Waiting For Love (Love In Montana Book 2)

"Hey Ember, what's up? Where are you running off to?" Asked Adelaide as she entered the nursing station.

"Renner's hunting for me. Please pray for me," she said as she rushed out. Gretchen Renner was their scary head nurse and everyone was too scared to even talk about her. Adelaide pitied her and went about her work. Ember dealt with one emergency after the other at the pediatric department. After a whole day of dealing with sick children, she was finally done. Coming over to their nursing station they laughed and giggled at another nurse's tales. Finally it was time to go home. Ember walked down all the way to her granny's house near the market place, which wasn't far from the hospital.

"Ember, honey, how was your day?" Asked her granny.

"Tiring granny. It started badly with Renner's lecture," said Ember walking up to her room to freshen up. She came down to the kitchen after a shower. Grabbing a slice of granny's carrot cake, she sat down beside her, laying her head on her shoulders and eating her food.

"Your aunt Freida called up from Chicago. Your cousin Julia is getting married next month and they want you to attend her wedding. Josh will come to get you," said granny. Ember's heart skipped a beat. A wedding? She absolutely loved attending weddings. She clapped her hands with happiness.

"I would love to attend Julia's wedding. Oh my gosh! I have so much shopping to do," said Ember excitedly. Granny looked at her enthusiasm with indulgence. Her aunt Frieda was the wife of Ember's uncle Cole who was the only brother of her mom. Julia was uncle Cole's oldest daughter being three years older than Ember.  Julia's younger brother Josh was a year older than her at twenty-three and Jazz who was the youngest was just twenty. Ember had met them last eight years back and hadn't kept in touch after her parents death. She had forgotten Chicago, it held too many memories for her.

"We'll go to Charlotte Wilson's boutique tomorrow to get you some dresses for the wedding. Happy?" Asked her granny with a chuckle. Ember stared at her granny, the colour disappeared from her cheeks at the mention of the Wilson's. She knew who Charlotte Wilson was. She was Rex's aunt. She just crossed her fingers that she wouldn't meet Rex at her boutique. Granny Stacey, however never missed a thing. She noticed her grand daughter's pale face at the mention of Rex's aunt. Her wise heart knew that the poor girl's heart still skipped a beat at the mention of Rex's name. If only she could fix her up with the guy! She would try once Ember returned from Chicago.

"If you have other plans, you're most welcome. Freida said that she would take you shopping in Chicago, " said granny Stacey. Ember composed her nerves. No, she wanted to go to Charlotte Wilson's boutique. She wanted to hope to meet Rex there.

"No no, we'll go to Charlotte Wilson's boutique tomorrow," said Ember. She waited impatiently for the next day hoping to meet a blue-eyed football player she had been crushing upon since she was fourteen.

The next day Rhett came home in the morning in the happiest mood ever.  "Bro, you smell like roses and women's shampoo," said Rex, inhaling him. Sawyer too came forward and sniffed him thoroughly.

Rhett grinned and pushed both of them away. "I swear he does," said Sawyer.

"Spill or else no coffee for you," said Rex, sipping his coffee. Sawyer too sipped his coffee and fist bumped with Rex.

"I'll get my own coffee," said Rhett.

"Nope, you can't go anywhere without telling us," said Sawyer, both blocking his way.

"There's nothing to tell guys. I just dropped Adelaide off at her hospital, " said Rhett and they all eyed one another.

"Ohh, are you guys dating?" Asked Rex.

"Nope," said Rhett.

"Then I'll ask her out," said Rex trying to rile him up to admission but Rhett just glared at him.

"You won't do anything of the sort, Rex or else I'll beat you to a pulp," he threatened, pushing them and storming out of the room.

"I knew it. He's in love," said Rex and Sawyer chuckled. They had never seen their big brother in such a mood.

Rhett galloped on Thunderbolt towards the hospital to pick Adelaide up after her duty was over. He waited and waited but there was no sign of Adelaide.

"Wow, he's so hot!" Exclaimed Ember looking out of the window of their nurses station. She hadn't recognized Rhett as he had his stetson pulled low over his head and the last time she had seen him, eight years back, he wasn't so muscular.

