Shane sighed. “I know. Someone went to town on our fences. There are quite a few breaks that need to be fixed. You up for handling that today?”
“Yeah, man.” Fixing fences sounded like the perfect way to spend my day. I’d be out in the fields, far away from Paisley, though I’d never be able to get her out of my head. “Any idea who might be responsible?”
“Not yet, though plenty of folks around town aren’t thrilled with the plans I have for this place.”
I considered telling him about the asshole I’d run into at the Merc the other day and the proposition he made me. Before I could say anything, Paisley came out of the barn and headed our way. That was enough incentive to get me moving.
“I’m going to get started on those fences.” I kept my head down as I stepped off the porch and passed her. It had been a mistake to come to the ranch. I’d been so eager for the safe space Shane offered, especially after the way I’d been treated at home, that I didn’t think about what my presence might mean for him.
He’d been a good friend, and I trusted him with my life. Hell, he was more like family to me than my own blood. I couldn’t live with being the reason for the ranch to be targeted. He had the opportunity to create a new life for himself, and I didn’t want to hold him back. Fuck, he was engaged. Soon he’d have a wife and probably a half dozen kids running around the ranch.
Just like everywhere I tried to settle down, Mustang Mountain would be better off without me.
The problem was, I didn’t have anywhere else to go.
CHAPTER 6
PAISLEY
The Community Centerhad been transformed. I barely recognized it when Caitlin and I walked through the door. White twinkle lights draped across the ceiling, along with yards and yards of red fabric. Heart-shaped balloons floated above the tables and someone had hung a disco ball above the center of the marked off dance floor.
“I never thought it would look this good.” Shrugging my coat off my shoulders, I stomped the snow off my shoes.
Caitlin hung both of our coats on hangers in the coatroom. “They did a lot of work after we left.”
That was an understatement. She’d roped me into coming into town early this afternoon to help set up for the Valentine’s Day dance. I hadn’t planned on attending, but Caitlin didn’t give me a choice. All the proceeds were going to the women’s shelter, and she’d heard there would be a few saddles on the silent auction, so she’d argued that I needed to be there. Finally, I’d given in.
We’d shown up early to help set up tables and chairs, then changed in the room over Ace’s bar down the street. Shane was supposed to meet us after he and Aiden finished mendingfences, though I was pretty sure Aiden would try to find a way out of it.
“Happy Valentine’s Day!” Ruby handed us each a plastic champagne flute full of pink punch. “Thank you both for your help this afternoon. We couldn’t have done it without you.”
I took a sip. Tiny bubbles burst open all the way down my throat. “This is delicious.”
Ruby leaned close. “I added a few extra bottles of sparkling wine. People tend to be a little more generous when they’ve had a strong cocktail or two. Make sure you check out the silent auction. There are so many wonderful items available.”
“We will.” Caitlin hooked her arm through mine and tugged me toward the tables in back. “Let’s go see what we want to bid on.”
I glanced around as we made our way to the auction items. The room was already almost full, though no one had started dancing yet. My gaze caught on a bouquet of metal roses sitting on a table in the corner. A group of people stood in front of the bouquet, waiting their turn to add their bid to the sheet of paper. The description said they’d been hand-forged. I’d never seen anything like them. The vase had been made out of horseshoes and the roses looked so real.
“Wow. Those are gorgeous,” Caitlin said when there was finally room for us to get to the front. “Are you going to bid on those?”
Nodding, I picked up the pen and scribbled my name at the bottom of the page along with my bid. “I doubt I’ll win, but they’re too pretty to pass up.” Thanks to living rent-free at the ranch, I hadn’t had to touch my savings yet. So far Mustang Mountain had been good to me, and I wanted to give something back.
“Come on, let’s go check out those saddles.” Caitlin wound through the crowd, stopping at a display featuring three custom-made, hand-tooled saddles. “What do you think?”
I ran my fingers over the soft leather. “I think they’re stunning.”
So far, no one had written down a bid. I jotted my name on the first line and crossed my fingers that the amount I put down would be enough to turn other buyers away. Just as I set the pen on the table, Shane slid his arm around Caitlin’s waist and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
I glanced behind him, my heart doing double time, hoping to catch a glimpse of Aiden. Disappointed, I took another sip of Ruby’s bubbly punch while Caitlin and Shane embraced. I was thrilled that my bestie had found the love of her life, but I was starting to feel more and more like a third wheel when I spent time around the two of them.
“I’m going to get more punch. I’ll catch up to you in a little while.” I excused myself and headed toward the bar area, pretty sure neither of them had even noticed I’d left.
“Paisley, right?” A man in a dark blue suit stepped up next to me while I poured myself a refill. “I’m not sure you remember me, but we met at the cafe when you first got into town.”
“Of course I remember.” Sage had been with his kids, and I’d helped his little girl draw a picture of a horse on the back of her kid’s menu.
“I wasn’t going to come tonight, but Ruby twisted my arm. She can be pretty persuasive.” He snagged a cup of water and nodded toward the dance floor, where quite a few people had started line dancing to a fast-paced country song. “Do you want to dance?”
