Again.
And it was so good that my brain is still floating somewhere above the atmosphere. He made me feel seen, beautiful, wanted in ways I didn’t know I needed. And now, after that morning of sheer humiliation and secret smiles, I’m certain of one thing: I want more, and when he moves into the ranch full-time for the project, I’m going to win him properly.
Now that I know what he feels like, what he sounds like when he whispers my name, I’m not running. Not anymore. I’m going to make him mine, one slow, steady, intentional step at a time.
14
COLE
I spend the entire morning loading up the truck: toolboxes, blueprints, Aria’s luggage, and half her horse-riding gear. The rest of it is already waiting at Iron Stallion. While doing all this, I’m trying my best not to overthink what comes next. Moving temporarily to the Morgans’ ranch feels like stepping into someone else’s life. Someone more put together and less complicated.
I’d happily commute every single day, but Hank Morgan insisted on me living at Iron Stallion, and I was in no position to argue. Mom wanted to keep Aria with her, but my little girl is still traumatized by the separation during the divorce proceedings, so she’s clingier than usual. I don’t want to be away from her either, so she’s coming with me.
Aria keeps bouncing around the truck, talking about horses, summer break, barrel racing, and how she’s going to beat her personal time before the season ends. She’s vibrating with excitement, which should be contagious, but my head isn’t fully in it.
I’m strapping down the last toolbox when my mother’s SUV pulls up.
“Yaya!” Aria squeals and runs toward her.
Mom steps out holding two fresh pies, both wrapped in foil and warm enough that I can smell the cinnamon from where I’m standing.
“Someone’s extra happy this morning,” she chuckles, as she hugs Aria with one arm, the other balancing the pies perfectly.
“I am. Are those for us?” Aria asks.
“No, they are for you to take to the Morgans,” she replies, handing them off to me. “First impressions matter.”
“Mom, they already hired me.”
“Well, then, second impressions matter. And third. And every impression until they marry you off to one of their nieces,” she teases.
“Mom,” I warn.
She gives me the look—the same one she uses when she knows something before I tell her. “Speaking of impressions,” she says, lowering her voice, “there’s a rumor spreading around town.”
My mom is not the gossipy kind, so I know whatever it is must be important. “What kinds of rumors?”
Her eyes narrow sharply. “The kind that start with Calista and end with Toby running their mouths to whoever will lend them an ear. They’re telling folks you slept your way into the job.”
I feel the hit deep in my chest. Hard. Expected, but still hard.
Mom keeps going. “They’re saying the only reason Hank Morgan hired you is because you’re involved with his daughter. That you manipulated her, and used her to get the contract for this project.”
“I didn’t manipulate her,” I grit out.
How dare they? Isn’t taking half my company enough for them? Now they’re trying to tarnish my name.
“I know that,” she nods. “But not everyone does.”
I scrub a hand over my face. I’m tired, not physically, just tired in the way you feel when the people who used to know you best take every chance to cut you lower. Calista and Toby have been waiting for ammunition. Now they think they’ve found it, and they’re not wasting time using it against me.
Mom watches me for a long second before her eyes soften. “Cole… I’m not saying this because I think you did anything wrong. I’m saying it because people talk. This town talks, and you know what happens to the people in the middle of that.”
“Yeah,” I mutter. “I know.”
“The Morgans already had to deal with one scandal because of Beck. I don’t want you to be the reason they have to deal with another one,” Mom adds.
“I don’t want that either.”
