The big hoorah was tonight at The Wheel.
“Ding, dong!”
Who the hell was that? It was just past two, so there was no way Maggie was already here.
I pulled the door open and was hit with the cool air, forcing me to wrap my arms around my body.
“Delivery for Scarlett Carson. Can you please sign here?”
“Of course,” I said, taking the tiny pad from the delivery man’s hand. “Thank you!”
Kicking the door shut, I walked back into my kitchen, setting the bouquet of orange coneflowers—each one more vibrant than the last—and large square box on my counter.
I scoured the vase for any sign of who the sender was from but came up empty-handed. I popped the lid off the box, and lying on top of the white tissue paper was an orange envelope that had “Scarlett”scribbled on it.
Wilson.
My finger slid under the flap, popping it open. I pulled out a piece of stationary branded with two large Ws sitting boldly at the top.
I swiped a traveling tear from my eye, placing the letter on the counter.
This article wasn’t just an article for me; it signaled the start of something new.
The tissue paper hid whatever was in the box, and as I gently moved it out of the way, a smile consumed my face.
Perfectly placed was the most beautiful cowboy hat I’d ever seen. The suede material was a light color, similar to the sand you’d find on the beach. Branded on the back left wassc. Butthe part that I loved the most was the hat band and all the embellishments he’d chosen, no doubt, specifically for me.
The band was comprised of a single strand of thick white ribbon, simple and elegant. Layered within the ribbon was a few smaller strands of leather in various shades of brown and thickness. Tucked into the band, there was a matchbox with The Wheel’s familiar cowboy and his bucking bronco printed on the front along with a few sprigs of dried pampas grass.
I gently removed it from the box, careful not to mess it up but desperate to see it on. I moved toward the bathroom, eagerly plopping the hat on my head. I couldn’t see my reflection yet, but I already knew it was perfect.
“Damn,” I said, holding the brim and shifting my head to one side and then the other. “Wait…”
Something dark underneath the brim caught my eye. I took the hat off and flipped it over. Discreetly branded right near the sweatband were the wordsDon’t ever let your fire go out. My fingers automatically traced the indentation of each letter. The warmth inside of me grew, finding its way into a smile that slowly crawled across my face.
I pulled the hat to my chest, hugging it ever so lightly.
The hours leading up to the party seemed nonexistent, whittling away to nothing. Probably because I’d already planned out my whole outfit, and after Wilson’s unexpected gift,everythinghad to change.
“Come in. I left it unlocked,” I yelled through my bathroom door, still fidgeting with my dark curls.
“Hello! I’m here for Scarlett Carson. The newest and now published journalist of theQuincey Falls Tribune.”
“You’re ridiculous, I’m in here!”
“Holy hell. What happened?” Maggie asked, stepping over a pile of clothes that had ended up in the doorway of my bathroom.
I turned away from the mirror. “Wait. You look so good. Damn.”
Maggie’s legs appeared to run on forever in the chocolate-brown leather shorts and opaque tights she was wearing with a pair of black cowboy boots. The tight brown turtleneck accentuated her everywhere, outlining her petite figure. Drenched over her shoulders was a brown leather jacket that perfectly matched the shorts.
“Thank you.” Her face lit up. “This is for you,” she said, handing over a fancy-looking bottle of champagne. “But actually, what happened? I found a pair of jeans by your refrigerator.”
“Thanks, Mags.” I took the bottle and placed it on my counter. “Let’s just say there was a last-minute outfit change and I was a little stressed, but that’s neither here nor there because I figured it out.” I giggled, returning to outlining my lips.
“You did?” she asked, peering at my half-naked body in the mirror.
“Ha. Yes. I just wanted to finish my hair and makeup before I got dressed because I was actually sweating from the number of outfits I tried on.”
