Free The Reluctant Cowboy by Cherie Ullman

masculine.  A large, black, solid headboard with a suede material covering it contrasted against the large, white, down comforter.  The matching pieces were also black, but looked sophisticated and not sterile. 
    She saw some of his clothes lying over the back of a chair and shoes placed in front of a dresser.  She was drawn to the large chest of drawers which seemed to hold photographs.  She saw several sized frames with pictures in them.  She picked one up when she recognized Vanessa.  She was much younger and standing beside Cole.  They were standing side by side with their arms behind each other’s backs. “We were seventeen in that one,” he recalled.  She hadn’t heard him come up behind her. 
    “She hasn’t changed much.  She’s so pretty.” 
    “Yes, she is.” 
    “Now you, on the other hand….you grew up a lot.  You are not much taller than her in this picture.” 
    “I was a late bloomer,” he explained, “I was skinny and lanky in my youth.  I was an easy target for her brothers, growing up.”  She was still admiring the picture as she saw another one which included the implied.  This picture was in a larger 8x10 frame and had been professionally done. 
    “I’ve only met them a few times.  They are characters,” she snickered.
    She heard him chuckle.  “That is not the only way to describe them.”   
    “Were they mean to you growing up?”  She was curious. 
    “God, no, they were my brothers.  We wrestled, rode bikes, played video games, ate everything in sight, but they were never mean.”  She relaxed as he continued.  “I wasn’t kidding when I told you that our grandmothers had wanted us to marry when we got older.  The first time they told us, all of us kids were playing outside and I think I must have been picking on Vanessa when her Grandma called out something to the effect of “I needed to be nice to my future wife.”  We were only around ten years old and we all stopped and just stared at her.  Of course, my Grandmother piped in and said that she was making it up, but the damage was done and my “brothers” teased us both mercilessly for years.  When we were older, I think Vanessa told me that they had indeed made up some marriage agreement and that we would have an opportunity to review it and sign it, if we got married.” 
    “Wow.  I can’t even imagine…” 
    “It was when their Grandmother passed away that it was again brought up.  You may have known her then.  It was when her friend, Riley was hurt a few years ago and we were all in Italy.” 
    “Oh my god, how could I forget?  That was such a horrible time for both of them.”  Sierra remembered it vividly and felt helpless to help her friends.  She compared Vanessa and Riley’s friendship to her and Dana’s.  Vanessa had left for Italy when her Grandmother was ill and Riley had been severely injured by a horse that fell on her.  The women were both Veterinarians and she and Dana had done what they could to help during the difficult ordeal.  
    “While we were there, before she passed away, her Grandmother produced a document and asked if Vanessa or I had considered the marriage.  Not wanting to upset her, we told her we would marry.” 
    “Time out.  Hold up.  You did what ?”  Sierra was reeling from this information. 
    “We didn’t get married Sierra.  We just told her that to make her happy in her last moments.  The document was just as old as she was and detailed a certain part of her estate to be distributed to us if we were married.” 
    “So what happened when you didn’t get married?” 
    “After she passed, we visited my Grandmother and showed her the document.  Of course, it was a big deal and the entire family was involved.” Sierra was still waiting for him to continue, with bated breath.  “My Grandmother explained that it was two Grandmothers having fun and wanting us to get together.  We gently explained that it was probably not