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“You look pretty amazing too.” He was wearing dark jeans, and a white fitted button-up shirt. The sleeves were rolled to his elbows. I looked at the ground and noticed his boots.
“Ah-ha! You are a cowboy. I knew it.”
“Everybody in Texas has boots. True fact.”
“Really or are you trying to cover up your cowboy side?” I teased.
He slid his hand into mine and led me to his truck.
“You two have fun.”
I spun to see Lisa waving wildly from Cole’s room.
“She’s the sitter?”
“Yeah. Come on. Grayson is fine.”
He opened the door for me. Cole pushed the buttons on the radio until it landed on a song that he liked.
As he steered the truck over the bridge and toward the sunset, it felt strange I hadn’t left the island all week. Everything I needed and wanted was on that one little stretch of beach.
Cole drove through flat dry stretches of land for almost an hour before we reached the Mexican border. I noticed the line of cars into the foreign country wasn’t nearly as long as the line of cars on the other side trying to gain entry into the United States. My palms were sweaty at the sight of so many armed guards and search dogs.
“Is this safe?” I wanted to sound confident, but this was my first trip to a border town and I wasn’t prepared for the guns or angry-looking men eyeing the fence line.
“I wouldn’t take you somewhere if I thought we wouldn’t be ok. I come here all the time with my buddies. The key is to stick with me. You’ll be fine, darlin’. You know I’ll keep you safe.”
It wasn’t just the military background, Cole had always been protective. And it wasn’t until now that I realized what it felt like to have a man who wanted to make sure I was guarded and safe no matter what.
One of the border patrol officers waved us through the gate and into Mexico. I hadn’t meant to grab Cole’s hand, but I needed some extra reassurance.
“Kaitlyn, it’s going to be fine, but we don’t have to have dinner here. I can turn around and we can find another restaurant.” He eyed me across the truck.
My comfort level was being tested, and I was considering admitting that I had wimped out and needed the security of American soil under my cute black heels.
“But—if I turn around, you won’t get to see the surprise I have for you.” Cole smiled.
“What’s the surprise?” I was curious to see what the no-wine-and-roses guy
had planned.
“You are just going to have to trust me. I promise I’ll take care of you. Besides, with your right hook you’re a one-woman combat machine.”
I giggled. The self-defense classes my father had bought for me last year had paid off.
“I want my surprise.” I settled into the seat.
“You sure?”
“Positive.” I knew I was safe with Cole.
“All right, then. We’re already here.” Cole parked the truck behind a ruddy red brick building.
The sun had dipped behind the buildings of the border town, but not before throwing an orange hue on everything around us. I waited while Cole jogged around the front of the truck to get my door.
I caught a hint of his cologne as he helped me step down from the truck. My stomach was instantly in butterfly knots when he smiled.
“Ready?” He offered his arm.
