Page 105 of Risking it for the Cowboy

“You better be honest with her, man. She needs to know what happened and why. Houses built on a foundation of lies always crumble. I should know.”

T.R. swiped his card at the register of the florist shop, worry hot on his mind. She was starting to trust him. He’d barely kept her agreeing to the Homegrown Awards after being dragged on that social media page.

It’s forfeit anyway if I can’t cough up the entry fee. He eyed his card.

The florist handed him a box. He thudded out and back to his truck, firing it up and riding in silence to the men’s clothiers. Everything he’d earned off that engine fix—

Flower Girl. Incoming call.

Relief slammed through him as he swerved to the side of the road and thrust the stick into neutral, swiping open his phone. After Tyler’s decision to challenge the restraining order dismissal, he’d been crawling out of his skin.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he answered, the August heat breezing through the windows. “Been thinkin’ about you all day. How’d it go?”

Prayed to all that was holy that the appeal had been upheld and the restraining order reinstated.

“So, when Mitchell lifted the restraining order,” Charlie breathed through the phone, obviously walking fast, “he’d said the reason for Jason’s arrest last Sunday was a separate issue. The vandalism was toward police property. Not me. And said I couldn’t claim it was needed for mine and Daisy’s safety. But the appeals court took one look at the evidence, and they didn’t even blink an eye. They reinstated my restraining order and have opened an inquiry into my grounds for appeal.”

He could hear relief in her voice. He could feel relief seep into his bones. Someone was listening to her.

“You on your way back? Someone’s gotta doll my date up for tonight.”

Charlie laughed. That easy, beautiful laugh he’d fallen in love with that was so elusive.

“She’s so excited, Thad. You’ll be there, right? You promise?”

And just the question lanced hurt, because a woman shouldn’t have to verify if a man was going to show up for his daughter—

A dad. Already, he was thinking so hard on it, it was becoming real in his head. A dad, who protected, who found his reason to be a better person in rearing his children.

“You tell my wing girl to be waitin’ at the window, ’kay?”

“Okay,” she replied softly. “See you this evening. Love y—” She cleared her throat “Am gonna love getting her dressed up. She calls it her princess dress.”

But his blood rushed at what she’d been about to say.

All the way to the clothier’s shop.

The entire time he tried on jackets, tried on jeans, tried on ties.

The entire afternoon after getting home and hitting his shop for an hour to work a new engine commission for Rex Auto Works.

She’d been about to say love you, as casual as could be, like he’d just been to the store for bread or something.

She needs to know she can always trust you. The longer he let this confession go, it was only going to get harder, and harder, to face what could be lost.

*

Charlie tucked a tendril back into the braided bun she’d woven around Daisy’s crown. She checked the time on her phone.

“Do you think he’ll think I look pretty?”

“Sweet girl, he’s going to be the lucky one escorting you tonight. The question is, do you like the way you look?”

Daisy nodded, grinning, and wiggled her newly painted nails in front of Charlie’s face, then turned back to the living room window to watch the road. Dolling her daughter up like a pageant contestant in a mask of makeup was something Charlie was careful not to do, but sparkle nails were fun.

Charlie laughed and checked the time again. Five twenty-five.

“Then that’s all that matters.” She smoothed the sequins on Daisy’s bodice, pressing them in the same direction.