My Billionaire Cowboy

“So,” Linda leaned across the table, almost whispering. “I saved the most important question for last.”

She paused, just for drama.

“Well?” Kate asked.

“Is the s*x good?”

“That is the most important question? Really, Linda?”

Linda sat back in the chair, clasping her hands together. “Of course it is. If the two of you are not s*xually compatible, things won’t work out.”

Kate inhaled deeply. The thought of her and Bruce in bed together threatened to make her lose control and dial his number to ask for more.

“It is explosive.”

“Yes!” Linda exclaimed, clapping her hands together loudly. Other people in the cafe turned to look their way.

Linda rolled her eyes. “That is what is most important. The s*x. If the two of you don’t have that s*xual physical attraction, nothing else matters. You may as well be hanging out with your brother.”

“Interesting train of thought, but I am definitely not hanging out with my brother.”

“So he meets all of the requirements on the checklist. What is the problem?”

“He’s a millionaire.”

Linda choked on her coffee. She had to take a napkin to start cleaning up the mess.

“A millionaire? The man that walked in to the boutique with the cowboy hat, jeans, and cowboy boots?”

Kate nodded.

“So I’m still not seeing what the problem is. Spill it.”

“I just don’t want him to think I want him for the money. I actually felt a bit awkward after he told me that he has money.”

“Kate, the man has more than ‘money’. He’s rich.”

“What would you do if you were in this situation?”

Linda laughed. “What, you mean the situation where I have the attention of a rich man that is a great companion, s*xually compatible, and a wonderful man. Is that the situation that you are speaking of?”

“You make it sound like it is so easy to come to a conclusion, Linda.”

“It is easy. Say yes.”

“I did, but I want to mean it.”

“So you said yes, but you didn’t mean it? You, my dear Kate are driving me crazy. Does Bruce have a friend? I could use some of what you’re getting if you don’t want it.”

Kate drummed her fingertips on the table. “So I just say yes?”

Linda shrugged. “Do what you want to. But I think you would be insane to walk away from him. Maybe he came along at a time when you least expected it, but he’s here. It’s all up to you to decide what to do with your ‘situation’.” When she said the word situation, she used her fingers to make air quotes.

“Are you ready to get back to the boutique or are you going to take another day off to work from home like yesterday?”

Kate knew that Linda was just teasing, but she did not want to keep talking about the situation.

Her phone chimed as they got ready to walk out.

“I’m coming back to the boutique. I have a few follow up calls to make and then we can close up on time.”

Kate glanced at her phone only to see that she had a text from Bruce.

*****

Kate did not answer the text until she was back in her office alone.

It was Bruce telling her that he would give her all of the time she needed to make a decision about being with him.

I understand that things are strained between us, but I want you to know that I will give you the time    you need to decide whether you want to be with me. I want to be with you. Please know that. I am here when you are ready to talk.

She felt bad that she had not responded all day to the texts or the flower delivery. All she wanted was to be able to concentrate at work. Today had been an important day at work for her and Linda and the boutique.

She finally decided to respond to him.

Can we talk later?

It did not take long for him to respond.

Yes. Just name the time and place.

She thought about it.

Can you meet me at the park on Lawton and French Street at seven o’clock?

When he replied yes, she knew she would be able to work it out with him from there.

She wrapped up with work and they closed the boutique to one of the most successful days they had yet in the past year. Excitement coursed through her veins. It was a victory she shared with her friends and looked forward to having more of.

And as much as she hated to admit it, she wanted to share it with Bruce as well. She knew that he would be genuinely happy for her and he would appreciate all of the hard work that went into her success.

She made her way to the park. It was almost dusk and she knew that Bruce should be on the way soon.

Glancing at the watch, it was almost seven.

“Are you looking for me?”

“Hi.” The sight of him softened her heart. “I was.”

He approached the bench where she sat and lingered until she reached her hand out and offered him the seat next to her.

“Thank you,” he replied as he took a seat.

“Okay, here goes.” Kate thought it would be best to go ahead and dive right in.

She waited until she knew she had his undivided attention.

“So here’s the deal. I have to say that even though we have not been apart long, I missed you. I thought of you the entire day. But I was struggling with it because I felt a little suffocated.”

When the words escaped her lips, they felt hurtful and almost threatening and she worried about how her feelings would make Bruce feel. He was a big boy and she knew he would be able to deal with it either way.

He waited quietly for her to continue speaking.

“When you left this morning, all of a sudden, I started to have a panic attack. I wondered what I had gotten myself into. I spent the entire day with you even when I knew I had work to do. So then I start to think that maybe I need to pump the brakes and slow down. I have expressed that I don’t want anything or anyone to get in the way of my career. And I started to wonder if these feelings I am developing for you would start to get me off focus.

“That is part of the reason I did not call you back today. I had a huge client that I needed to focus on. I landed the client and all worked out well, but I had to think long and hard about us. And I realized that I do want you. I want to be with you, Bruce.”

He sat there silently and when she finished speaking, he commented calmly.    “What am I supposed to say to that?”

 Kate was confused. “I just told you that I wanted to be with you. What do you mean what are you supposed to say?”

“Kate, my love. I don’t think you know what you want. I promised to treat you well, be the man that you need, and I have showered you with attention, gifts, and I have opened myself up to you. And still, that was not enough. Instead of feeling okay about all of it, you felt smothered. That was not my intention and that is certainly not what I wanted you to feel in response to my affections.”

She started to feel choked up. Tears were threatening to fall, but she did not want him to see her cry.

“I am so happy for you that you landed your client. I know your career comes first. I am okay with that and I don’t want to get in the way of what you really want right now. With that said, I will back away. You are right that this all got too intense too fast. I’m ready to handle my feelings. Call me when you are.”

Bruce stood up, kissed her on the cheek, and in an instant, he walked away.

*****

Kate sat there on the bench for a moment, listening to the children play in the park playground. She could not wrap her mind around what had just happened. Had Bruce really just walked away?

After that whole speech about going for what you want and doing what you love, he had confessed that he wanted her but still walked away.

She dialed her phone. “Linda, can you meet me at the park? I need to talk.”

Linda made it over to the park within fifteen minutes.

“You sound like hell. What happened?”

Kate wiped a tear away. “I don’t know what happened. I told him how I felt and he walked away.”