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Subject: Introducing myself.

Hello Sunflower,

Sure, I’ll tell you three random things about myself.

One: Christmas is my favorite holiday, and I play Christmas songs starting the first day of November. I guess I like the cheer of the season. And getting all the gifts.

Two: I agree with you about that. Coffee is my religion.

Three: I like living a simple life. Working the ranch and spending time with my family is how my life goes.

For what it’s worth, I like the day better than the night, too.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t know where your life is going. You’ll figure it out.

Just curious…what made you sign up for Write a Cowboy?

~Midnight Cowboy

I exit the email and start thinking about Tempest again. Learning that we share the same pain of having been cheated on makes me feel strange. Like we’re buddies for having gone through that.

“Hey, unless your ass is holding that wall up, come help,” Logan says.

I tuck my phone away.

“I ran into Big Head Bobby while I was out,” he says.

He’s known by that name because he’s an asshole with an ego. The type to fake laugh and talk down to everyone because his family comes from money.

“Yeah?”

Logan lifts a panel of ceiling drywall. “Grab that end. Yeah, that dude…he was talking to another guy about Tempest and Emberlynn and how he was sure they were both into him.”

“What else did he say?”

Logan shrugs. “I dunno. I left because his ego was choking me, but I saw your granny as I was leaving. She said you need to stop by your folks’ house.”

“Alright.” If my grandmother was at the home improvement store, something probably needs fixing. My granny is in her late eighties and if I don’t quickly fix what’s messed up, then she’ll give it a try. I learned that after catching her climbing a ladder to fix a window screen.

Logan and I work for hours and manage to get a portion of the ceiling replaced before calling it a night.

Later, as I’m driving to my parents’ house that’s built on part of my land, a song on the radio starts playing about a sexy woman.

I think about Tempest and how she matches that description. I quickly change the station. I will not think about her. I will not. Even though she looked hot as hell in those shorts. She’s got legs that—shit

I shift, uncomfortable with a boner developing from thinking about her. This is happening because I need release, that’s all. Maybe I’ll spend some time with me and my hand that can’t talk.

Chapter 3

Tempest

Never in a million years did I think Maverick would buy land right next door to my aunt’s house, and no one thought to warn me.

His house isn’t close enough for me to see it, but he drives right past the front porch as he comes and goes.

Every time I see his old pickup chugging along, I feel like I’m holding my breath and bracing for an irritating interaction.

Deciding I’ve spent way too much time thinking about that pain in the ass, I reach for my cup of coffee and blow on it to cool it.