“I went for groceries and stopped by that adorable bakery for a coffee. Beyond that, I haven’t explored it much,” Colette explained. The mug warmed her hands, and she sat next to Simone on the sofa after placing a plate of cookies on the coffee table.
“The Dusty Spur is a riot. They have karaoke nights on the weekend, it’s a lot of fun,” Simone explained, turning and resting an arm on the back of the sofa to face Colette. “Maybe you could meet a handsome cowboy or something? Ooh, Marshall’s friend Evan is cute. Have you met him yet? He could be fun for you.”
A blush crept up on her cheeks when she considered how much she had already been lusting inappropriately after Marshall. Maybe she should indulge in something that would keep her from pursuing a romance that might affect her job. Besides, he was clearly in love with Jessica, so that ship had sailed. Colette toyed with the bottom of her skirt and sighed.
“No, I haven’t met Evan yet…”
“What?” Simone questioned, her brows drawing together in suspicion. “Why are you making that face?”
Colette rubbed her forehead, not wanting to answer. “It’s nothing,” she said, hoping Simone would drop it. There was very little chance of that happening.
A grin spread over her face. Simone nodded slowly, scrutinizing Colette and tapping a finger to her lips.
“I said it’s nothing. Let’s go out. I’d love to meet a cowboy,” Colette said with bravado she didn’t feel. “You can be my wing woman.”
“Interesting. Is there someone you already have your eye on? I’m not surprised, the King men are an attractive lot,” Simone hummed and rubbed her chin, a knowing look in her eyes. “You might have an uphill battle catching Marshall’s eye, though. He’s very by the book. Roger told me you would be safe here because his brother has been basically a monk since moving to the ranch. Marshall was quite the player before his accident and wanted to turn his life around after.”
“What accident?”
“He suffered a knee injury of some sort in university. He was there on a full scholarship, and when he got surgery and had to miss a bunch of school to recover, he was never able to fulfill the demands of the course load. Or return to the sport. Doctors had warned him that next time he hurt his knee, he might have permanent damage. Roger said it was a hard time for Marshall. Going from being a star athlete with tons of hot chicks begging for his attention to basically a nobody,” Simone explained with a casual wave of her hand.
“I don’t think he’s a nobody,” Colette said defensively.
“Me neither, but that’s how he saw it. Roger said he was quite depressed. Had trouble being motivated to do anything after his injury, beyond the basics,” Simone said. “I’m glad he came to Rosebud. It turned his life around, made him see his self-worth a little better.”
“Poor Marshall, I had no idea,” Colette said, her gaze drifting out the window outside.
“If you two hit it off, you have my blessing. It would be good for both of you,” Simone said with a wink. “Maybe you’ll never want to leave the ranch?”
Colette laughed. “Not likely. I don’t think I’m cut out for life out here.” She failed to mention Marshall being spotted with Jessica. That was none of her business.
“Well, you battled the cattle and won, that’s something.”
“They’re kind of harmless and cute,” Colette said, thinking back to how they quietly shuffled back into their pasture. Maybe she got lucky, but she gained a new appreciation for the docile creatures that day.
Simone gagged. “Not. Cute. Keep saying shit like that and you’re not going to be able to convince me you don’t belong here.” She gave a mischievous grin and reached for a cookie. “So, what are you wearing tonight?”
Colette looked to the side as she tried to think of an appropriate outfit.
“I might have something,” she hazarded. “But I don’t own any western stuff.”
“I brought those boots you ordered,” Simone offered. Since Simone and Roger had been coming to visit, they offered to go pick up her gorgeous boots.
A collective gasp filled the room as the soft brown leather boots were pulled out of the wrapping paper. They were dotted with adorable pink flowers and finished with delicate bows. The boots looked even more stunning in person than they did online when she ordered them.
“They’re beautiful,” Colette said, trying to figure out what she could wear to match them. “Want to help me pick something to go with them?”
Clapping her hands and nodding vigorously, Simone leaped off the sofa.
Colette pulled Simone toward her bedroom. Now they just needed to deep dive into her closet and figure out what would be an appropriate ensemble.
If her outfit happened to be admired by a few cowboys, so what? That would be a good thing. Getting to know a new group of people could be beneficial. If Marshall was busy entertaining Jessica, it would do her good to find another attractive man to focus on. There seemed to be many prospects in the area.
She didn’t want to think about the fact that she would find it hard to flirt with another man. Surely she could find someone else to catch her interest. Marshall wasn’t the only man in Rosebud. There was an abundance of tight wranglers, strong muscles, and cowboy hats around here for sure.
So what if she and Marshall had a few great conversations?
Surely, he wasn’t the only one who could make her comfortable.
