“Too late.” She nudged my shoulder with hers, smiling.
She ducked her head and moved along to Hurricane Hustle, who’d finally also come over. A warm, easy quiet settled between us. It was weirdly natural. Nice.
She moved along the fence line, letting each horse lean into her hand and murmuring things I couldn’t hear. It lasted for a few peaceful minutes, which naturally meant that something had to ruin it.
Thatsomethingwas her. “Why are you still single? I mean, why did you build a mansion just to rattle around in it by yourself?”
I groaned. “Really?”
She shrugged, all innocent curiosity when she glanced up at me. “What? I’m just trying to understand the man behind the hat.”
“The man behind…” I dragged a hand down my face. “Fine. I thought I’d be married with kids by now. Is that what you wanted to hear? Because that was the plan, but life had other ideas.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Instead, I’ve been to twelve weddings this year,” I admitted on a rough sigh. “Part of the wedding party in eight of them.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “And you didn’t find someone? Even there?”
I shook my head. “If I’m being honest, I didn’t try very hard.”
I hadn’t tried at all, actually. Hell, at one of the weddings, Alex had literally hidden me when a rather persistent bridesmaid had refused to take no for an answer. But Charlotte didn’t need to know that.
She was staring up at me like I’d suddenly become a gigantic puzzle she was intent on solving. “Why not?”
I stared at her. She stared right back, unblinking and relentless.
“You ask too many questions,” I said, more baffled than annoyed. Self-reflection wasn’t my strong suit.
“And you avoid too many answers.” She lifted her chin, taking a small step closer to me, those eyes still fixed on mine.“Look, I just want to understand why you let Alex talk you into this. Into us. This whole scheme. You don’t even like me. Isn’t it a huge waste of your time?”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Standing there with sunlight hitting her hair, sweat glinting on her neck, and her hand gentle on the horse’s cheek, she didn’t look like a waste of anything.
She looked like something I should’ve reached for sooner.
Why the hell didn’t I try? Why didn’t I kiss her at that party?She’d been right there, looking like trouble wrapped in a stunning, designer dress, and instead of doing what I’d wanted, I’d let this whole thing turn into a negotiation.
I swallowed hard. “I’m not sure how to answer that.”
Charlotte blew out a sharp breath and nodded, then turned back to the horses. Once again, I just watched. But seeing her move between them, giving each one a moment of her attention and care, was suddenly making mereallywonder why the hell I hadn’t just kissed her the second I’d seen her under that mistletoe.
And more disturbingly, it made me wonder whether if I had, the story I’d spun to Rob and Mabel might’ve ended up being true. If maybe, if I hadn’t run, she really could’ve been mine by now.
CHAPTER 17
CHARLOTTE
Trent drove the same way he did everything else, steadily and confidently. The early evening sun cast him in warm gold that gave his hair a rich, coppery hue, and for a stupid second, I caught myself staring at his hands on the wheel, big and sure, and callused in a way Gregory’s would never be.
We were heading to the Pacific Heights Country Club in Dallas, where Trent was a member. In addition to immaculate golf greens, I’d been told there was more whispered gossip per square foot here than anywhere else in the state.
That was why we were going. I’d thought he was just taking me out for dinner, but nope.
“Being seen together at that club will make the news that we’re dating spread like wildfire. Guaranteed,” he’d told me as we’d left the ranch. “That’s exactly what Alex wants, for the whole world to find out that you and I are as good as a done deal.”
I pulled my hair over one shoulder and tried to keep my voice casual, but if I was being honest, it stung a little that my brother and his friend were planning on parading me around all over town like some kind of show pony. One of the things that madeit bearable, however, was that I’d be parading Trent around as well. This was an equal opportunity lie.
“Why doesn’t Alex just tell my dad I don’t want to marry Gregory?” I asked. “Wouldn’t that be easier than all this?”
