My Billionaire Cowboy

“Oh my goodness. I’m not some high school girl. Of course I’m not blushing.” She self- consciously wiped her cheek as if she could have wiped away the rosiness of her cheeks.

“Sure. Okay. Whatever you say. Anyway, who is he? Is he one of those millionaire playboys who cruise Beverly Hills in his Lamborghini spending his family’s money all day on posh models?”

“Not at all. Actually, he is just the opposite.”

Linda stopped flipping through the sales receipts and turned to Kate. “Tell me more, Kate. Now you have me intrigued.”

Kate was giddy with excitement, but she did not want to let that on to Linda. She did not really believe it herself.

She tried to play it off. “His name is Bruce. He’s definitely not a millionaire. He’s just this simple man that runs a ranch somewhere outside of the city. I don’t even think he comes into L.A. that much. Well at least his clothes say that he doesn’t get to L.A. that much.” Kate shrugged.

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say about him?” Linda drummed her cotton candy pink nails on the desk, waiting for an answer.

The door chimed.

“Welcome to Grey’s Fashion Boutique. How can we help you?”

Kate could not believe her eyes. Linda was greeting none other than Bruce. Her heart threatened to jump right out of her chest. When she opened her mouth to speak, she could barely get the words out of her mouth.

“Yes, well. I-. Here.” Bruce passed her a steaming hot cup of coffee.

“Thank you. You really did not have to do this.”

Bruce nodded. “I saw that you were finished yours and I thought it would be a great gesture for the start of our relationship. Well, working relationship.”

Kate sipped the hot liquid. “Wow, and you got exactly what I liked?”

Bruce shrugged. “I read your preference from the side of the cup. I really can’t take all of the credit.”

Everyone laughed and it set them all at ease.

“Bruce, this is my co-worker and pretty much partner, Linda. Linda, this is Bruce, one of our new clients. We are going to dress him for a gala he has to attend in a few weeks.”

Linda came over and shook Bruce’s hand while Kate sipped on her coffee.

“Nice to meet you, Bruce. Please know that you are in good hands with us here at Grey’s. We love what we do and Kate is one of the best in the city.”

There was Bruce, giving her that look again. The look that said he wanted her, wanted something she was not sure she was willing to give. It was about more than the coffee he had just brought her.

“Well, I just wanted to bring coffee as a sort of peace offering to you. I know I was a bit of a bear earlier and I want you to know that you have carte blanche when working with me. I am yours to dress.”

When he spoke, he held his arms spread open, voice booming. In that moment, he was attractive, the openness he displayed was a bit endearing.

“Do we have an appointment for the fitting?” Linda asked Kate.

“We do. I already have that set. Bruce was there anything else you needed from the team?”

Bruce clasped his hands together. “I think we are set. Enjoy the coffee.”

The door chimed when he exited.

Linda turned to her, giggling like a giddy school girl. “So that is him?”

Kate tried to busy herself so she would not display the embarrassment she was feeling.

“You say ‘Him’ like it’s a thing or something, Linda.”

 “It is a thing. I’ve never had a client come back with coffee.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “It was simply coffee. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

“Hmm. He purposely checked to see what kind you liked. What man really takes note of detail like that?”

“I don’t know. But it’s really not that serious. Really. He’s just a client.”

Linda tapped her pen on the desk. “Alright. I will let it go, but believe me when I say that man wants you.”

“Back to work, you!”

Kate did not want to think about Bruce or the possibility that he had any interest in her at all. She did not want it to get in the middle of her job with him. There was a reputation she wanted to uphold and she did not want anything or anyone getting between her and her career.

*****

Linda was insane. There was no way that Bruce was interested in her. He was obviously a country boy and he was not anything like any man she had ever met before. He looked like the type that was one with nature, liked animals. She was the exact opposite. The most nature she needed was the warm California sunshine and she was not into pets and animals, which if he owned a ranch, he would have to be interested in.

There was no way he was attracted to her. She knew she was younger than him and living in L.A. where she was immersed in the fashion world was a complete contrast to a middle aged man who lived outside of the city on a cattle ranch.

But there was a spark. There was a little something there when they were in each other’s presence. It could not be explained. What was it? Her mother often talked about love at first sight.

To Kate, that kind of concept was impossible. How could you meet someone and immediately fall in love with someone you did not know? That would be a bit too unpredictable. Love seemed like the type of thing that a couple should work on over time. Like a plant, something that needed to be nurtured or cultivated and that needed a bit of help along the way when it started to wilt. Love did not seem like the kind of thing that cataclysmically just happened, leaving two people basking in its glory.

She believed in the power of attraction but she did not believe that two people would meet and immediately hit it off to the point that they marry, love, and live happily ever after. That was made specifically for the storybooks of fairy tales. What grown adult would live life looking for something like that?

Kate threw herself back on to her pillow. This was way too much to focus on at the moment. She had a burgeoning career as a fashion stylist and no time to wonder if some man had an attraction to her. No time to wonder if he liked her today or if he could deal with her tomorrow.

Her career on the other hand was something she could better control. Dream up an idea, set a goal, achieve that goal. Very simple. No worries about feelings or anything like that. Sure, in fashion there were opinions and feelings on style, but those were subjective. What one person hated, another person loved, but all styles were treasured and respected because it was fashion.

Kate could navigate fashion all day. But navigating love and relationships was not her thing. She stumbled and fumbled so much over the years, finding love seemed foreign. So she just plain gave up on it.

Stop thinking about this, Kate, she said to herself. She picked up one of her favorite fashion magazines to change her mind. Kate still loved the feel of flipping through the magazine so she always kept a stack of them on file so she could search for inspiration.

Between the pages of those fashion magazines was where she felt most comfortable. And staying in her comfort zone right now seemed like the perfect place to be.