Bride ‘N Boots (Saddles & Spurs)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

“Sugar, can I help you with something?”

I looked at the tall, wiry woman with a silver braid streaming down her back. She sat at a table with another customer—a dimpling woman with rosy cheeks.

“No,” I said. “I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” the dimpling woman asked. “You look a bit frazzled.”

Frazzled was a polite way of putting it.

I was currently on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

My phone buzzed, and I scooped it out of my wedding-dress pocket.

Arden

We are so undelightfully fucked.

It was 6:30 in the morning. I was wearing a wedding dress, full makeup and hair, and a pair of cowboy boots that were a size too big for my feet.

I’d hit the small-town bakery’s early morning rush. The tables were full of customers and there was a line at the counter five people deep.

And wouldn’t you know it, most of them were looking at me. How often did a woman show up at a bakery in a wedding dress?

The baristas were flying to make drinks and the cashier was writing orders on to-go coffee cups and lining them up.

“You’re not from Huckleberry Hill, are you?” the wiry woman asked.

I shook my head and peered around the bakery.

Curious stares abounded, but I ignored them.

A man in a cowboy hat and a black and red buffalo checkered shirt was sitting alone in the corner booth. He was enjoying a coffee, his eyes scanning the local paper. He seemed to be the only one in the room who hadn’t noticed me.

I stalked through the bakery, making a mental note to come back another time for a sample platter because the place smelled so incredible.

I slid into the booth seat across from the man in the cowboy hat. “I need you to be my groom,” I blurted out.

He looked up slowly; his angular jaw covered in dark stubble. Blue eyes, bright with curiosity, landed on my face. He casually leaned back in the booth and examined me.

“Can I at least know your name before we get married?”

I blinked. “We’re not getting married.”

“Little early for Halloween then, isn’t it?”

“It’s not a costume.”

He put the paper down and gave me his full attention. “Let’s start over.”

“Great, yeah, so I need you to be my groom.”

His beautiful lips curved into a smile.

Yikes.

“I meant, your name,” he clarified.

“We don’t have time for all that. I need a stand-in groom. I’m the bride, and you’re the groom. Understand?”

“Not really,” he drawled. “But I’m intrigued.”

“Good, great. Let’s go.” I scooted out of the booth.

“Do I have time to finish my coffee?”

“Haven’t you been listening? This is urgent. Leave the coffee. I’ll buy you another one later.” I grabbed his hand, which was rough and calloused, and tried to tug him from his seat.

But he was huge and pulling on him was like trying to dislodge a cement block. There was no way he was moving unless he decided to.

“I don’t want another coffee,” he said as he finally made a motion to get up out of the booth.

“Okay, a pastry then. Whatever . . . let’s just go. I’ll explain everything on the way.”

I had to release his hand so we could maneuver through the tables and chairs.

“Everything okay, Stratton?” the wiry woman asked the cowboy.

“Everything’s fine,” he replied. “My new bride is just a little antsy. She’s in a hurry to tie the knot.”

The woman sniggered.

“We’re not actually getting married,” I said in exasperation, looking up at him over my shoulder.

“We’ll see about that,” the cowboy said with a teasing wink.

Shivers wracked my entire body.

I shoved open the door to the bakery, the cool air of early spring gracing my face.

“Thank you for coming to Sweet Teeth! Come again soon!” the cashier called out.

The cheery bell hanging atop the door clanged as the door shut.

“Your name is Stratton?” I asked as I lifted my wedding dress and stepped onto the sidewalk.

“Yeah.”

“That’s your first name?”

“Yes.”

“What’s your last name?” I demanded.

“Thorpe. Are you finally going to tell me your name?”

“Maisie,” I said absently, looking down the main street for Arden’s car that had yet to appear. “Maisie Jenkins.”

“Maisie Thorpe has a better ring to it, don’t you think?”

I looked at him over my shoulder, noting the breadth of his chest and his effortless, masculine stance in jeans and boots. “You’ll fit.”

He stilled and his blue eyes darkened with heat.

My brain officially short circuited.

“I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.” I hated that I sounded breathless. “I meant you’ll fit into the clothes.”

“What clothes?”

Arden’s SUV rumbled down the street and stopped in front of me. She rolled down the passenger side window and my friend’s gorgeous face appeared.

“I got one!” I said with a wide grin as I gestured to the cowboy behind me.

I took a step toward the front passenger door, but Stratton managed to get there first. He opened the door for me and held out his hand. I took it, noting the warmth of it and the callouses on his palm.

My stomach went all marshmallowy.

“Sir, you are a lifesaver,” Arden said, shooting him a grateful pearly-white smile.

I got in, and then Stratton shoved the skirt of my wedding dress into the car and closed the door before climbing into the back seat behind me.

“I still have no idea what’s going on,” Stratton said.

“You don’t?” Arden looked at me. “You didn’t tell him?”

“No. We can do that on the way,” I said. “Let’s go. Now.”

Arden hit the gas and we were off.

“What’s your name, cowboy?” Arden asked.

“Stratton Thorpe,” he replied.

Arden looked at me. “Of course it is.”