Suddenly, though, I’m taken aback, and honestly, not interested. Colt and I are technically fake. I could carry on a real relationship, right? But it’s like the brakes are engaging on auto. Something in me latches right onto the thought of Colt as if we’ve been together for years. I wouldabsolutelybe a traitor and a dick if I said yes right now.
Because the way this Jackson guy’s looking at me isn’t the look you give someone you just want to have a nice friendly chat at the bar with. Which leads me to my next thought: if he knows I play, hehasto know I’m very publicly ‘dating’ CJBradley. I don’t know where that hasn’t been breaking news of late.
‘I’m afraid I’ve got some plans.’ I clear my throat awkwardly. Where in the world do I even begin? ‘I … uh, I have some plans with my boyfriend.’
Ew. I wish I could have redone that a tad bit more smoothly. I’m expecting equally awkward disappointment from Jackson, but that isn’t what I get. I shouldn’t be surprised. This is a bull-riding man we’re talking about. The red flag to end all red flags.
‘Well, May …’ He takes a couple of steps forward, steps I’m not too comfortable with when they put us both in Rocky’s stable, with Jackson at the door. ‘Listen. You’re honestly too beautiful a woman to be with some lacrosse guy who’s got air for brains. I’m offering you something a little more substantial. Something that’s not just a shallow Boston frat boy. Come on, now.’ He laughs this fabricated little laugh that screams to me it’s time to break a wall and get the heck out of Dodge. ‘It’d be a good time, I promise you.’
‘Get the fuck away from my girlfriend.’
The breath leaves my lungs in a heavywhooshas Colt’s voice cuts the uncomfortable tension. He shoves right past Jackson and straight to me. He doesn’t touch me, just shoots Jackson the deadliest glare I’ve ever seen him muster. My heart’s beating a million miles an hour, and it’s not the good kind of million miles an hour when I watch the two of them exchange stares. I’m the one who reaches out to Colt first, pulling him close to me with a fistful of his white T-shirt, and he responds immediately, wrapping an arm around me.
‘Think on it, May,’ Jackson finally quips, raising an eyebrow.
I feel Colt’s body tense beside me, his muscles going taut,but I tighten my grip, looking up at him with an air ofdon’t bother.Jackson’s spur-clad boots click off down the alleyway, and Colt, like me, exhales heavily.
‘Man. What a prick.’ His thumb rubs a circle into my shoulder, his brow knitted as he dips his head to give me a quick once-over. ‘You okay? Did he …’
‘Primary crime was being a creepy jerk.’ I shudder a little at the thought of it. God. It’d be one thing if he didn’t know I was dating anyone and stepped away peacefully. This was a terrifying other. ‘Thank you.’ I shake my head, scary images flashing in my brain that I do my level best to push away. ‘If you hadn’t showed up …’
‘Don’t even make me think about it.’ Colt’s mouth twitches into a frown. The hand on my shoulder slowly backs off, hovering over me. ‘Sorry. It’s not my place to, you know.’
‘Please don’t be sorry.’ My tone is nothing like it had been when I gave Colt the same response back at the beginning of the season, a snappy, salty sarcasm that is far from present now. It’s pleading, beseeching. ‘Really. And, Colt, honestly …’ The stress I’ve been holding all through my back and shoulders melts when I finish my sentence. ‘I don’t mind a little help sometimes. Certainly not with dickheads who try and corner me in stables.’
‘Disgusting.’ Colt shivers, but his hand falls back onto my shoulder. ‘Are you sure you’re okay?’
‘I will be. Once I get a shit ton of tacos to distract myself from the ick.’
‘Done. Tacos on me.’
‘Alright, then, hometown talent. Maybe they’ll give ’em to you for free,’ I prod him in the ribs as we walk on out.
‘Oh, no.’ He blushes a ditzy pink. Blushing over Tex-Mex and rodeos, this man. ‘I couldn’t let them do that.’
I roll my eyes, putting on my most exasperated face, and begin preparing some witty jab about how he’s always trying to be all dumb and righteous because of his colossal screw-up in leaving the place with the best rodeo on earth.
But the warmth of his presence, the feeling of safety from just being near him, stops me in my tracks.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Brackets
Colt
Screw tacos. I want to deck that guy so hard his veneers fall off.
I was never the one with the kind of fire that started fights on the field. There were guys on the high school team we counted on for that, and when I moved up to the collegiate level, there were guys for that there, too. On the Woodchucks, I’d say it’s probably Connor, as temperamental as he can be. But after watching that asshole try to corner May, I’m struggling to grit my teeth and settle for imagining throwing the punches.
She changes out of her Western shirt and into a vintage OKC tee. Her braid mussed, she pops on a baseball hat once we’re in the stands, and glances my way for confirmation. ‘Does that do it?’
How do I tell her that itbeyonddoes it? That she could bein stable-mucking jeans and boots or a pantsuit or the most generic college lacrosse uniform and be the most beautiful woman in the entire world every time?
I swallow hard and nod. ‘Looks good to me.’
She returns my nod with one of thanks, coupled with a teasing smirk. ‘You still look pissed. You’ll scare people with that frown of yours.’
‘Sorry.’ I try my best to relax my face. The lingering anger won’t leave it.
