“You may think that now, but you’ll change your mind. You’re not one to give up on anything, especially your dreams and convictions.” His eyes trace my features. “Look at you. You’re a veterinarian with a thriving practice, you’ve got a close circle of friends and loved ones who you’d do anything for. You’ve given every fucking loser in the county a shot and have never thrown the towel in. You deserve everything you’ve ever wanted.”
My voice cracks when I say, “And that’s you, Dallas.”
His tone, on the other hand, is firm. “No.”
The nerve! “I love you. You’re my person.” I match his tone.
“I’ll always be your person, Shelby, no matter what. I hope you know that.” He turns and snatches a pillow from the bed before pulling a fresh pair of boxers from his dresser.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m sleeping on the couch.” He heads for the bedroom door, securing his towel again as he goes.
“We’re not breaking up,” I tell his naked back.
“Yes, we are.” He grabs Nelly by the collar. I let him take the damn dog.
But I bolster my voice and call after him, “If you think I’m a third-act breakup girl, you’ve got another thing coming,ma’am!” I’ve never been a fan, and I refuse to let Dallas write the rest of this story in the name of saving our friendship.
Chapter
Twenty-Six
IF SHE’S HERE, WHO’S RUNNING HELL?
Dallas
This damn couch is going to throw my back out for real this time. I toss and turn all night, bitching out loud about the lumps to an annoyed Nelly. He joined me out here, only because I grabbed him by the collar and slid him all the way out of the bedroom, where Shelby’s probably sleeping peacefully right now. He whines and buries his head under his paws.
“She deserves better, and you know it,” I tell him.
Nelly sprawls over on his back, tongue hanging out of his mouth. What am I talking about? Nelly doesn’t have two brain cells to rub together. The little traitor just wants me to shut up, go back in the bedroom, and curl up against Shelby’s soft curves so he can get a good night’s sleep.
Well, that ain’t happening. I’m not going to let her get her heart set on me when I know she deserves way better. I had two grand gestures that I fucked up royally. I’m officially throwing in the towel. I don’t have what it takes to give her the knight in shining armor treatment. I can’t write a fucking poem, and I more often than not eat with my fingers even when utensilsare provided. I can guarantee her orgasms and laughs, which is pretty much everything I happen to look for in a relationship, but I know Shelby wants more.
I love her too much to let her settle. Besides, all I’ve seen is proof that love only ends in heartbreak. I don’t want that for us.
My phone rings on the coffee table. Nelly whines at yet another interruption, but I sit up, wide awake. Who cares if the sun isn’t even up yet? Anything is better than lying here in pain, stewing on a relationship that was never meant to be.
“Hey, Pops. You okay?”
“Your brother couldn’t sleep,” he says by way of greeting. Huh. Guess it’s going around with the Gamble boys.
“Probably because he drank so much whiskey, he’s circling Mars right now.”
Pops doesn’t chuckle. “He read through the whole divorce petition.”
“Okay.” Fuck, this doesn’t sound good.
Pops pauses, during which my fingers go tingly with adrenaline. I can sense the danger hanging in the air. Nelly scrambles to his feet, alert and ready to charge ahead with me.
“She wants half the ranch.”
My head drops. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to breathe past the anger that’s strangling my throat.
“That bitch,” I mutter.
Pops clears his throat. “Now let’s not get into name-calling, okay, son? She spent ten years at this ranch and feels she’s owed a portion of its success.”
