9781618857279MakeMineaCowboySullivanNC (24 page)

“I
wish I fucking could!” she screamed at the answering machine, bursting into
tears. “God, I wish it had a happy ending. I want my happy ending.”

“Never
mind. I’m at your door. We need to talk now.”

The
phone clicked indicating the woman had hung up just as the doorbell rang.

“Just
fucking great.” She buried her head in the pillow. “Maybe if I don’t answer it,
she’ll leave.”

“I
know you’re in there, Mesa. Your car is in the driveway. Open the door, honey.”

Mesa
sighed and climbed to her feet. She was just going to have to get this meeting
over with so she could wallow in peace. “I’m coming!” she yelled as the
doorbell rang again. “What do you want, Madeline?”

“You
look like shit, darling. What the hell happened to you?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh,
something definitely.
I’ve never seen you like this,”
Madeline said, shoving past her to enter her hallway. “Like I said on the
phone, we can’t sell this piece with this ending, Mesa. It won’t do.”

“I’m
sorry, but it is what it is.”

“You
need to rewrite it. The hero and heroine have to come together somehow. Make
him show up on her doorstep begging for her forgiveness and confessing his
love. It’s romantic. It’s fun. It’s what it needs.”

Mesa
closed her eyes as she exhaled a deep sigh. “I just can’t right now, Madeline.
Maybe in a few weeks I’ll get over this melancholy me and be able to give them
their happy ending.”

“Honey,
what happened in Texas?”

“Nothing.”

“You
look like someone died, darling.”

“No.
No one died. I’ll get over it. I’ll be back on track in no time. You’ll see.”

“A
man?”

Her
eyes widened. Surely Madeline couldn’t tell she had a man on the brain, could
she?

“I’m
fine really. Thanks for stopping by.” She pushed Madeline toward the door.
“I’ll call you next week. We can do lunch.”

“All
right. If you’re sure.”

“I’m
sure. Thank you for being worried about me.”

“Call
me if you need anything. All right?”

“I
will.” She shut the door behind her agent and pressed her back against the wood
panel. She really needed to get over Joel, now. “Enough. I can’t keep doing
this.” She swiped at the tears rolling down her cheeks. “He obviously didn’t
love me. It was nothing more than a quick fling like he said from the
beginning. I should never have let my heart get involved. Big mistake from the
get go.”

The
doorbell rang, echoing the sound throughout her apartment until she wanted to scream.
Bong. Bong.
Whoever was out there
wasn’t going away until she answered the damn door.

“What?”
she yelled as she opened the door to find a deliveryman.

“Ms.
Arraguso?”

“Yes?”

He
handed her the clipboard. “Sign here.”

She
signed her name and he handed her a single red rose. “That’s it?”

“Yes,
ma’am.”

He
walked away while she looked at the flower.
How
weird.
Maybe it’s from a fan. She closed the door and walked into her kitchen
to set the beautiful blood red bud down. She needed a drink. Something strong.
Lots of alcohol to drown her breaking heart in.

She
poured whiskey straight from the bottle into a glass and then looked at the
flower again. Something odd caught her attention, and she frowned as peered
closer at the flower. “What the hell? There’s writing on the petals.”

She
slowly peeled the silky layers back.

I can’t eat.

I can’t sleep.

I miss you.

I’m miserable without you.

The
last one said…
I love you.

A
soft knock sounded on the front door as she stood there in shocked silence. Not
even aware of what she was doing, she moved to the door and opened it to find
Joel standing there in all his cowboy glory with eleven more blood red roses
clutched in his hands. She let her gaze roam over him from the top of his black
Stetson to the tips of the dirty cowboy boots. He looked good enough to eat.

“Do
the tears mean you missed me, too?” he asked, his blue eyes hopeful.

“God,
did I miss you!” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him with all the
pent up passion and love she held in her heart for this crazy man. “I love you.
I love you. I love you.” She punctuated each phrase with a kiss.

She
heard the rest of the bouquet crunch to the carpet as he pulled her arms from
around his neck and dropped to one knee. “Mesa, baby. Will you marry me?”

Mesa
covered her mouth as more tears streamed down her cheeks. “Yes. I’ll marry you.
When? Where? Right now? Let’s go to Vegas. We can be married today. It’s only a
four hour drive.”

“Slow
down, baby. I’d marry you today, but my family would kill me.”

