He drags his fingers through his hair. “Just looking out for her, you know. She had this date who seemed super sketchy. Said he was a doctor, but I’m thinking he wasn’t being straight with her.”
I gape, hoping this story takes a major twist because right now it’s making me want to slug my friend. And I’m not a fighter.
“On their first date, I went to the same restaurant so that I’d be there if she needed me. But she wouldn’t even look at me, which I think was a red flag for the dude. Like he was controlling or something. The second date, they went dancing, so I asked her to dance. And she got mad. At me! Then I knew he was bad news. So after that date, I went to him and told him it would be better for everyone if he never saw her again. Somehow Goldie found out, and I’ve never seen her so upset.”
“You’re just plain awful.” Normally, I’d be a bit more diplomatic in my word choice, but it’s late, and my filter is still back in my cabin. “You weren’t looking out for her. You were trying to sabotage her date.”
He blinks. “No. Honest. Goldie deserves the absolute best. I was just trying to...” After a shrug, he pulls his plate out of the microwave.
I’d whap him upside the head to knock some sense into him, but it would just break whatever connected with his skull, and I don’t need a broken hand. Dag can be genuinely kind, but more often than not he is outrageously dense.
He pokes an elbow into my ribs. “You awake because of the vet?”
“What makes you say that?”
“You were hugging her on Monday, and she’s kinda hot.”
My fork clatters on the floor. I only meant to drop it, but because of the flames licking the inside of my skull, force was added, and the fork catapulted toward the center of the room.
“Her name is Bluebonnet, and don’t you dare talk about her like that.”
He backs up and holds up one hand. “Dude, calm down. I called her pretty. It’s not like I’m going to date her or anything. I tried dancing with her once, and she turned me down flat.”
“Just leave her alone.” I grab a clean fork and finish the last of my pie. Then I clean up after myself.
The silence is awkward, but not awkward enough to make me want to talk to Dag any more tonight.
As I climb into my truck, my phone dings.
Bluebonnet:You’re really okay if it’s real and not short-term?
Me:Absolutely.
Knowing she’s awake makes it harder to drive toward my cabin. I want to swing around and drive to her place. But I don’t.
I go home and climb in bed because in just a few hours, I’ll be on that porch with her, finding out the answer. And wrangling horses on so little sleep is gonna hurt.
Clinging to her last message as hope I’ll get the answer I want, I drift off to sleep.
* * *
At five,I’m on the porch with a steaming mug of Earl Grey in each hand. On my shopping trip earlier in the week, I boughtherthree boxes and purchased another three boxes of Earl Grey for my stash. Tea seems like a better option than coffee this morning because if—like I’m really hoping—she says yes, then I’ll probably kiss her. And when I do, I don’t want the taste of coffee on my lips to get her day off to a bad start. It was hard enough watching her retch after I proposed. A repeat performance after our first kiss might completely obliterate the last shreds of my self-confidence.
“Parker, aren’t you going to eat?” Dallas stands in the doorway, one eyebrow arched.
“Soon.” I lift my cup, letting him assume I’m drinking coffee. “I’m drinking this and enjoying the day before Mother Nature turns up the scorching heat.”
He shrugs. “Have fun then.”
Other boots thud on the porch, but I don’t turn around. I’m not good at being stoic, and I might not be able to pull off casual. But when a hand touches my back, I turn, nearly spilling hot tea on Bluebonnet.
“Morning. Sleep okay?” So far so good. I’ve managed a complete greeting without stumbling over a single word.
She nods. “Yeah.” She smiles when I hold out the cup, then cradles it in her hands.
We stand side by side for several seconds, my heartbeat marking time.
After taking a sip of tea, she turns to face me. “Promise that I’m not pulling you away from anyone else or messing up your life plan?”