"Who's hot Ember?" Asked Adelaide stuffing her things into her handbag.

"That cowboy riding a stallion. It seems he's waiting for his girl, " said Ember with a dreamy look on her face. "His girl's so lucky!" She exclaimed.

Adelaide looked curiously and her guess turned out correct. "Oh God. He's here already?" mumbled Adelaide. Ember looked at her.

"You know him? Wait a minute. Is he here for you?" She asked curiously. Adelaide smiled and nodded. Before Ember could ask a thousand questions she waved and ran out of the nursing station, down the flight of stairs to the front door.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Rhett, " she said, breathing hard. Rhett smiled at her, his face brightening up at the sight of her.

"No problem. I can wait for you," he said to her. "Give me your hand. "

Adelaide placed her foot on the stirrup and placed her hand in his. He hoisted her up. Adelaide waved at all the nurses peering at them from the nursing station window. They whistled and waved at her. Rhett looked at them and waved too.

"So that's nurses window to the world?" Asked Rhett.

Adelaide laughed, "Yes," she said softly. Ember didn't get a chance to see Adelaide's boyfriend properly with the other nurses pushing her away to get a good look. She walked out of the hospital excited at the prospect of going to Charlotte Wilson's boutique. Granny was waiting for her when she returned. She took in Ember's flushed face and smiled knowingly. Ember quickly showered and drying her hair, changed into a white floral printed dress which her granny had got for her. She wanted to look good in case she met Rex.

When she went to the living room, granny saw how beautiful she actually looked with the effort she had made. "Ready, honey?" She asked. Ember nodded and they went out. The boutique was at the end of the road where they lived. They slowly walked down the road all the way to the boutique. Ember's heart started beating at an abnormal rate with excitement. Would she meet Rex today? She pushed the door of the boutique and a cute bell positioned above it chimed to announce their arrival.

The boutique was cozy and neat with clothes of different shapes and sizes hanging, mannequins with mind-blowing dresses, and the display windows focusing the color of the week, minty green. Ember had never been to this boutique before as she was more into casual clothes. The floral dress she wore among amongst a few others which were a bit classy. They were bought by granny from this very boutique and she hadn't worn them much.

A sweet-looking, blonde woman with kind eyes came forward. "Hello aunt Stacey, so good to see you again?" She said with a smile holding onto granny Stacey's hand.

"Hello Charlotte. Good to see you too. I brought my grand daughter to you," said granny and Charlotte Wilson looked at Ember who was standing shyly behind granny. "This is Ember, my granddaughter, " granny introduced her. Ember came forward and held out her hand but Charlotte Wilson just hugged her ti her surprise.

"Wow, you look very beautiful, Ember. I love your eyes. They're extraordinary. Isn't that dress from my boutique? It looks so good on you," said Charlotte Wilson.

"Thank you aunt Charlotte. Yes, granny got this dress from here, three months back," she told her. Ember was disappointed that Rex wasn't there but why she was hoping he'd be here, she had no idea. It was a foolish hope after all!

"Charlotte, can you get her a few dresses. She needs to attend a wedding, " said granny.

"Sure, aunt Stacey," said aunt Charlotte. Then she looked at Ember with a smile on her face. "I'll get you just the ones, dear. You'll stand out even in a crowd," she told Ember making her blush. Later after trying out several dresses, Ember bought seven. The dresses would be altered and delivered to their house later so they chatted for sometime more.

"Mom remembers you aunt Stacey. Why don't you come home someday to catch up with her? You can bring Ember too," said Charlotte. Ember's eyes widened and her cheeks colored profusely.

"I might just drop in, you never know, " chuckled granny Stacey.

"Please do, mom will be very happy," said aunt Charlotte. Ember's heart started beating with excitement.

"We surely will," promised granny. They walked back to the house when granny suddenly remembered that she'd left her handbag at the boutique.

"Ember, I've forgotten my handbag at the boutique. Could you just run and get it?" Asked granny.