Page 21 of One-of-a-Kind Bride (Home to Texas #1)

Darn if he wasn’t right. Muffy was a cuddle muffin and a sweetheart, but she never listened to her. The darn pup had a mind of her own when it came to obeying.

“So far, there’ve been no more escapes, so it’s all good.”

Her cell phone rang and she dug into her purse to look at the screen. Coop glanced down at the same time, noting the name. It was Blake. Good manners let the call go to voice mail. She wasn’t one to ignore a friend to speak to someone on the phone. Unless it was urgent.

“Blake again?” Coop said matter-of-factly. “That guy’s persistent.”

“He is not persistent about anything personal. It’s business, sort of.”

“Oh yeah? What’s business, sort of?”

“It means his baby sister is getting married and he’s buying her wedding gown. He wants it to be something special and asked if I could show them some of my designs. Give them some tips.”

“A likely story.” Coop wasn’t buying it at all, but he was good-natured about it and why shouldn’t he be? Just because he was taking her to dinner didn’t mean she couldn’t spend time with other friends in Last Stand. “What guy goes wedding gown shopping?”

“Oh, you’d be surprised. Fathers, cousins, besties and, yes, brothers. For some, the wedding is a family affair. After all, a girl only gets married once.” Then she added, “For the first time, that is.”

Coop’s mouth turned down for a second in a move of disapproval or…? No, she wasn’t going to go there.

“Is that so?”

“It’s a fact.”

“Gotta be good for your business then. All these people buying wedding gowns.”

“Actually, it can be lucrative in big cities like New York, but honestly, I’m surprised at how much interest there is in Last Stand. I mean the town has lots of appeal, like a shabby chic version of old town America, but—”

“A what?”

“Don’t tell me a builder of your status doesn’t know what shabby chic is?”

“Of course I know. I am building a she-shed for Julie, remember? Just never thought of the town as being considered that way.”

“Well, when you think of it, Last Stand is timeworn, but stylish. Longstanding but trendy and fashionable. And the festivals around here are known throughout the state.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, people enjoy the traditions without feeling behind the times. It’s kinda cool how novel and charming the town really is.”

“You sound like a spokesperson for the place.”

“You know I’ve always liked this town.”

Coop held back his next comment. She could see it in his eyes and on his expression. And she didn’t want to rehash her reasons for leaving and breaking his heart. He knew them all too well. It was a can of worms she didn’t want to reopen.

She’d promised Julie she would give this evening a chance. But was she right to promise something like that? Did she hold too fast to her promises, regardless of the outcome? Being here in Last Stand gave her freedom to debate that in her head. Had her promises led her astray at times?

It was a short drive to the restaurant and once Coop parked the SUV, he told her to wait and then came around to the passenger side and opened the door for her.

Southern manners were not wasted on her.

She liked the gentlemanly act and wondered if it would become a lost art soon.

Sure, she was perfectly capable of opening the door for herself, but it was those little nuances that men did that made a woman feel extra special.

At least it did for her. “Thank you,” she said, accepting his hand as she exited the car.

But the hand-holding ended there. Coop released her and tension immediately drained out of her body.

He led her to the entrance of the Dragonfly with the slightest touch to her back and a hostess greeted them.

They’d gone on a few real dates when they were seventeen, all that a working Coop could afford, and those times were easy and fun.

Honestly, back then, they hadn’t cared if it was a burger joint or a coffee shop, as long as they were together.

They’d never gone to any place remotely as nice as this restaurant.

They walked along tumbled stone and were shown to a table for two in the garden.

Uneven brick walls created an outdoor terrace flourishing with plants and flowers.

Rich in rustic elegance, the place hit just the right tone for the evening.

Coop pulled out the chair for her and she took a seat. He sat facing her and gave her a smile.

“This is really nice, Coop.”

He looked around the place. “Yeah, the food’s good too. I’ve taken Cassie here on special occasions.”

“Such as?”

“Her seventh birthday. Honestly though, she would’ve been happier with a hot dog and a cupcake.”

“Most kids would.”

“When we were younger, I would’ve given anything to take you to a place like this.” He sighed. “I don’t know why I just said that.”

“Maybe because it’s true?”

“It is, but that was another lifetime ago.”

“Still, you’re a part of my best memories, Coop. We can’t think back and not remember all the summers we spent together with Julie.”

