“What is it?” I ask in concern.
She leans her elbows on the bar counter so she can get closer to me. Once our noses are nearly touching, she says in a conspiratorial whisper, “I’m assuming you heard about the Wild Darcy Derby your daddy agreed to host this weekend.”
“My dad said something about sectioning off part of the ranch on Saturday.” I shrug. “We were grappling with a steer at the time, so I didn’t hear much of what he said.”
“It’s a big nightmare.” She frowns. “All the cowboys in town will be in the race, and meanwhile, I’ll be in Elizabeth Bennet attire, dressed up like I’m from freaking 1812 England. My parents want to pair the riders with partners for dinner and drinks at The Cowherd.” She pauses and gives me a look I can’t quite decipher. “Including me.”
I wave my beer in the air. “Relax. It’s just one dinner. And you’ll be sitting right here in this room. It’s not exactly a romantic atmosphere. Plus, if the guy tries anything, just remind him you’re the target champion of Hunt County.”
“You’re riding, right?”
I shake my head. “Have fun with that. No way in hell I’m signing up. I’ll set the course, and then I’m out.”
Macey swallows. “Logan.”
Her cheeks flush as she gazes at me intently.
I narrow my eyes. “What. Is. Going On?”
“My daddy set me up.” Her nostrils flare. “He stole every last bit of money from the safe without my knowledge.”
“Fuck.” I reach out and take her hand. “I’m sorry, Mace.”
“Thank you.” She sighs in frustration. “I don’t need to tell you how typical this is of him.”
“No. You certainly don’t.”
When he’s sober, Benjamin Henwood is a good man. But when he drinks, which is far too often…he’s a selfish guy who puts the weight of the world on his oldest daughter. Macey loves her father, though, and she has enough to deal with right now, so I keep just how angry I am to myself.
“Explain to me what the two things have to do with each other,” I say to her.
“So my parents decided it was a grand idea to marry me off in order to entice more couples to want to marry at the chapel here.”
I straighten up. “What the fuck?”
She nods. “To clarify, Ihaveto spend Saturday evening with the winner of the race, and we’re going to get fake married in a little ceremony here. No matter who he is.”
I’m catching up quickly. “I’ll enter the race. And I’ll win.”
Macey’s elbows slide across the counter until the entire upper half of her body is leaning on the bar. Her hand goes to my face, and she runs her thumb over my scar, the one put there by my own daddy.
I clench my jaw as our gazes clash.
“You promise?”
“On my last name,” I say to her. “Of course I’ll win. You seriously think I’m going to let another man fake marry you?”
“Can you believe this?”
“It’s certainly ironic.” I take a closer look at her face. “Considering you’re never getting married. Maybe your daddy should choose a woman in town who actually wants to meet the man of her dreams.”
“I know, right? And having you be my fake husband would complete the irony.”
“Two people who never plan to marry is better than one,” I joke.
She exhales. “All joking aside, I agreed to it in order to…”
“Save the bar. Of course, you did. You wouldn’t be you if you hadn’t.” I nod at her. “I’ll be your Darcy for the night, okay?”
