Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32627 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 163(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32627 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 163(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
“Okay, okay,” I chuckle. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow then. Say hi to Sammie and Stuart for me! Oh, and Stanton and Shane too.”
My friend laughs.
“Sounds good, girlfriend. Bye.”
After we both hang up, I laugh a little. My, how life has changed. Juniper and I used to get up to no good all the time in our hometown, Lake Puckett. But instead of finishing her senior year at Lake Puckett High, her parents sent her here, to Sheridan, to some godawful reform school called the Lazy R for “behavior adjustment.” We were bad girls, but not that bad.
Anyways, Juniper made the most of it. Actually, my friend turned everything on its head. Instead of becoming a docile pushover, my friend fell in love with the two cowboys who run the Lazy R, and now she’s engaged to Shane and Stanton, and they have twin boys too. Sammie and Stuart are the cutest things, and of course, I’m their special godmother.
That’s why I’m here in Sheridan now. I was supposed to visit the entire family over at the ranch, but it seems the boys have come down with a bug. I’m sure it’s nothing serious because kids catch all sorts of things. But Juniper’s worried, and with my friend pregnant again, I don’t want to stress her out. I’ll just entertain myself for a few days until the boys feel better. Then, we’ll have a great time raising the roof together.
But what to do in the meantime? I continue to sit on the bed and fidget with the threadbare blanket. I glance out the room’s sole window to see stunning mountains in the distance beyond. Maybe I could go hiking? But then my stomach growls loudly.
“Guess I should grab some dinner,” is my rueful remark to no one in particular. “I’ll be good company for myself.”
After all, I meant every word I had said on the phone to Juniper, but I can’t help but feel disappointed that I’m stuck in Sheridan instead of camped out at the ranch with my friend. It would be so fun to hang with the twins and gossip with my bestie, but now, it might be days before that visit happens.
Don’t be such a Debby Downer, I berate myself with a sigh. Juniper can’t help that her kids are sick, and I’ve been on my own plenty of times before.
With that brief pep talk, I jump to my feet and shove my phone in my pocket. I toss my handful of belongings into an empty drawer and tuck my suitcase into a corner of the room. Grabbing my toiletry kit, I head into the bathroom to take stock of my appearance before hitting the town.
The harsh fluorescent bulbs crackle overhead, and my eyes squint at the brightness.
No one looks good under this kind of light, I reassure myself as I note the dark circles around my eyes and how prominent my freckles look against my pale face. I dab some lotion onto my cheeks and rub it in, bringing a little more brightness to my skin as I do so.
Critically, I look at myself. I’m an attractive-enough woman, and enough people have told me as much. My long, curly brown hair hangs down my back, and I have a dainty nose that comes to a cute point. My almond shaped eyes are the deep brown color of Wyoming earth after a heavy rain. My naturally pink lips are usually turned up in a smile, and I’ve grown to love my full, womanly figure. At twenty years old, there’s definitely some va-va-voom to my shape, which I appreciate.
Pleased with the effects of the moisturizer, I swipe on a few coats of mascara and hydrate my lips with a neutral colored gloss. Then, I take a step back to admire my handiwork, and despite the starkness of the overhead lights, what I see pleases me. Instead of the somewhat pale, drab image from before, I look more vibrant, like a dewy, sun-kissed flower.
“Good enough for a night out in a place like Sheridan,” I decide out loud.
Then, I change hurriedly, suddenly starving and ready to escape my boring hotel room if only for a couple of hours. I don a short, bright red skirt and fitted red and white tank top, glad for the late summer heat that seems to last through the night around here. Then comes the million dollar question: high heels or mid-size heels? Deciding in favor of being a bit bold, I slip into a pair of sky-high stilettos that make my legs look long and lean. Perfect.
Smiling saucily, I grab my purse and room key and head off in the direction of downtown. It’s not far because my hotel is situated conveniently near the main attractions, but I take my time nonetheless. Sheridan isn’t a bad spot, after all. It’s actually a college town hosting the University of Wyoming, so that says something. Some of the shops and stores are clearly designed for students, but many more of them appear to sell nice clothes, home-goods, and even dog toys. I pass a boot store and am tempted by a pair of turquoise blue cowgirl boots displayed in the window. Wow, those are totally my style, but then, my head shakes sorrowfully. I can hardly afford to take this vacation, much less buy expensive shoes.