“I know you’re right. I can’t get it out of my head.”

“What?”

“That you’re here again. I know it’s only temporary. But at least we’ve had a chance to reconnect.”

“Reconnect?” Taylor’s heart skipped a beat. What was he trying to say?

“I mean, we’re adults now. We’ve both been through loss and a lot of time has passed. So I thought maybe we could try to be friends again.”

“Friends?” Oh, man, he was pulling the friend card.

The hope swelling inside her chest just deflated. What had she wanted him to say? She didn’t know exactly, but she’d never stopped being his friend.

“I think we are, Coop. At least on my end.”

He pulled back a second. “On your end? You never answered my letters. You never picked up the phone when I called.”

“I know. I’m sorry about that. Truly, but it was hard enough leaving and I thought you’d be better off not hearing from me.”

“So you did it for my sake?”

“I did.”

He shot her a skeptical look just as the waiter came by to deliver the menus and take their drink order. Coop ordered a bottle of cabernet and then picked up the menu.

She did the same. “What do you recommend?” she asked to break the silence. Apparently, Coop still had issues with their breakup.

“It’s farm to table so everything is fresh and delicious.”

The menu was extensive and everything looked mouth-watering. Her stomach growled and she quickly gazed at Coop. If he heard, he didn’t react about it. She was fully expecting him to tease her. Funny, but she never minded his teasing. It was part of who they once were.

“The spinach salad sounds yummy.”

“So is the Dragonfly special,” he said. “It’s the chef’s own creation. Chicken fried steak, carrot souffle, topped with a vegetable medley and any choice of potato.”

“That sounds delish too.”

Coop closed his menu. “Done.”

She liked his decisiveness. He certainly knew how to impress a girl. He seemed at ease in this situation, while her heart was pounding hard. Because it was easy for her too. Being with him made it seem like no time had passed at all, and that sort of freaked her out.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, sensing her mood.

“Nothing really. Just wondering if this is what it would’ve been like if we hadn’t broken up. If we dated as adults. It all seems so…”

“Natural?”

She bobbed her head. “Yes.”

Music coming from a three-piece band began playing from the other side of the garden.

The tunes were mellow and soft, lending an atmosphere for romance.

This entire evening was surreal, and she could get lost in it, if she weren’t careful.

The truth was, she hadn’t been on a date this nice in years, but she’d be fooling herself to think that was all it was.

It wasn’t lack of a social life drawing her to Coop.

A woman in a white chef’s coat came over to the table. “How are you, Coop?”

Coop rose and greeted the woman. “Delilah, it’s good to see you.” He gave her a hug and then turned to Taylor. “Delilah Corbyn, I’d like you to meet Taylor Preston. Delilah’s the chef and owner of the Dragonfly.”

“Nice to meet you,” Taylor said.

“Same to you. I hope you find everything to your liking here at Dragonfly. After your meal, I’ll send over a special dessert for you both.”

“That’d be real nice. Thank you,” he said.

“Do you have any questions about the menu? Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Not at all. We’re both having your special. You know how much I like it.”

“Good choice. Well, I’d better get back to the kitchen. Enjoy your meal.”

“I’m sure we will,” Taylor said.

After she walked away, Taylor asked, “A friend of yours?”

“She is, I suppose. I’ve done some work on this place. Helped her out of a jam when her contractor messed up on a renovation.”

The waiter came by with their wine, opening the bottle and pouring it for them. Then he took their order.

Afterward, Coop held his goblet up. “To friends,” he said.

Taylor clinked her glass to his. “To friends.”

They looked over their glasses and sipped wine together. “Mmm, it’s delicious.”

Coop kept his eyes trained on hers. “It is.”

A shiver ran down her spine. Was he flirting with her? After all their talks, he was sending mixed signals and driving her crazy. Didn’t he just say in his last breath he wanted to be her friend ?

During dinner, Taylor managed to steer the conversation to Julie’s she-shed.

Coop explained about the two rooms inside, with an open air feeling so that she didn’t feel closed in.

One room, separated only by a wall partition, would be her library where she could sit and read comfortably, the other one would be a craft room.

It was going smoothly, which Taylor could tell.

She complimented his work and they moved on to Cassie and how she was doing at Honeysuckle Elementary.