Page 13 of Herds and Hooves

“Could be,” I said and hoped he was right. “So, you’ve never told me if you’re attached or not. Are you married?” He gave me a look of both shock and disgust all rolled into one.

“No fucking way. I’m far too young for that,” Noah said.

“Well, a few people might disagree with that. But seriously, are you seeing anyone?”

“I could possibly be seeing a few someone’s but either way I never kiss and tell.” He put his finger up to his lips, zipped them, locked them, then threw away the key.

“You’ll give me more details eventually,” I said.

“Maybe,” he said before walking over to the milking station as Keith came back to where I stood.

“Well, that’s it for today. I’m going to get everything packed up. See you Friday,” he said like it wasn’t a big deal, but he needed to know at the same time.

“Yep, looking forward to it.” And I was.

The rest of the week went by in a blur of milking and feeding schedules mixed in with maintenance on everything from fences to the barn, and I loved every fucking minute of it. Finally, it was Friday. I’d just finished the last milking session and headed back to the house.

“Got plans tonight?” Asa said, even though he knew I did. The day Keith had asked, I’d asked Asa at dinner if it was okay for me to take off a little early.

“Yep. Going into the big town.” The two of us walked back to the house but I knew after I left, he’d be out in the barn or wandering the property looking for anything to keep him busy. “You can tag along if you want.”

“And ruin your first date with that mountain of a man?”

I stopped in my tracks and in a split-second thought about what he’d said but still couldn’t believe my uncle, who admitted to being older than dirt, was talking about Keith like that. “Could you repeat that?” I said because there was no way.

“Hey, I might be old but I’m not dead. Keith is a hunk.”

I grinned then because that shit was funny. “A hunk?”

“Yep, and I’m secure enough in my masculinity to admit it.”

“Well—I don’t even know what to say to that.”

“Go get ready for your date, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he said with a wink and a tip of his John Deer ballcap.

“What the—” I shook my head and hurried inside. First John Wayne then Keith. This had been a wild week. Now to shower and change.

Twelve

Keith

I pulled up to the Blue Star Diner and watched as a few people went in while a few more were leaving. “Why did I get here so early?” I grumbled to myself and ignored the town gossip as she eyed me and walked by my truck so slowly it took her a full minute to make it past.

“Hey!” A knock on the passenger side window scared me half to death. There stood Bart grinning like a fool and looking cute as hell. I got out of the truck and met him in front of the bumper. “You okay?”

“You scared the shit out of me. I was keeping track of the town gossip.”

“Yeah, you were definitely tracking her. You’re a little early,” he said.

“So are you. That might seem a little anxious.”

“Maybe, but I don’t care. I’m ready to have some fun. Come on, let’s go eat. I’m starved.”

We walked in and Andrew immediately walked over holding two menus. “Hey, Keith, just the two of you?”

“Yes, oh and this is Bart Martin. He’s Asa Martin’s nephew.”

“Nice to meet you,” Bart said and shook Andrew’s hand.