Chapter 2
“He just smiled at me.” Brit kept her gaze on Trent in case he might look her way again.
Ella laughed. “Congratulations. Maybe you’ll be the one to thaw his frozen heart.”
“He’s pretty hot. I’d be tempted to try if I hadn’t been burned by Jeff.”
“He might be recently divorced like Jeff was, but that’s the only thing they have in common,” Faye said. “Jeff played the poor-me game so you’d knock yourself out consoling him. Trent’s working through this on his own. I admire that.”
“I admire his butt. Whoops, did I say that out loud?” Brit giggled.
Ella peered at her. “How can you even see his butt? Have these red, white and blues given you X-ray vision?”
“I wish, but evidently they’ve only removed my filter.”
“So you’re imagining he has a cute butt.”
“Don’t have to. About an hour ago he took a break and I watched him walk down the hall toward the restrooms. And walk back. Now I can imagine him naked.”
“Whoa.” Faye’s eyes widened. “You’ve really been paying attention.”
“I’m storing up images and hoping they’ll appear in my dreams tonight. You two don’t need that kind of stimulating visual anymore now that you have permanent bed partners, but I?—”
“Brittany Jane Powers.” Ella leaned toward her, her blue gaze intent. “Find. A. Husband. ASAP.”
“It’s not that easy! Wagon Train’s a small town and most of the eligible guys are either married or not my type.”
“Because you’ve been loafing on the lead,” Faye said. “You say you want marriage and kids, but have you seriously looked for a baby-daddy?”
“Sort of. I’m picky.”
Ella rolled her eyes. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Forever is a long damn time, El. I haven’t met anyone I’ve looked at and said oh, yeah, I want to see that face across the breakfast table for the rest of my life.”
“What about him?” Faye tipped her head toward the bar. “He’s clearly your type, and I’m telling you, he’s not Jeff, Part Two.”
“You said it’s only been six months since his divorce. I didn’t want to believe that rule about not dating for a year but after Jeff I absolutely do.”
“That’s the common wisdom,” Faye said, “but Trent strikes me as someone who doesn’t fit that rule, someone who deserves a second chance. Back me up, here, El. I know you really like Trent.”
“I do. I figured I would since he’s Dallas’s brother and I like him a lot.”
“That’s right. Trent was Dallas’s best man at the wedding.”
Faye grinned. “Were you mentally undressing him that day, too?”
“I could barely see him. That’s what I get for being short. I was stuck behind three tall people who blocked my view.”
“How about at the reception?”
“Again, too many people and I wasn’t exactly trying to locate him. Has he always had those muscles?”
“No,” Ella said. “He’s bulked up a lot since February. I think it’s from working in the barn so much. He’s really taken to ranch life, even has a horse, now.”
“And a gorgeous blue truck,” Faye added.
“Where’d he get the money for that? Bartending doesn’t?—”
“He’s a self-employed marketing consultant,” Ella said. “Rance convinced him to take a parttime bartending job in hopes it would bring him out of his shell. Turns out he enjoys it.”
“That’s obvious. He’s good at it, too. He put these layered drinks together like a pro.”
“And they’re delicious.” Ella took another sip of hers. “Dallas said he worked his way through college tending bar and then kept doing it for fun even after he created his marketing business. That’s how he met his ex.”
“And what’s the story on her?” Not that she should be asking, but after all this discussion, she couldn’t help being curious.
Ella’s eyes narrowed. “Dallas describes her as a trophy hunter. Once she’d bagged Trent, she went looking for a side hustle.”
“I shouldn’t have asked.” Brit sighed. “Now I feel sorry for him.”
“The point is he doesn’t feel sorry for himself.” Ella looked over at Faye. “I think you nailed it when you said he was someone who deserves a second chance.”
“Yep.” Faye turned to her. “You may not be able to see from this distance, but he has beautiful brown eyes.”
“I noticed.” She’d spent the evening cataloging his features — his chiseled jaw, his sensuously full lips, his dark lashes, his beautiful teeth. She had a thing about teeth after cleaning them five days a week.
“Think you’d want to see that face across the breakfast table for the rest of your life?”
The concept created a flutter in her stomach. “Maybe.” She took another swallow of her drink. “But I’m sure that’s the booze talking.”