Chapter Twenty-Eight
Itousled my creamy brown curls, giving them a little extra love when the doorbell chime rang.
“Coming,” I yelled.
“Sorry to bother you, Scarlett, but Stetson wanted me to give you this before we left for the concert. I’ll be down in the lobby whenever you’re ready to go,” Michael said.
“Oh, thank you!” I said, taking the large black bag from his hands. “I’ll only need a few minutes and then I’ll be down.”
“Take your time,” he insisted. “As long as we’re out of here by four, we should be good.”
“Sounds good.” I shut the door, eager to open the bag.
I put it on the kitchen counter, the creamy granite complementing the luxe black bag.
“What did you get me, Stetson Walker?”
I plucked the white tissue paper and tossed it to the side. A large box, similar to the bag, sat perfectly inside with a small white envelope attached to it.
Handwritten, the note read:
I had no idea what it could be, and my eyebrows scrunched together even further at the wordLuccheseetched on the outside. I opened the box and the smell of leather infiltrated my nose.
I sucked in a breath.
I lifted the final piece of tissue paper and exposed the familiar pair of boots I’d seen too many times. “No fucking way.”
The black leather and detailed stitching had been etched into my brain ever since I first saw them. The exact pair of boots I’d wanted since forever were now mine. Because ofhim.
I ripped my phone from the counter.
“How did you know?” I asked as soon as I heard the phone click on the other end.
“That doesn’t sound like much of a thank you.”
“Stetson, I’m serious. How in the hell did you figure out I wanted boots, let alone these specific ones?”
I racked my brain trying to pinpoint how he’d known…
“Because every single thing you say sits permanently on the shelves of my brain,” he said before I heard someone in the background calling his name. “I have to go do soundcheck, but you better be wearing those boots when I see you tonight.”
He hung up the phone before I could even respond.
Exhilaration stemmed through me as I slid my feet into the shoes. They fit perfectly. I rushed to the chunky wooden full-length mirror he had plastered on the hallway wall, desperate to see them on me and with this outfit.
My reflection shined from the buzz of adrenaline. The boots, the outfit, the plans… everything was perfect.
Well,almosteverything.
“Damn, I’ve never seen a denim dress look that good.” His voice thundered from behind me in the dimly lit backstage area that Michael had showed me to. “And I sure as hell never thought I’d prefer the view backstage over the view out there,” he said, planting his body against my back and leaning his head over my shoulder. “But then again, never did I think I’d find someone like you.”
“The boots are perfect,” I blurted. “Thank you.” I’d realized I never said thank you while driving over here, and I wanted him to know how much they meant to me. It wasn’t just the boots; it was the fact that he’d listened and then went out of his way to do this for me.
“You don’t remember, do you?” he questioned, taking my hand in his and turning me until we faced each other, tugging me closer until my hands rested on his chest. “The first time we hooked up, I was taking your boots off and I said we needed to get you some new ones. You said ‘Not until I can get the ones I want.’ So, I asked Magnolia, and sure as shit, she said there was a pair you’ve been wanting for years. I knew I wanted to get them for you, so I did.”
My arms draped around his neck. “You done good, that’s for sure. The thought of it all means more than anything else. So, thank you. You’ve made this girl very happy.” I beamed.
“I think that’s two times today,” he said, his famous shit-eating grin on full display.
