were all part of it too. We were all given those nicknames once upon a time.”
“And yours is?”
“Shotgun.”
She laughed. “It should’ve been ‘Horse Whisperer.’”
“Yeah, that is more fitting than Shotgun. Anyway, that’s my old life. My father and Ian are still big into the club, but the rest of us are out there in the world doing our own thing.”
“Sounds like an interesting life. So, does your father visit often?”
I shook my head. “No. Anyway, enough about me,” I said. I didn’t want to talk about my father. I wasn’t even sure why I had gone into so much detail about the motorcycle club and the nicknames. She made me a little nervous, and I was talking more than I used to. “So, do people usually know who you are?”
She laughed. “Usually, yeah.”
“Must’ve been weird coming here and not being recognized, then.”
“A little weird. But not necessarily a bad thing.”
“You know, Sloan, you’re not nearly as annoying as I thought you were in the beginning,” I said. My wine was obviously giving me confidence.
I hoped she wouldn’t take offense, but when I looked up, she was laughing. “And you know what, Brady? You’re not nearly as exasperating as I thought you were, either.”
Chapter Twelve
Sloan
Dinner with Brady had been far more interesting than I had expected it to be. He’d been more talkative than usual, and I wondered if it was because he was at home. He seemed comfortable in the space. It was clear that he loved his home, and that he was proud to show me around, and I liked that.
“Thank you for a delicious meal,” I said to him. He’d gone to clear the plates, refusing help, and had now come back with some more wine for the two of us.
“Your first steak cooked on an outdoor grill. I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“I loved it. I may never want steak any other way now.”
He grinned. “Good to hear. You know, this wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.”
I looked at him and laughed. He really was not the sort of guy that minced his words. Which, I was learning, could be both a blessing and a curse. “You thought it was going to be bad?”
“Sorry, that came out wrong. No, I didn’t think it would be bad. Well, I mean, I sort of did. It’s just that you and I are from such completely different worlds. It’s hard to think that we would’ve been able to just sit and enjoy a nice meal together. But I was wrong, I had a great night.”
“I’ll be honest; I wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out either. I mean, for the first few days I kinda hated you.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. You were so rude to me,” I admitted openly.
“Was I? I guess I was. I’m sorry about that. I’m not usually like that. I just got a bit protective over the ranch. And I couldn’t say anything because Harold was just so happy to have you all there. And he’s such a good man and a very good boss to me. But he’s lonely, and I think this whole thing has just given him such a boost again. I let my emotions get the better of me sometimes. It’s hard to share your life with a whole crew of people. I’m a very private kind of guy, so this has been difficult for me.”
“We’re all private people, you know. Even those that flash their lives in front of the world. Just because they show a certain side to the world doesn’t mean it’s who they are all the time.”
He went silent as he thought about what I had said. He seemed surprised by it for some reason. “Yeah, you’re right.”
I’d not been this honest with someone in a very long time. And it
had been forever since I’d had a real conversation with anyone that didn’t revolve around shopping or gossip. I hadn’t realized how much I’d been lacking in good conversation until that moment. Brady was an interesting man, and he had a lot of layers. Perhaps it was the second glass of wine, or simply the fact that I was out in the open air, but every time I looked at him, I found myself liking him more and more. When he let his guard down, he was absolutely beautiful. I wondered if he knew just how good looking he was.
“So, there’s scene coming up for the movie that I’m a bit nervous about,” I said.
“Oh yeah? Want to talk about it? I don’t know much about the movie world, but I do know a lot about this world, so I’ll try help.”
I smiled. Was I really going to say the sentence that I had already formulated in my head? I could feel my heart racing. I quickly took another sip of wine and looked out into the darkened sky.
“Well, it’s a kissing scene. And here’s the thing, I’ve never kissed a real cowboy before.”
“Oh,” Brady said. I could tell I had taken him by surprise. He laughed nervously. “Well, I don’t see how that would be different from kissing anyone else. What, uh . . . what’s it like kissing on screen, by the way?”
“It’s not nearly as nice as it is kissing someone off screen. I mean, all those eyes on you. All those cameras. It’s hard to get as sensual as you’d like to.”
“You want to get sensual?”
“That’s the weird part. It’s not like you like the person you are kissing, and it’s super awkward with everyone watching. But at the same time, you are aware that you have to make it look as genuine as possible. You want the viewers to think that you want to be kissing that person.”
“That sounds like far too much effort,” he said.
“Yeah, and I haven’t kissed a guy in a long time.”
He looked at me. “I don’t believe that.”
“It’s true.”
Dirty Cowboy (A Western Romance) (The Maxwell Family) Page 7
