waiting for her in the holding
paddock, his hat in his hand as he leaned over the rails. They usually spent
time together before she got to work and he had to go practice, but this was
the first time the McReed brothers knew about it. They’d walked her to the barn
today, and when she looked back over her shoulder, they were both still
standing on the periphery. Colton and North looked like hired guards with their
arms crossed over their chests.
She didn’t want to disappoint them, in the same way
she never wanted to disappoint her father. Their opinions mattered, but she had
the idea no man would ever be good enough in their eyes. It was the reason she
was taking the reins of her own future.
“Good afternoon, darlin’.” Wade brushed some stray
hairs from her face, a lazy smile on his lips.
“Hi.” Her stomach felt sour knowing the twins were
watching and disapproving. When she dared to peek behind her, they were gone.
She sighed in relief and turned to focus on Wade.
“You alright?”
“I’m fine now. Are we still on for tonight?” she
asked.
He worried his lip. “About that, baby doll, I’ll
have to postpone. I’m meeting with one of those sponsors from the city tonight.
It came up sudden like.”
“Don’t worry about it. It sounds like it may be a
good opportunity for you,” she said.
“That’s what I’m hoping.”
She stayed with Wade for twenty minutes before he
had to leave for a barrel racing event. Eva collected her grooming supplies and
slipped in the stall with Bessie and Ruby. She began to slowly rub circles over
Ruby’s coat with the curry comb. Her mind was elsewhere.
What had she really come to Chester for? She’d been
seeking something—excitement, freedom, success, love? She wasn’t so sure. Wade
was handsome and attentive, but she’d be lying if she said he made her heart
pitter patter. She thought true love would hit her like a firestorm and whisk
her off her feet. Instead she felt out of place, trying to create something out
of nothing. If she returned home without a ribbon or a man to show for her
trip, she’d feel like a failure. If she could bring home a cowboy to make her
daddy proud, it would be the beginning of a new and better life for her. Or so
she believed.
After returning home from the barn, the silver
bullet was empty. There was no sign of the twins, only the faint scent of
Colt’s musky cologne. In fact, she spent most of the evening alone, no clue
where to find Colton or North. It was odd not having them breathing down her
neck every minute. It was nice, but in a weird way, she missed their constant
meddling.
****
Colton waited for North in front of the local pub.
He was late. It was nearing dinner hour, so the place was filling up in a
hurry.
When his brother finally made an appearance, he
looked worse than shit.
“Where’ve you been so long?”
“I told you I was hauling hay,” said North. He took
off his Stetson and swatted some of the dust off his jeans.
“That shouldn’t have taken this long.”
“They asked me to set up a roadblock and make a wall
around the petting zoo. Not many of their hired workers can move hay with a
forklift.” North shrugged. “It was worth it. I wanted us to have enough money
to take Eva to dinner tomorrow night. She likes stuff like that.”
Colton scowled. His brother was acting like a
schoolboy in love. “How do you know?”
“Didn’t you hear her voice when she mentioned Wade
took her out to dinner? She ain’t used to stuff like that, and she deserves
it.”
“Let’s get a drink.” Colton pushed open the heavy
wooden door and entered the melee. The place was already packed, and they had
to weave their way to the back bar.
He ordered a couple shots for both of them. Colton
wanted to forget the world as much as he needed to stay away from alcohol. It
was too similar to the nightmare his mother was putting them through, and it
all stemmed back to that one asshole. He swallowed his first shot,
paddock, his hat in his hand as he leaned over the rails. They usually spent
time together before she got to work and he had to go practice, but this was
the first time the McReed brothers knew about it. They’d walked her to the barn
today, and when she looked back over her shoulder, they were both still
standing on the periphery. Colton and North looked like hired guards with their
arms crossed over their chests.
She didn’t want to disappoint them, in the same way
she never wanted to disappoint her father. Their opinions mattered, but she had
the idea no man would ever be good enough in their eyes. It was the reason she
was taking the reins of her own future.
“Good afternoon, darlin’.” Wade brushed some stray
hairs from her face, a lazy smile on his lips.
“Hi.” Her stomach felt sour knowing the twins were
watching and disapproving. When she dared to peek behind her, they were gone.
She sighed in relief and turned to focus on Wade.
“You alright?”
“I’m fine now. Are we still on for tonight?” she
asked.
He worried his lip. “About that, baby doll, I’ll
have to postpone. I’m meeting with one of those sponsors from the city tonight.
It came up sudden like.”
“Don’t worry about it. It sounds like it may be a
good opportunity for you,” she said.
“That’s what I’m hoping.”
She stayed with Wade for twenty minutes before he
had to leave for a barrel racing event. Eva collected her grooming supplies and
slipped in the stall with Bessie and Ruby. She began to slowly rub circles over
Ruby’s coat with the curry comb. Her mind was elsewhere.
What had she really come to Chester for? She’d been
seeking something—excitement, freedom, success, love? She wasn’t so sure. Wade
was handsome and attentive, but she’d be lying if she said he made her heart
pitter patter. She thought true love would hit her like a firestorm and whisk
her off her feet. Instead she felt out of place, trying to create something out
of nothing. If she returned home without a ribbon or a man to show for her
trip, she’d feel like a failure. If she could bring home a cowboy to make her
daddy proud, it would be the beginning of a new and better life for her. Or so
she believed.
After returning home from the barn, the silver
bullet was empty. There was no sign of the twins, only the faint scent of
Colt’s musky cologne. In fact, she spent most of the evening alone, no clue
where to find Colton or North. It was odd not having them breathing down her
neck every minute. It was nice, but in a weird way, she missed their constant
meddling.
****
Colton waited for North in front of the local pub.
He was late. It was nearing dinner hour, so the place was filling up in a
hurry.
When his brother finally made an appearance, he
looked worse than shit.
“Where’ve you been so long?”
“I told you I was hauling hay,” said North. He took
off his Stetson and swatted some of the dust off his jeans.
“That shouldn’t have taken this long.”
“They asked me to set up a roadblock and make a wall
around the petting zoo. Not many of their hired workers can move hay with a
forklift.” North shrugged. “It was worth it. I wanted us to have enough money
to take Eva to dinner tomorrow night. She likes stuff like that.”
Colton scowled. His brother was acting like a
schoolboy in love. “How do you know?”
“Didn’t you hear her voice when she mentioned Wade
took her out to dinner? She ain’t used to stuff like that, and she deserves
it.”
“Let’s get a drink.” Colton pushed open the heavy
wooden door and entered the melee. The place was already packed, and they had
to weave their way to the back bar.
He ordered a couple shots for both of them. Colton
wanted to forget the world as much as he needed to stay away from alcohol. It
was too similar to the nightmare his mother was putting them through, and it
all stemmed back to that one asshole. He swallowed his first shot,
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