My tapping fingers stilled. “Why do you think that?”
“Iknowthat. Because I can’t talk to you about my past, and if you push me, I’ll bite your head off like I did a few seconds ago. How can you be friends with someone who won’t let you know them?”
Tessa’s words broke my fucking heart. If this were truly how she felt she had to live her life, she must be incredibly lonely. A muscle in my cheek ticked. “Okay, no past. I can work with that.”
Tessa’s eyes widened a fraction. “You can work with that?”
“I can.” I sent her a smile. “As long as you’re good with telling me your favorite foods, I feel fairly confident we can build a friendship around that.”
A surprised laugh erupted from Tessa. The sound was everything music should be. I knew in that moment I’d work my ass off to capture it in a song and make my inspiration repeat the noise as much as possible.
She leaned back in her seat. “Taylor mentioned you’re easily motivated with food.”
I let out a sound of affront. “What a little traitor that one is.”
Tessa’s smile widened, and I felt as if someone elbowed me in the gut. Jesus, that was lethal. “Good thing I know my way around the kitchen, then. I can always get you to do my bidding.” She seemed almost surprised that the words had come out of her mouth, shocked that she would actually joke with me.
I didn’t want the moment to end. “I’m perfectly fine with you bribing me with baked goods for any and all bidding.”
Tessa began twisting the strings of my hoodie again, but the smile didn’t fall from her face.
* * *
I pulledinto the drive of my rented cabin to find Walker leaning against the door of his truck. I swung in next to him and hopped out, doing my best to hide what I was sure was a dopey grin on my face. Tessa had agreed to friendship. It might as well have been the keys to the fucking kingdom.
“Where have you been hiding? I was just about to give up on you,” Walker called as he pushed off his rig.
I rounded my SUV. “Did we have plans?”
Walker reached into the bed of his truck, retrieving a pile of Tupperware. “Nope. But my mom was worried you might be starving to death over here, so she sent me over with a world of leftovers.”
I rubbed my hands together with glee. “Come to Papa.” Whatever it was smelled delicious.
He handed me the stack of goodies. “So, what have you been up to?”
I took the pile and motioned for him to follow me inside. “I ran into Tessa.”
Walker’s brows rose. “And how’d that go?”
I unlocked the front door and pushed it open, moving inside. “Well, she found a kitten she’d been taking care of beat to hell. He was hit by something. We’re not sure what. So, I took her and him to the emergency vet.”
“That girl has a soft center.” Walker scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “I’m honestly surprised she got in a car with you alone. She’s never ridden with me, Tuck, or my dad. No man I know of.”
Something about that filled my heart with pride. Tessa had been desperate, sure, but she’d given me that little bit of trust anyway. “I’m hoping she’ll start to let me in a little more now, but I’m not sure. Any ideas?”
Walker tapped a finger against his lips. “Horses.”
“Horses?”
Walker grinned. “Yup, she’s real close to those wild horses of Jensen’s. I bet if you invite her to do something involving horses, she might just say yes.”
Horses it was.
15
Tessa
Ihummed as I flitted around the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on some cupcakes. My good mood had made its way to the confections in front of me, each cupcake decorated in an artful array of colors. I sprinkled pink sugar crystals on one, my mind drifting to the various texts I’d received over the past few days.
