CH 15 - #coincidence
#coincidence
Madison
“Daddy!” Bella squealed, running down the ranch house front porch steps toward Ty as he got out of his car.
He smiled. “Hey, baby girl!”
After he picked her up, he kissed her cheek and hugged her as she hugged him. I went over to them and handed Ty her little suitcase.
“Thank you, Madison,” he said.
I nodded. “Please keep a close eye on Bella.”“I will.”
“Be sure she brushes her teeth before bedtime too.”
“Of course.”
“I need a kiss, sweetheart,” I said to Bella.
Ty was still holding her, but she reached for me, kissed me, and said, “I love you, Mommy.”
“I love you too. Have fun with your daddy.”
I was stepping away from them when Luke pulled up in his truck and parked next to Ty’s dealership demo Mercedes. As he got out of his truck, his eyes went straight to me, then to Ty and Bella.
“Luke!” she said, wiggling out of her daddy’s arms and running over to the handsome and wonderful cowboy who was taking me on our first date this evening.
“Hi, little angel! How are you?” Luke asked, smiling and picking her up.“Good.” She pointed at Ty. “That’s my daddy.”
The two men looked at each other, Luke then stepping over to Ty.
“Luke Harrison,” he said, extending his hand, still holding Bella on his hip.
“Ty Brooks.”
“Do you have big plans with Bella?”
“You know, just kid stuff.”
Luke studied Ty’s eyes. “Right.”
“Who are you to my daughter?”
“I’m her friend who takes her riding on my horse.”
“I see.”
Luke told Bella to have fun, kissed her cheek, and handed her off to Ty with a territorial look in his eyes, coming over to stand beside me next. We watched Ty and Bella leave, turning to each other afterward.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“I am now that you’re here.”
“You look beautiful in that white summer dress.”
“You look mighty handsome in your cowboy attire.”
“I’m still taking you to get some cowgirl boots.”
“I’m looking forward to it after we eat with my mom and dad. I appreciate you not minding changing our plans to eat out somewhere. After I told my mom about our date, she insisted that you and I have supper here first.”
“It’s not a problem. It’ll be interesting watching you in that setting.”
“Why is that?”
“I get to see a side of you that I’ve never seen before with your family.”
“I know you miss yours.”
“I do. I need to go see my mom in Lubbock.”
“Any idea when?”
“Nope. I’m going to call her tomorrow to see what’s going on in her world.”
“Have you talked to her on the phone lately?”
“Yep, after the tornado. I told her about you.”
“What did you say?”
“That you’re really special to me.”
“You are to me, too, Luke.”
He searched my eyes. “I’ve got something for you. Stay right where you are.”
“Okay.”
He went over to his truck and grabbed an unknown item from his passenger seat. As soon as I saw it, I covered my mouth, smiling.
“Here you go,” he said, handing me a bouquet of daisies.
“Oh, Luke, they’re gorgeous! Thank you so much!”
“You’re welcome.”
“I’ll tell you a little secret. Daisies are my favorite flower.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Lucky choice on my part then.”
“Do you know what they symbolize?”
“Nope, tell me.”
“Optimism and joy of a new beginning or connection.”
“I have both about you and me.”
My stomach flipped as I gazed into hazel eyes with those long lashes framing them. “Ditto.”
We walked to the ranch house and went inside, going straight to the living room where my dad was watching the news on TV. When he saw us, he got up from the couch, smiling.
“Hey, Luke!” he said, approaching us.
My handsome date took off his cowboy hat and shook my dad’s hand. “How are you, sir?”
“I’m good. What about yourself?”
“Doing well. Looks like all the exterior repairs on the ranch house are just about done.”
“They are. I appreciate you putting me in touch with that contractor.”
“Of course. He’s done work in the past for my parents.”
My dad nodded. “Come on, I’ll take you to see the chef in the kitchen.”
When the three of us entered, my mom looked up from mashing potatoes in a big bowl, smiled, and came directly over to Luke. “Welcome!” she said, hugging his neck.
He patted her back. “Thank you for having me, ma’am.”
“I hope you like fried chicken.”
“I do.”
“Mashed potatoes with peppered white gravy, too?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“What about fried okra and coleslaw?”
“I love all of that.”
“Dessert is banana pudding.”
“Sounds delicious.”
My mom looked at the bouquet in my arms, then focused on Luke again. “Did Madison tell you that daisies are her favorite flower?”
“She did after I gave them to her.”
“What a coincidence that they’re what you picked out for her.”
“I thought the same thing.”
“Excuse me while I put these pretty babies in some water,” I said, going over to the sink and setting them in it. “Mom, I know you have a vase somewhere.”
“Actually, why don’t you use this large mason jar?” she said, getting it out of the cabinet and handing it to me.
“That’ll work.”
