Igrab my phone back out of my purse, needing to distract myself. A knot forms in my stomach when I see him shift his chair, getting closer.
I quickly send a text to my friend from college, focusing my attention on anything but the hot cowboy who is sitting right freaking next to me.
It’s the hat.
It’s always the men in cowboy hats.
I had a thing for them in high school and apparently, it didn’t go away.
Hey, Mer! It’s been way too freaking long—I’m sorry I’ve been the worst. I’m actually in Western Virginia for a few days and wasn’t sure if you were around. I’d love to have lunch or coffee or a drink. Xoxo
Or maybe you can come right now so I don’t make a total fool of myself around this guy who is flagging down the bartender.
MEREDITH
Tessy! My love! I’ve missed you and I wish I could. You have no idea how much I need that drink, but I have some family drama going on and I’m out of town for a few days.
I smile. Meredith is the only person who calls me Tessy, and no one besides me calls her Mer—without a freaking earful that will ensure they never do it again. I’m sad she can’t commit, but I would never make her feel bad about it.
Sorry about the drama. Anything I can do to help?
MEREDITH
Oh, I wish, but no. It’ll be fine. How long are you in the area?
Maybe a week or two. Let me know if anything changes and we can make it work.
MEREDITH
I will. Hopefully my dad can get it figured out and we can move on.
Her dad? Wow. I didn’t know she was talking to him after they had their big blow up a year ago. Sometimes, there is something to be said about blissful ignorance. When Meredith did a DNA test to see if she had the breast cancer gene after her mother passed away. Only, she found out a whole lot more, like thefact that her parents had lied to her and she wasn’t actually her father’s daughter.
That went over like a lead balloon.
I’ll hope for the best and it seems we have a lot to catch up on.
MEREDITH
Thanks, Tessy! I’ll call you in the next few days and let you know when I’m back in town. Jake will want to see you too.
Jake and I met my sophomore year in Psychology, and we quickly became friends. When he saw Meredith for the first time—that was it. He was in love, and she spent a year making him chase her, which he did. I was the maid of honor at their wedding, and I don’t know that I’ve ever met two people who fit together like them.
I miss you both and can’t wait to see you!
Hopefully we can make that happen. It’s been way too long and I’m honestly starting to wonder if my mother is right and I suck as a human for not staying in touch. Meredith was—is—my best friend. She’s the only person who has always been there, no matter what I needed. She deserved better than a few months and a random text because I’m in the area.
No longer having the phone as an excuse to not look at the guy next to me, I pick up the menu, remembering that I was here for food anyway.
“I don’t suggest anything with fish,” a deep, raspy voice says from the other side of the menu.
Of course his voice is freaking hot too.
I clear my throat and look into a pair of eyes that could literally melt me off this bar stool. His green eyes are really light in the center and then darken as they go out to the thick black ring containing all that color.
Shit.
He talked.Ishould talk.
