I shrug and answer his question with sarcasm. “It’s a gift.”
“Return it,” he says with a laugh. “Hey, where’s your dumbass boyfriend? He didn’t come for breakfast.”
I was hoping to avoid this conversation for as long as possible. When I got home last night, my brothers were a twelve-pack deep and my parents were asleep. I got in with minimal discussion, and then this morning I explained the story to everyone with a little more detail but mostly steered it to focus on them and the tire.
All seemed well in the world thanks to a lot of omissions.
“No, I asked him not to.”
“Please tell me you finally see that he’s a fucking asshat and you’re done with him.”
I think I am, but…maybe I’m being stupid. Maybe Tristan put this stupid idea in my head and I’m reading it wrong. Jeremy isn’t that kind of a guy, but maybe that’s a good thing? I’ve dated the cowboys in this town, and I know what they bring. It’s not all sunshine and unicorns with that type of a man either.
It’s why I was attracted to Jeremy. He didn’t care about broncs and trucks. He didn’t want me to come to the rodeo, where he could relive his failed youth as he dreamed of winning a buckle.
He’s kind and funny and cares about economic impacts of trade and all the other things that I really don’t care about, but being with him is easy.
“I’m not sure.”
“After you told me that shit about how he said you should want more than just being a horse trainer, I wanted to kill him then, but you made me stop.”
“Yes, that was just once, though,” I lie. Jeremy brings it up randomly. How I could join his family’s company and makemore money, do something other than what everyone before me has done.
“He almost redeemed himself since he had your car towed here.”
I blink, staring at him. “What?”
“Your truck. It showed up here about two hours ago.”
“It did?” I ask, completely confused.
“I mean, unless that’s someone else’s truck that looks like yours.”
Jeremy had my car towed here? I don’t…that doesn’t make sense. He didn’t even know where the truck was, let alone know how to get it here. I mean, sure, it’s not like it’s a deserted road, and I’m sure if he drove past it, then he might’ve known it was mine, but still, that doesn’t sound right.
“Right. No. I’m just…confused.”
“Well, if he didn’t do it, who did?”
Yeah, that’s the million-dollar question, and my gut tells me that there’s only one person who could’ve done it, and I’m sure as hell not saying his name aloud.
Tristan Stone knew where my truck was, and he definitely knows how to tow a truck.
But he wouldn’t, right? He wouldn’t go out of his way for…me, would he?
All I know is that it wasn’t Jeremy.
“Yeah, no clue,” I say, feeling even more confused and needing someone to talk my emotions through with. “Deac?” I call my brother’s name carefully.
He leans against the barn wall, eyes assessing. “Yes?”
“Can I ask you something?”
My brother’s brows furrow, and I can see him gearing up for this. “A woman asking that question almost always leads to trouble.”
I huff and put my hands on my hips, staring into his green eyes that are at least a little contrite. “Maybe it’s because men can’t help but say stupid things.”
“Could be, but I’m betting you’re about to ask me something that’s going to trigger a response you really don’t want to hear.”