Ten minutes later, my parents, Luke, and I were sitting at the dining room table—my dad at the head of it, my mom to his left, me to his right, and Luke beside me.
“Let’s join hands, then I’ll say grace,” my dad said.
Once we all had, we lowered our heads and closed our eyes. As my dad was praying for our meal to be blessed and for our bodies to be blessed by eating it, Luke squeezed my hand. I opened my right eye and peeked at him. He was peeking at me, too. We both grinned.
During our meal, conversation flowed so easily between my parents and Luke.
It was fun listening to them and watching them.
They talked about everything from Luke’s ancestral history on this ranch to my dad’s growing up in East Texas to the latest political happenings.
I realized how much Luke and my dad were alike, especially, and took comfort in it.
When my mom set a bowlful of her homemade banana pudding on the table in front of Luke, he smiled and rubbed his stomach. “I’m about to bust, but I can’t resist that. Thank you, ma’am.”
“You are most welcome. Enjoy.”
She patted his shoulder and winked at me. If she had to choose, she’d probably keep Luke over me. Hell, I’d keep him too. He was an absolute delight.
As he and I got ready to leave for our date, I told my parents that I wasn’t sure what time I would be back tonight.
“If by chance you don’t make it home tonight, I know you’re in good hands,” my dad said, grinning at Luke and me. My mom was too.
After we left the ranch house, Luke walked me to the passenger side door of his truck and opened it. “Before you get in, would you please give me something?”
“What?”
“A hello kiss.”
“It’s kind of after the fact, don’t you think? I teased.
“Don’t care.”
“Neither do I.”
I stepped up to him, placed my hand on his chest, and pressed my lips to his, both of us sighing. Afterward, we looked at each other, our faces still close together.
“Thank you,” Luke said.
“Any time.”
“Any time, huh?”
“You heard me.”
He smiled, his adorable dimples making me swoon. Then he helped me crawl up into the cab of his truck since it was so high.
As he walked around the front to get in on his side, I watched him, looking so sexy in his straw cowboy hat, collared long-sleeved white western shirt, blue jeans, a brown belt, and boots.
I didn’t think he could look any better; then he put on his sunglasses after he cranked his truck’s engine, placed his hand on my headrest, looked over his shoulder, and backed up.
Once he’d put his truck into drive, he looked at me. I hadn’t taken my eyes off him.
“What is it?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
“You ready to go shopping?”
“I am.”
“Then let’s do this.”
Twenty minutes later, Luke parked in front of Lasso & Lace and led me inside the store, straight to the cowgirl boot section.
“What size do you wear?” he asked.
“Six and a half. What size do you wear?”
“Thirteen.”
I chuckled. “Your feet are twice the size of mine.”
Luke grinned. “Which color of boot do you prefer?”
“Brown like yours.”
“Have a seat right there, and I’ll find some different styles for you,” he said, pointing at a chair.
I plopped my ass down and watched him make his way through the aisles, stacking boxes in his arms, then he came back over to me and set them on the floor.
“Tell me what you think of this pair,” he said, opening the first box.
“Ummm…”
“Okay, not these.” He opened the second box.
“Not those either.” The moment he opened the third box, I smiled. “Those are really pretty.” The leather boots were tall, with an inch-and-a-half heel and embroidered daisies, of all things, on them.
“I thought these would be your choice. Try one on, Cinderella.”
The boot fit my right foot perfectly. Luke put the other one on me and told me to walk around. As I did, I could feel his eyes on me and looked up at him.
“This is them,” I said.
“Keep them on. You may as well start breaking them in now.” After placing my fancy city-girl boots into my new cowgirl boots’ box, Luke asked, “Would you like a hat to complete your outfit?”
“I’ve never been the kind of person to wear any.”
“You looked incredible in mine the last time we were at Midnight Rodeo. Let’s get one for you.”
“Okay.”
We browsed the hat section. Luke put a straw one on me and told me to look in the full-length mirror close to us. Seeing my image, I smiled at my country girl transformation. I’d never imagined myself like this, but I liked it a lot.
“What do you think about the hat?” I asked Luke, looking at his reflection in the mirror as he stood behind me, peering over my shoulder.
“I think it’s perfect for you.”
“Me too.”
When we reached the register, I got my credit card out of my purse and started to give it to the cashier, but Luke pushed my hand away.
“I told you that I was taking you shopping,” he said.
“The bill is almost five hundred dollars.”
“So? You like your hat and boots, right?”
“I do.”
He had me covered in no time as I stood beside him in disbelief, yet believing what he’d just done. Once we were back in his truck, I turned to him.
“You really shouldn’t have paid for my stuff,” I said.
“Let me be a man, Madison. Let me be your man and take care of you.”
I looked over his handsome face. “Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure.”