Page 24 of Bride ’N Boots

“Who who was?”

“The woman,” I said. “Because of course there was another woman. She moved to Beijing for the company. He said it didn’t mean anything, but . . . I know if she’d stayed in Seattle, he wouldn’t want to move to Coeur d’Alene. I was his backup choice. Hence feeling stupid.”

He gently stroked my lower leg. “He was a bad lay?”

“I lost track of how many times I faked it.” I yawned and closed my eyes.

“Then why the hell did you stay with him?”

I sighed and mumbled. “I hate being a quitter.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

I woke up with the taste of peat and moss on my tongue. My throat was dry and I had a slight headache.

It took me a moment to realize that I was no longer on the couch, but in Stratton’s bed, and that the tartan throw was covering me.

I rolled over and looked around the cabin.

Stratton was gone.

I slowly sat up and reached for my cell phone, which he must’ve put on the nightstand.

It was just past five. I’d slept for at least two hours. Passed out, actually.

I had a few missed texts from Arden. No messages from Stratton.

But then again, we’d never exchanged phone numbers. I noticed the sheet of scrap paper with scribblings on it.

Went to pick up dinner. Feel free to watch TV or snoop through my sock drawer.

I smiled.

He hadn’t even signed it, but he did leave his phone number. I added it to my phone immediately, and because I was completely stupid, I put his name in as Husband.

My phone rang, startling me into dropping it onto the bed.

With a sigh, I picked it back up and answered it.

“Hey, I was just about to call you,” I said to Arden.

“You didn’t answer my texts and I was starting to get worried.”

“I’m sorry. I fell asleep and just woke up.”

“Fell asleep? Fell asleep where?”

“Stratton’s bed.”

“He tuckered you out, huh? Finally, someone was up to the challenge.”

I sniggered. “No. He brought me back to his cabin. I had two shots of whiskey and passed out. He left to pick up dinner and I’m alone in his place.”

“You poke around yet?”

“No.”

“You gonna?”