Chapter 24
Mae
“Hi, my name is Mae. I’m with Paxton Flower Shop, and I was hoping to discuss a partnership with you, uh, your event venue.”
“Who?” the lady on the other end asks.
“Um, Paxton Flower Shop.”
“You’re the shop in town. I didn’t know you did weddings,” she says.
I realized I forgot to ask what her name was, and I couldn’t find who does what at this venue, so I’m flying blind.
“Yeah, uh, yes we would love to work with you since we’re also local. Is that something you would be interested in?” I ask her.
“We would definitely be open to discussing it. Do you have pricing and a lookbook you could send over?” she asks.
Crap. Crap. Crap.
“We have a price sheet I’m happy to email over. We don’t have a lookbook for weddings. But it’s coming soon,” I say quickly. Why did I say that? I have no idea how to do that.
“Fair enough, I feel like the wedding industry is constantly changing. It almost makes me not want to bother with lookbooks because the trends flip so fast!”
“I totally agree,” I tell her. Fake it till you make it, I guess.
“And what was your name again?” she asks.
“Mae.”
“Great, Mae, it was awesome talking to you. Email me that price list. I realize you’re working on your lookbook, but do you have some pictures you could send me?” she asks.
“Uh, sure. I was working on a few new arrangements. I’ll send you those as soon as they’re done. Does that work?”
“Sure thing, can’t wait to see them! And if we end up working together, do you receive clients at your storefront?”
“Absolutely, we would prefer it. I think it provides a better experience, and it’s the best way to get all the details down.”
“I like that,” she says, and rattles off her direct email address.
I write it down and we say goodbye.
Crap.
Looks like I’m making some wedding flower collections and have to figure out how to photograph them.
But hey, at least I got interest, that’s something.
The apathetic part of me wants to ask why I’m bothering.
But I agreed to a year. I need more cash flow, and this is how that’s going to happen.
You can do this, Mae. You can do it. No, it’s not anything you were prepared for, but you can do this.
I write down some ideas, and by the time I finish, it’s time for me to get ready for my date.
I also need to call my parents. We’ve texted back and forth, and they’re telling me everything is fine, so I’m trying to take it for what it is and focus on things here.
Excitement bubbles in my stomach, and I smile to myself as I get in the car. Hysteria by Def Leppard starts playing, and I bob my head to the beat driving down the open road.
The Paxton breeze blows through the windows, and I don’t think I’ve been this excited for a date before.
Cooper might be right. Instead of focusing on the end of us, I should live in this moment with him.
I know I’m getting attached, but I don’t want to think about the repercussions of what that means for us.
So instead I put it away in a box, behind my wall of insecurities, and let the excitement flow through me.
***
I look at myself in the mirror one more time, contemplating my outfit. He didn’t tell me I should wear pants, so I’m assuming we’re not going hiking.
I picked a jean skirt with a slit up the middle that hugs my hips, my brown belt, and matching cowboy boots. Instead of the tank top I was planning on, I went with a light long sleeve shirt since the evenings can be so cool up here.
A knock echoes through the house, and I put my earrings in before answering it.
I flip the lock and open the door.
Cooper whistles, looking me up and down, and heat creeps over my face. He wasn’t kidding about the compliments.
But I wasn’t either. I’m terrible at taking them.
“Is this okay? I wasn’t sure what we were doing.”
Cooper chuckles, dragging a hand over his light beard, still staring at me. “Well, now I’m contemplating other things. But I’m taking you to dinner at Perry’s, is that okay?” he asks.
“I don’t know. I’ve never been there. Is this not dressy enough?”
He huffs and slides his hand around my hips as he steps through the door and walks us backward. “Nah, it’s perfect,” he says and kisses my cheek.
“Okay,” I say a little to breathy. My body tingles every time he touches me.
“Ready to go?” he asks.
I hum, still in his grasp, happy to stay here. Our eyes are locked together and my heart punches through my chest.
We don’t move, frozen in each other. I’m starved for words and he looks hungry for more.
“I’m trying really hard to be a gentleman right now,” he says, voice husky.
“I don’t know why,” I whisper.
“Be careful what you ask for, stubborn.”
“I know exactly what I asked for.”
The corners of his mouth tip up, and he slides his other hand to the back of my neck and hauls me to his lips. I grab the collar of his shirt and mentally curse myself for wearing a skirt that keeps me from being able to do anything with my legs.
