Teddy Birmingham is a family man to his core. He and his wife run Birds and Bees Pastures like a wholesome empire, complete with fifteen kids, matching flannel shirts, and a honey stand. And while he’s interested in partnering with Stonewater Rodeo Stock, he’s not interested in Liam Stone, Bachelor of the Decade.
I let out a long sigh. “Walk me through it again.”
Liam’s eyes light up like he’s just lassoed the moon. “We’d show up to a few events together. Keep it simple. One-on-onedinner, maybe a BBQ. Just enough for him to believe we’re serious. That you’ve softened me.”
“Why would he believe it? He’s seen us together. I literally schedule your vet appointments.”
“He’ll believe it,” Liam says, inching forward. “His wife used to work for him before they got married. She’ll talk him into it.”
“And if she doesn’t?”
He doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he puts his hands together, literally, palms pressed, elbows bent, begging.
“Please, Olive,” he says, dragging out the syllables like a country song lyric. “Be my fake girlfriend. Just for a little while.”
I groan and drop my forehead to my hand. “This is such a bad idea.”
But I can already feel myself cracking. Because when Liam looks at me like that I forget that it’s all pretend. And the real problem? I’ve never been pretending when it comes to him.
“Fine.”
Liam jumps to his feet like I just handed him the damn rodeo championship buckle. He lets out a loud whoop that echoes through the office, making me flinch.
“Honey, you just made my day!” he grins, broad and smug. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Seven?” My mouth falls open. “What are you talking about?”
“We have to sell this, Olive. Practice makes perfect.” He winks. “We’ll start tonight at Knot and Spur.”
I nearly choke. “You want to take me to the bar? Theoneplace in town where everyone and their cousin’s cow will see us?”
He shrugs, completely unfazed. “Exactly. We want them talking.”
I shake my head fast. “No. If we’re doing this, we do it in Sheridan. Somewhere people don’t know us. We go quiet or we don’t go at all.”
He raises his brows, mock impressed. “So bossy. I kinda like it.”
“Liam.”
“Alright, alright.” He holds up his hands like I’m holding him at gunpoint. “Sheridan it is. I’ll be in the barn if you need me.”
Then, with that damn grin still on his face, he adds, “Look at us working through our problems like an old married couple already.”
As he turns and heads for the door, I call after him, “Not the same thing!”
But he’s already gone. Whistling like this is just another day at work and not the beginning of my slow descent into insanity. And heartbreak.
Probably both.
I wrap up my duties for the day, though my mind's been elsewhere since Liam strutted out of the office with that cocky grin. The rest of my afternoon was just a blur of emails and calendar reminders I barely saw.
At five sharp, I head home to my apartment above Lura’s Porch, the little bakery café that smells like cinnamon and magic even on the slowest days. One of these days, I swear I’ll finally pull the trigger and buy a piece of land and build something of my own. Liam pays me well enough. My savings account is healthy, solid.
But I don’t.
Because some part of me—the part that still flinches at hope—believes that if I finally let myself settle, the universe will yank the rug out from under me. Just like it always has. My hand goesto the locket around my neck. And then I’ll be left broken and trying to pick up the pieces again.
I slip in through the back door, the familiar creak of the threshold greeting me like a whisper of welcome.
