Read Online Taming the Country Star: A Hometown Heroes Novella (Entangled Bliss) by Margo Bond Collins - Free Book Online
Authors: Margo Bond Collins
Tags: Catherine Bybee, music, musician, reunited lovers, small town romance, Novella, past love, Cindi Madsen, Marina Adair, famous, Julia London, country
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she’d say no. The more she was with him, the harder it would be to watch him walk away.
She knew that.
But even more than she worried about watching him leave, she wanted to grab hold of every moment they had together.
She found herself reaching for the phone to call in a favor.
…
“You need anything else before I leave, LeeAnn?” Kylie asked.
“Not a thing.” LeeAnn moved around to the counter. As she passed Cole, she winked. Her voice was bright, but Cole thought he detected a wicked gleam in her eye as they walked out of the store. “Have fun, you two,” she called out after them.
Kylie flashed a warning glare at her friend, who waved cheerily.
As they moved into the September heat, Cole said, “There’s a cattle drive down here every day, right? It starts in a few minutes. Would it be okay if we went to see it?”
“Sure,” Kylie said. “It’s this way.” She stepped out slightly in front of him.
Cole smiled to himself and pulled sunglasses down over his eyes, surreptitiously watching her hips sway.
They didn’t speak until they got to the curb on East Exchange Avenue, lining up with the small crowd that had gathered to watch the first of the day’s two drives. Kylie kept casting small glances up in his direction and opening her mouth as if to say something, but then she bit her lip and stared down the brick-paved street.
“It’s a small herd,” she finally said. “The steers. I think there are fifteen of them—more symbolic of the old cattle drives that used to go through here than anything.”
“Thanks for coming with me,” Cole said. “I’m sure you’ve seen it a million times.”
Kylie shrugged and stared down the street. “It’s always fun,” she said with a smile.
Cole started to respond, but was distracted by the sounds of hooves clattering down the brick street. The deep clang of bells around the animals’ necks echoed against the sound of the drovers, who called out “hey, cattle,” as they rode alongside the steers.
Cole stared in fascination as the herd passed by. Their horns stretched out to the side, then curved up into sharp points that swayed left to right with each steer’s motion. The animals’ coats were slightly dusty, brown and white, some speckled, others solid.
He could have reached out to touch them as they moved down the street. At the last minute, he remembered to pull his phone out of his pocket and snap pictures.
“Wow. They’re bigger than I expected,” he said.
Kylie laughed. “I thought you grew up in Texas. Haven’t you ever seen a longhorn before?”
Cole shook his head. “Not since I was a kid. I thought maybe they’d be smaller than I remembered.” He grinned. “Hey, look. One of the cowboys is stopping. Let’s go talk to him.”
He pulled her across the street toward the drover, who had dismounted and stood holding his horse’s reins. Several families, most of them with small children, stood around him.
Kylie laughed and skipped a few steps to catch up with Cole. At the edge of the small group surrounding the drover, he paused to take a few more pictures.
“Excuse me,” said a woman whose small child had stepped away from the drover. “Could you take a picture of me and my son together?”
He reached out toward the woman without letting go of Kylie.
“Thanks,” the woman said with a smile. But when she saw his face, she gasped and nearly dropped the digital camera she held toward them—only the strap around her wrist saved it from hitting the curb.
“Oh,” she said. “You’re Cole Grayson.”
Cole’s smile tightened, but he kept reaching for the camera. “Still want me to take a picture?” he asked.
“Oh. Yes. Of course,” the woman said, blushing and obviously flustered.
The drover looped the reins over a nearby parking meter so he could move closer to them, and shook Cole’s hand, pumping it furiously. “It’s an honor to meet you,” he said. “Love your music, man. You want to get in the
She knew that.
But even more than she worried about watching him leave, she wanted to grab hold of every moment they had together.
She found herself reaching for the phone to call in a favor.
…
“You need anything else before I leave, LeeAnn?” Kylie asked.
“Not a thing.” LeeAnn moved around to the counter. As she passed Cole, she winked. Her voice was bright, but Cole thought he detected a wicked gleam in her eye as they walked out of the store. “Have fun, you two,” she called out after them.
Kylie flashed a warning glare at her friend, who waved cheerily.
As they moved into the September heat, Cole said, “There’s a cattle drive down here every day, right? It starts in a few minutes. Would it be okay if we went to see it?”
“Sure,” Kylie said. “It’s this way.” She stepped out slightly in front of him.
Cole smiled to himself and pulled sunglasses down over his eyes, surreptitiously watching her hips sway.
They didn’t speak until they got to the curb on East Exchange Avenue, lining up with the small crowd that had gathered to watch the first of the day’s two drives. Kylie kept casting small glances up in his direction and opening her mouth as if to say something, but then she bit her lip and stared down the brick-paved street.
“It’s a small herd,” she finally said. “The steers. I think there are fifteen of them—more symbolic of the old cattle drives that used to go through here than anything.”
“Thanks for coming with me,” Cole said. “I’m sure you’ve seen it a million times.”
Kylie shrugged and stared down the street. “It’s always fun,” she said with a smile.
Cole started to respond, but was distracted by the sounds of hooves clattering down the brick street. The deep clang of bells around the animals’ necks echoed against the sound of the drovers, who called out “hey, cattle,” as they rode alongside the steers.
Cole stared in fascination as the herd passed by. Their horns stretched out to the side, then curved up into sharp points that swayed left to right with each steer’s motion. The animals’ coats were slightly dusty, brown and white, some speckled, others solid.
He could have reached out to touch them as they moved down the street. At the last minute, he remembered to pull his phone out of his pocket and snap pictures.
“Wow. They’re bigger than I expected,” he said.
Kylie laughed. “I thought you grew up in Texas. Haven’t you ever seen a longhorn before?”
Cole shook his head. “Not since I was a kid. I thought maybe they’d be smaller than I remembered.” He grinned. “Hey, look. One of the cowboys is stopping. Let’s go talk to him.”
He pulled her across the street toward the drover, who had dismounted and stood holding his horse’s reins. Several families, most of them with small children, stood around him.
Kylie laughed and skipped a few steps to catch up with Cole. At the edge of the small group surrounding the drover, he paused to take a few more pictures.
“Excuse me,” said a woman whose small child had stepped away from the drover. “Could you take a picture of me and my son together?”
He reached out toward the woman without letting go of Kylie.
“Thanks,” the woman said with a smile. But when she saw his face, she gasped and nearly dropped the digital camera she held toward them—only the strap around her wrist saved it from hitting the curb.
“Oh,” she said. “You’re Cole Grayson.”
Cole’s smile tightened, but he kept reaching for the camera. “Still want me to take a picture?” he asked.
“Oh. Yes. Of course,” the woman said, blushing and obviously flustered.
The drover looped the reins over a nearby parking meter so he could move closer to them, and shook Cole’s hand, pumping it furiously. “It’s an honor to meet you,” he said. “Love your music, man. You want to get in the
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