Cooper claims my mouth as if he owns it, and in this moment he does. His tongue dips and sweeps against mine, and despite my inexperience, I follow his lead, chasing him.
He groans into my mouth and kicks the door shut before spinning me around and pushing me against it. My knees go weak, and I take a leap, exploring with him. I bite his lip and he hisses.
“Sorry,” I rasp, pulling back.
He grins and shakes his head, taking his hat off and setting it crown-side down next to me. “Nothin’ to be sorry for, do it again,” he says.
I lean in to kiss him and nip him again. Cooper’s hands stray from my hips up my ribs, to my back, but his hands are so big, his thumbs graze the underside of my breasts and despite the barrier of my bra, a whimper rolls out of me before I can stop it.
“Damn, I missed you,” he says, and kisses me again.
“I think I missed you too.”
His brow hitches. “You think?” he asks.
I lift a shoulder, and Cooper chuckles. “Keeping me on my toes, stubborn. I’d like to keep going wherever this was heading, but let me take you out to dinner first.”
“Okay,” I sigh.
I see something fly past his eyes, and I grab his face. “Are you okay?” I ask him.
He nods and leans his head against my shoulder. My hands naturally gravitate to his soft hair and drag my fingers through it. “Cooper,” I whisper.
“I’m alright. I just want to take my pretty lady out for dinner.”
He stands up straight and looks me in the eye. “Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
“Good,” he says, and takes a step back. I can feel the mental distance from him even though he physically retreated.
Something must have happened in the days we’ve been apart. Is it me?
I shake off the feeling and grab my purse, then flip off the lights.
When we get to Perry’s, it’s in full swing, but the atmosphere is entirely different compared to the Wooden Cowboy.
Cooper takes my hand, leading the way to the dining area. Perry’s is fairly large and higher scale than the Wooden Cowboy. It’s divided up between a bar, restaurant, dance floor, and pool tables off to the side.
The hostess leads us to our table, and Cooper pulls out my seat for me. Luckily, it’s quieter here since the dance floor is clear across the bar.
“Thanks,” I tell him.
Cooper sits across from me, and a waitress brings us some water. I order a cocktail and he gets a beer.
“What do you think?” he asks.
“It’s nicer than the Wooden Cowboy,” I say.
He chuckles. “That’s not a very high bar, but there’s something about the Wooden Cowboy that we all love.”
“Nostalgia.”
Cooper nods. “So, what’s going on? It’s been a week since we’ve seen each other,” he says.
I stare at him for a breath, taken aback by the question. I don’t know why, but then again I’m not sure a man has asked me that while on a date.
“What?” he asks.
I shake my head and take a sip of my cocktail.
“It’s been a challenge. I finally worked up the nerve to call some of the wedding venues, and I was able to talk to someone then they asked me about a lookbook.
I had no idea what that was, so now I have to come up with one.
But they said they’d be interested in working with me. ”
Cooper grins. “That’s awesome. What’s in a lookbook?” he asks.
“I think it’s pictures of flowers.”
His brow furrows as he thinks about it. “So, do you have to build a bunch of arrangements or something?” he asks.
I snort. “I think so. I’m as clueless as you are. But I’ll research it and figure it out.”
“You’re so resourceful and determined. I like that about you.”
I grimace. “I think it’s simply how my brain works.”
“Well, I like your brain then,” he says.
I roll my lips together, trying to hold in my smile. “So, what about you?” I ask him.
His relaxed grin drops, and he shifts in his seat.“We don’t need to talk about me,” he says.
I reach for his hand before I have a chance to overthink it and link our fingers together. “If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t have asked. I want you to tell me.”
He takes a breath, about to answer, then the waitress comes up to us. Instead, we order our food and she disappears.
“So?” I push him.
“Rebekah came back,” he says, staring at his beer.
I don’t know who that is, so I don’t respond.
He glances up. “Rebekah is my sister,” he says.
I’m surprised, especially because Cooper said she wasn’t in the picture. This must have been a shock for him too.
“How do you feel about that?” I ask him.
“This is a mood killer. Are you sure you want to talk about this?” he asks.
“I do,” I tell him.
He rubs his mustache and drops his hand.
“She showed up on the ranch one day. I wasn’t there, and she didn’t interact with Naomi, but my aunt and uncle spoke with her. Long story short, she wants to be back in Naomi’s life, and I’m worried.”
“I would be, too.”
He explains to me that he invited Rebekah over. She and Naomi had a good interaction.
“You don’t seem too excited about it,” I say.