She
stuck out her lip in a small pout, hoping he would give in. They could be
married before the end of the day.

“I
love you, Mesa.”

“I
love you too, Joel.”

“We
have to wait.”

“Why?”

“Because,
I want to marry you in front of everyone.
All my brothers,
your family.
Everyone.” He grinned his heart-stopping grin. “But we can
start the honeymoon now.”

“Really?”

“Oh
hell yeah!”

He
swept her up in his arms before he kicked the door shut with his boot. “Where’s
your bedroom?”

“Down
the hall, cowboy.”

“I’m
gonna make you scream, city girl.”

“Promise?”

“Promise
with all my heart and soul.”

Epilogue

The
fire in the fireplace hissed from the gas logs. Rain pounded on the roof
outside but Mesa didn’t care. She sat wrapped safe and warm in her husband’s
arms while they lounged on the rug in front of the fireplace in nothing but
bare skin. She had her very own happily ever after with her cowboy. Soft
country music played over the stereo system. A little George Strait always put
her in the mood for lovin’. Tonight was no exception. Of course, it was their
wedding night. The honeymoon would commence the next day with a trip to Jamaica,
but they’d decided to spend the night in their cabin.

After
he’d shone up on her doorstep in Los Angeles, they’d spent the day and night
making up for lost time. It only took one I love you to tell her she belonged
with this man back in Texas. He went home after a week, leaving her there to
settle her life, give up her apartment and pack a truck. He then flew back to
ride from L.A. to Bandera with her. Their wedding took only three months to
plan. She couldn’t have waited much longer even though they loved the nights
away in their little spot of heaven beneath the wide Texas night sky.

Noise
coming from outside startled her out of her musings until she snuggled back
down against him.

“Don’t
worry, darlin’.” His kissed the top of her head. “It’s just my brothers causing
a ruckus.”

“What
are they up to?” She sat up and turned around in his arms. “They aren’t like
painting your truck with shaving cream or something, are they?”

“I
don’t know, but I’d expect them to tie cans to the back bumper. I ain’t the
first to get married since Jeff did it before me, but I’m the first to have my
wife snuggled up next to me on our weddin’ night here in my cabin. Jeff spent
his wedding night alone.”

“Seriously?
What the hell?”

“I
told you she was a bitch. She went out after the wedding with her friends,
passed out on someone’s floor and didn’t come home until two days later.”

“Wow.”
She glanced down at her wedding rings with a smile. “I can’t believe we’re
married.” A not so quick kiss to his lips forestalled her next words for
several minutes. She loved kissing Joel, anytime, anywhere. They usually made
the family uncomfortable with their show of affection. “It was a beautiful
ceremony even though it rained.”

“But
it was great to have it in front of the fireplace in the main lodge.” He pushed
a piece of hair behind her ear before he trailed his fingertips along her jaw. “You
looked beautiful in your dress. Did I tell you that?”

“You
have now. You looked pretty handsome in your cowboy finery.” She kissed his
neck. “Did I ever tell you I have a thing for cowboys?”

“No
really? I would never have guessed.” He laughed.

She
punched him in the side.

“
Ow
!”

“Oh,
I did not hurt you.”

He
gave her a wounded look with a little pouty lip. Unable to resist, she leaned
in and sucked his bottom lip between her teeth before she took a nip of it. A
soft moan escaped his mouth as he grabbed her head, slanting it just so for a
deeper kiss. Their tongues tangled for a good while before he lifted his head
and looked into her soul with those beautiful blue eyes.

“I
love you Mrs. Young.”

“I
love you too, Mr. Young. So much. More than anything in this life.” Tears
formed, spilling down her cheeks.

“Hey!
Why the tears?”

“Happy
tears. I’m so glad you came to L.A.”

“You’ve
already thanked my mother for her intervention on your behalf like a thousand
times.”

He
tucked her in next to his side, holding her close. Her head rested on his broad
chest. “I wouldn’t know what to do if you hadn’t.”

“I’m
beyond thrilled we don’t have to find out. Now, hush. I have a wife to love.”

“Hmm,”
she hummed in between kisses. “I like
your
thinking, Sir.”

“Good.
Kiss me, woman.”

“Where,
Sir?”

“Anywhere
you want.”

*THE END*

Secret Cravings
Publishing

www.secretcravingspublishing.com