Knox takes off his hat and reaches out to shake her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’ve heard great things about your coffee shop. I keep meaning to stop in one morning.”
“Nice to meet you, too. Stop by anytime—the first one is on the house.”
Carson stiffens next to me as Lainey shakes Knox’s hand, smiling at him.
“Well, I’m off to get some doughnuts. I’ll see y’all around. Carson, see you tomorrow.”
She heads toward the doughnuts as I turn to Carson. “What’s tomorrow? Are you guys friends?”
“No, I just get coffee there a couple of times a week,” he clips out, but his eyes follow Lainey as she disappears into the crowd.
Okay, weird.I figured he only got coffee there when I made him stop before ropings.
We all head back to the stands to watch the bull riding. I ask Knox if he wishes he was getting on and he said a little bit, and that he’s getting the itch to get back on the road and ride some bulls.
It’s clear he loves it. I just wish I had a little bit more time with him before he goes.
Chapter 21
Knox
Ialmost kissed her. I wanted to kiss her. I think she wanted me to kiss her. But I’m trying to be patient—to let her decide what she’s ready for.
I couldn’t focus on the rest of the rodeo. I need to know what she’s thinking. I’m slowly learning her tells but she’s still hard to read sometimes. One minute it feels like she’s letting me in, but then two minutes later she’s back behind her walls. I could see it in her eyes though, she knows there is more between us. She just needs to be brave enough to give me a chance. I’m supposed to leave tomorrow, and Ineedto know if she feels the same way.
We’re walking next to each other, heading back to our trucks, when she stops dead in her tracks. I turn to look at her and she’s gone white as a sheet. She looks like she’s seen a ghost.
“Well, would you look at that? The Diamond Hart crew,” a guy I don’t recognize says, walking up to our group. “I don’t see y’all around town very often.” He’s talking to everyone, but he’s only looking at Kacey.
She’s now looking down at the ground.
“Kacey, good to see you again,” he continues, and she doesn’t reply.
Carson steps between Kacey and whoever the hell is making her uncomfortable.
I sidestep to angle toward Carson. I can tell by everyone’s unfriendly welcome he isn’t someone they like.
“Get out of the fucking way, Garrett,” Carson snaps at him.
Yep, we definitely don’t like this guy.
He’s a couple inches taller than me with blonde hair and he’s wearing cuffed 13MWZs and a cowboy hat that looks like someone slammed it in a door. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess he’s a super puncher and a total douche.
“Aw, come on, Carson. We’re all friends, aren’t we? I just wanted to see how Kacey is,” Garrett replies.
Jessie grabs Kacey by the wrist and starts dragging her around the group of us toward the truck. Even she doesn’t pass him without getting a few words of her own in. “Have you ever thought of using glue instead of Chapstick? I know we’d all appreciate it.” She smiles sweetly as she passes him.
Have I ever questioned if I like her? Because I’m her biggest fan now.
Once Kacey and Jessie are out of earshot, Carson practically growls at Garrett. “I thought I told you to never fucking talk to her again.” He takes a step in his direction and super douche at least has the brains to back up a step. From the set of his shoulders and the way he’s balled his hands into fists, Carson looks like he’s about ready to throw a punch.
“Come on, Carson. It was two years ago, and I told you it was a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding my ass.” Carson shoves him out of his way as he heads for the truck. Garrett doesn’t retaliate. Probablysmart, considering Carson stands over six feet tall and is built like Henry Cavill. I wouldn’t mess with him either.
I jog to catch up with him. “Who the hell was that?”
“No one,” he bites out.
