Braxton's Run: Cattle, Whiskey and Women

Chapter Six

"Sometimes new love comes between old friends and the best love was the one that was always there."

"What can I get for you Laura?" Grace asked as she walked over the back table of the diner where Laura was sitting alone. Laura smiled and smoothed her hand over her hair which she had pulled half up but left the back down so it would hang free and loose. She wasn't sure why she had done that or why she had changed into one of her nicer dark purple blouses and black skirts but that's exactly what she had done.

"I'll wait a moment. I'm actually expecting someone to be here soon…" The bell above the door chimed and both women looked toward the door to see Braxton walk in. Laura's mouth went dry, just the way it always had when she had seen him ever since she'd been thirteen. He was six feet five inches of lean, solid man. He had clearly been working all day. His white button down and dark denims were stained with dirt and sweat. His rugged cheeks were streaked with dirt. He looked tired she noticed, and sad. Then his storm gray eyes found her and she was sure she saw them light up just a little.

"Oh I see, well I'll let you two talk for a minute and then I'll come get your order." Grace said with a knowing grin and she walked away. Braxton's long legs took him across the diner quickly and Laura stood when he got to the table.

"I wasn't sure you'd come." she said as she looked up at him and tried to slow her heart rate. Braxton smiled when her eyes met his, and suddenly his brothers words didn't hurt anymore.

"I'd never miss out on Grace's cobbler." he replied and she smiled back. He took her gently by her elbow and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek and then motioned for her to seat. Her heart was pounding and her cheek was heated and tingling as she sat down and he pushed in her chair before sitting down across from her.

"So how have you been, Laura?" he asked. She tucked her hair behind her ear and smoothed her hands across the red checked tablecloth.

"Good, I guess." she replied, wondering why she felt so awkward… She was nearly twenty-eight years old and Braxton had been her best friend for a long time when she had been a child… But she was no longer a child and neither was he and now they were sitting together in the diner with whispers and stares surrounding them and he was being…friendly. He hadn't been this nice to her since she had kissed him in the barn.

"That's real good." he replied as he leaned back in his chair and removed his hat. Laura couldn't help but notice the way his dark as night hair fell across his forehead. "I was surprised when you said you wanted to meet here tonight." he added. Laura frowned.

"Why?" He shifted uncomfortably and picked at the flowers in the center of the small table.

"I figured these fine folks around here would have warned you away from me." he replied. Laura snorted and waved her hand.

"I don't care what any of these people think. If anything was going to keep me from asking you it would have been the fact that you've been so mean to me ever since…. That day." she blushed red and he couldn't help but smile.

"The day you kissed me?" he asked with a grin and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Yes. That day."

"I've never been mean to you… If you remember you're the one that poured water on me just a few days ago" he reminded her, causing her blush to deepen. "You just got all moody and easily annoyed after that day when you kissed me." he said the last words in an exaggerated whisper. Laura wondered if he was right. She tried to think back and see if she could come up with any examples of his meanness but she couldn't… Maybe she had been too emotional… Heck it had been six years since she had even seen him at all and he certainly wasn't acting mean right now.