Violet jumps up from her seat, still talking to her husband. The next thing I know, she’s hugging me. “I can totally relate to that.…No, not you, Snuggle Bear. I’m bonding here with Kate and telling her the only difference is my boyfriend at the time was also married. He forgot to mention that little tidbit.” She looks at me when she says it.
I cringe. “Ouch, thatisbad.”
“But fortunately, Snuggle Bear is nothing like that. Isn’t that right, Snuggle Bear?”
Aubrey and Sophie burst out laughing.
Violet listens to whatever TJ is saying. “Well, let’s see, if you’re hoping to save your masculinity, because we both know Aubrey and Sophie are dying to tell everyone in Copper Creek my new name for you, then I would stop acting like I’m too fragile to do anything.…Yes, I know I don’t normally call you Snuggle Bear, but I can always start.”
“How are you doing with those boots?” the woman who was helping me a few minutes ago asks. This is the same woman who thought I was from another planet when I listed the high-end designers who make cowgirl boots that I wanted to try on.
It was Sophie who had to translate to the woman for me.
In the end, I decided it wouldn’t kill me to shop for the same brands that Sophie, Violet, and Aubrey wear.
Turns out, even though the boots aren’t by a designer, they are comfortable and fashionable.
“I’m going to take them. Thank you.” I remove them from my feet and return them to the box. The woman takes it from me and walks to the cash register.
Violet ends the call. “That worked. At least for now. We just have to tell the rest of the guys, and we’re all set for tonight.”
“I texted Jake and he told Noah,” Sophie says. “They’re both in.”
I’d be lying if I said that hearing Noah’s name doesn’t cause my skin to tingle—as if it’s remembering his every touch.
“And I invited Ryan,” Aubrey says.
“I’ll text Troy once he returns from Billings,” I tell them, even though I’m not sure he’d be interested. Western music isn’t his thing.
It’s not mine either, but I’m happy for the chance to hang out with Noah and his friends—and to see how the other side parties.
“What are you planning to wear tonight, Kate?” Aubrey asks.
“I have no idea. I don’t exactly have anything with me that would work in a western bar.”
“Are you looking to get some clothes for tonight?” Violet asks as I walk over to the display of cowgirl hats.
I try on a plain black one. “That’s not a bad idea.” It will be like when people buy those tacky T-shirts while visiting a new city or a foreign country. “I might as well. Like they say, when in Rome, dress like the Romans.”
“Didn’t they wear togas?”
Aubrey laughs. “You could wrap a sheet around yourself. I’m sure you’d be a big hit with the guys at Joe’s.…That hat looks great on you, by the way.”
“Thank you. I think I’ll get it.” Another quaint little souvenir of my time in Montana.
I pay for my boots and hat, and we head to another store.
We’re looking through the racks of clothes there when Sophie calls me over. “I found you the perfect outfit. The guys at the bar will go crazy over it. Of course they’ll have to get past Noah, Ryan, and Austin first. And Austin scares the shit out of most guys.”
She hands me the clothing…what little there is of it. The spaghetti-strap tank top is tan, crocheted, and ends several inches above my belly button. The long fringe around the hem makes up the rest of the top. I love it. It’s sexy and reminds me of what I used to wear during my party days.
But it’s what Sophie picked out to cover my legs that has me mentally running in the other direction.
“I can’t wear those.” I point to the denim shorts that reveal a lot more than they cover—even though I would have worn similar ones before the accident.
“Sure you can. From what I can tell, you’ve got great legs. Why not flaunt them?”
“Except I don’t have great legs. I look like a ghost, for one thing.”
