“You two look runway ready,” I say, motioning them into the room before closing the door behind us.
“Thank you,” Leo says. “If Lumberjack core is ever a Met Gala theme, I’ll be completely prepared.”
“And you look like you’re about to have a panic attack,” Allie says, rubbing my arm.
“Already had it,” I say, flopping down on the bed.
“Your room is bananas. Look at this view,” Allie says, peeking through the drapes to gape at the view of the valley and Granite Peak. “You need to keep these drapes open.”
“I’m really not interested in the view,” I say.
“Still?” Leo asks as he sits next to me.
“Always,” I reply.
“I don’t know, the view just got a whole lot hotter,” Allie says, almost pressing her head against the glass.
“Cowboy Ken?” Leo asks and tosses his hat on the bed.
“No, Wyatt,” Allie says. “I mean, Duke is like out-of-this-world attractive, but I love that Wyatt has this cool mustache. He really does look like a cowboy from the 1800s.”
“I agree both men are toasty. Thank goodness I’m married to a wonderful man in New York or my eyes might wander,” Leo says.
“Your eyes were wandering all over Duke when he was chopping wood yesterday,” Allie scoffs.
“I have every right to window shop,” Leo counters. “But we need to focus, my sweet, our girl here has gotten herself into a jam.”
“Oh, yes.” Allie turns from the window and sits down next to me.
I bury my head in my hands. “How the hell am I going to do this? I barely survived the plane ride in, and now I’ve agreed to throw myself into a river?”
“You don’t have to go,” Leo says.
“Idohave to go.”
“I agree,” Allie says. “How are you going to write about the ranch if you don’t immerse yourself in everything?”
I rub my face. “That’s not why I have to go.”
“Then why?” Leo asks.
I gesture to the window. “Because that damn man said he didn’t think I could handle it.” I pull my hair into a ponytail. “I was using the library in his house to check emails, and he barged in … shirtless … sweaty … standing so close …” my voice trails off and for a moment, I’m there in the office desperately trying not to outwardly gawk at every hard line of his body.
Allie snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Hello? Where’d you go?”
“To the valley of Duke, that’s where,” Leo says, resting his hands on his crossed legs.
I slip off the bed. “I didn’t go anywhere. Anyway, let’s do this, shall we?”
“Hear, hear,” Allie says, raising an invisible glass. “But … is that what you’re wearing? I’m not sure a button-down from Barney’s will work.”
I glance down at my attire. “This is the best I can do.”
“Oh dear,” Leo sighs.
“You could borrow one of my flannels,” Allie offers.
“I love you for that, but your clothing has never fit me.”
