“Because she would be looking for Bubba Jones, and the only ones on there look nothing like me,” he answered. “I looked up Lula Ann Smith and not a single one of the ones listed were here, so I don’t think she does much on social media.”
Elijah finished off his beer and set the empty bottle on the porch. “Looks to me like you got yourself in a mess of trouble. You can come clean with her, but she might not ever trust you again. And a good relationship is built on that very thing. Or you can just cut your losses and walk away. Either way, she’s going to get hurt.”
“And either way, she’ll see me for the jerk I’ve been.” Miles groaned.
“Oh, what tangled webs a cowboy weaves when he …” Elijah paused and scratched his thinning gray hair. “I can’t remember the rest of the saying, but it’s got something to do with lying.”
“Amen to that,” Miles said. “Looks like I’ve got less than twenty-four hours to make up my mind about what to do or notdo. I’m bringing her out here to the ranch tomorrow night, but she has no idea that I’m in the process of buying the place.”
“Want me to make supper for you kids?” Elijah asked.
Miles shook his head. “I can’t drag you into this lie. We’ll grab a burger or a hotdog on the way from her place to here. But I would like for you to meet her and give me your opinion.”
Elijah covered a yawn with the back of his hand. “I’m glad to do that, but remember that I don’t sugarcoat anything.”
“I don’t expect you to,” Miles said.
Elijah finished off his beer and handed the empty bottle to Miles. “Thanks for that. I’m hoping it’ll help me sleep. It’s late, so either come on in the bunkhouse and claim a bed or else take yourself back to the big house.”
“I’ll go on back. Thanks for listening to me.”
“Anytime,” Elijah said.
Holly brought up Facebook on her phone and typed inBubba Jones. If she was going to continue seeing Bubba, she had to find out more about him. She didn’t recognize any of the pictures that popped up, but there was one profile with no photo at all. She clicked on it to find nothing but a couple of bulldogs dated three years before. Bubba apparently had no interest at all in social media. On a whim, she tried Instagram and then TikTok, only to get no satisfaction there.
If he was really a player, he should have had party pictures everywhere—maybe not on his profile pages, but the women he went out with would definitely have tagged Bubba Jones on something. She was scrolling down when her phone rang and startled her so badly that she fumbled the blasted thing and it went flying out of her hands, across the porch, and landed in the top of a rose bush.
“Hello, hello … Are you there, Holly? Why are you showing me roses up close?” Darlene yelled.
“I’m here,” Holly said loudly, then she slipped on the last step, and ended up sprawled out on the grass. “Give me a minute. I dropped the phone and then fell.”
“Are you okay? Do I need to call 9-1-1 for you?” Darlene’s tone was frantic.
Holly was completely out of breath and had a nice long scratch on her forearm from a thorn when she finally retrieved her phone. “I’m fine. I fell on the grass. I’ve never been clumsy.”
“Love does strange things to a woman.” Darlene giggled.
“I’m not in love!” Holly protested. “I could have an acute case of like, but a sane person does not fall in love after three dates.”
“Maybe Lula Ann is as sane and grounded as Holly.” Darlene said.
“You sure are feeling better,” Holly said. “Doesn’t seem fair that right before I leave, you get well.”
“Fate is downright cruel, isn’t she? She makes me sick so I can’t come to Texas, and then she gives you a sexy cowboy after you lie about your name. Are you sure you don’t want me to use all the powers at my hands to figure out everything about Bubba Jones?” Darlene brushed her blonde hair back away from her face.
“I just did that, and it netted me absolutely nothing,” Holly replied with a sigh. “He’s not on any of the social media sites. He’s just a sexy hired hand who knows everything about cows, fences, and pastures but nothing about the internet.”
“Don’t look so down in the mouth, darlin’,” Darlene said. “Send me a picture of him, and I’ll work my magic.”
“Can’t,” Holly admitted. “I don’t have one. I’ve never taken pictures for fear that he’ll want me to forward them to him, and he’d figure out that I’m a liar.”
“You really backed yourself into a corner, didn’t you?” Darlene asked.
Holly gave the phone screen a dirty look. “You are the one who named me Lula Ann Smith, so you get to shoulder some of the blame.”
“Hey now!” Darlene shook her finger so fast that it was a blur. “We both thought it would be fun to step out of our skins and see how the other half lives, so don’t go blaming me. Part of the burden is on your shoulders.”
Holly nodded. “I know, but it’s easier to blame you. What am I going to do?”
