I felt it in my gut but ignored it anyway.
Falling for Cove, only to lose her in the end, would break me. This ranch needs me. My team needs me. This is my livelihood, and if it’s not enough, if I’m not enough, then so be it.
“So, you haven’t heard from her?” Clay asks, bringing our conversation back to the reason for all my frustration.
“No. Unfortunately, I haven’t.”
“Listen, I’m the last person who should be offering you romance advice, but…it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you care about someone like this. As much as your interest in her serves me no favors, it must mean something.”
I stare into what feels like numb oblivion. The breeze rushes past us under the shade of the oak trees, and I can see Nellie in the field, nursing little Millie. Witnessing things that feel so normal and everyday to me makes me wonder how they’d feel shared with someone else. Someone I cared about.
I really thought we had a shot. Something special and rare.
And god, I wanted to know more about the woman behind the tough exterior. It was mesmerizing watching her composure break in Chicago.
If only she’d call me so we can talk about it. I sound like a fucking kid.
But Clay is right. Wanting someone like this is unusual for me.
However, tomorrow I have all my family and closefriends arriving to stay at the Ranch for the week to celebrate my birthday. Entertaining sounds like a chore, making me question why I didn’t hire staff for it.
“Because I never spend my money on anything,” I can hear my sister’s voice in my head now. Although I should probably check my bank statement at some point, seeing as how I gave her my black card, telling her to do her worst.
Knowing Abbi, she might actually do that.
Too bad money can’t bring Cove here.
“It is what it is.” I shrug. “Right now, I need to worry about making sure Abbi hasn’t done something insane like…I don’t know, bought a mechanical bull or something. She had cleaners here this morning, making sure everything was ready to go. I’ve never seen a handful of women get shit done so fast.”
“Money talks, my man. I keep tellin’ you that.”
I shove Clay’s shoulder, joking with him. “Let’s go check on the hands. I guess I’ve got an apology to make.”
Clay pats me on the back. “And that right there is what makes you a decent guy, Stetson Cole. It’s her loss.”
“Not a word to my sister about her, either. I’ll lay you out flat if you pull that shit, Clay.”
He chuckles, meeting me step for step as we walk toward the feeder where Granger and Tuna are prepping meals for the highland cattle.
“You got it, boss. Whatever you say.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
stetson
Tell me this isn’t only one-sided…
I’m a desperate man.
Teetering my way to rock bottom, missing my closed-off city girl.
Her silence doesn’t make sense. It confuses me.
How can our chemistry be this intense, and she just shut me out?
“Stetson,” Abigail calls from behind me, steering my attention to my long-lost relative, whose name I’ve suddenly forgotten. “You remember Aunt Marge, right?”
Ah. That’s right. I greet her with a smile. “Of course. How could I forget a woman as devastatingly beautiful as you, Marge? Nice to see you again.” I pull her in for a side hug, and the strong smell of powdered floral hits my senses. Jesus Christ. Who needs caffeine when you’ve got old lady perfume to spark some life back in ya?
