None of them understood the drive and focus that burned in her belly.
Horseback riding wasn’t just a hobby. Training a horse from a wild, unruly animal into a well-behaved, first-place rosette winner was a thrill.
And to top it all off, she’d used horses she didn’t even own.
She shrugged. “I just help a friend with his pets.”
Jamie raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Pets?”
“Yeah,” she replied, her voice light, hoping he wouldn’t press it further. “And you? What takes up all of your time, Jamie?”
“My businesses. I dabble here and there, working pretty much twenty-four-seven.” He sighed, leaning back in his seat. “I’m in property with my brother, Marcus. It’s pretty full-on, so I have to make time for the fun stuff, or I’d lose my mind. I also have a few businesses of my own.”
Shannon took a slow sip of her drink, glancing at him over the rim. “And your dad, does he always walk off?”
For a split second, his expression flickered, the charm fading as a shadow crossed his features.
The playful ease he’d worn slipped away, leaving something raw behind.
“I have to deal with it every damn day,” he muttered,pushing his plate aside. “Sometimes, I just need to get away from him. Remember the man he used to be.”
He scrubbed a hand through his hair and sighed. “He hasn’t changed that much, but he forgets…gets confused and angry sometimes.”
Shannon dipped a fry into ketchup, taking a moment to chew as she gathered her thoughts. “It must be tough.”
“It’s life, love. You gotta ride the highs because the lows are fucking brutal.” He half-smiled, folding his arms across his chest, eyes steady on hers.
Her silly heart fluttered, leaping up to her ribs, desperate for a closer look at the raw honesty in his eyes.
The urge to lunge across the table, to press her nose against his neck and inhale every last drop of his intoxicating cologne, hit her out of nowhere.
But just as quickly, the repeated glow of her mobile phone screen caught her attention again.
She swiped away Niall’s latest rant without reading it, the frustration already settling in her chest.
Glancing at her plate, the half-eaten burger and fries remaining were an afterthought now.
She sighed and her leg jiggled beneath the table as her slow-burning temper made her antsy.
“I’m finished. Thanks for the food,” she said, pushing the plate aside. “I’ve gotta go. I’ll use the ladies before I head out. It’s a long bus ride home.”
He nodded, his voice soft but insistent. “I’ll take you home.”
Shannon shook her head; the idea of being trapped in a car with him way too intense.
“Eh, no thanks, I bought a return bus ticket.”
“I’d be happy to,” he said, his smile never faltering.
“No, it’s okay. Really, I’m fine.”
“If you’re sure.”
Shannon slid out of the booth. “I am, thanks.”
As she navigated around the tables, an odd, unshakable sensation pulsed through her, urging her to take him up on his offer.
She wanted to, but Trixie came first, then work, food…maybe some wine if she was lucky. Men were further down the list, way below all of that.
