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I nod, believing that completely.
CHAPTER 2
JOSH
“Snake!” My dad’s voice rings out across the pasture.
I stop my horse just in time, and the rattlesnake slithers into the grass.
My dad eyes me. “You okay, son?”
“Yeah, fine.” I gulp.
Dang. I was so lost in thought that I didn’t see the rattler right in front of me. It could have bitten my horse, Fawn, and that would have been real bad news.
“Sorry, girl.” I pat the mare’s neck.
My dad and his horse trot ahead, and I follow them along the fence. From the way he’s holding his shoulders, I can tell he’s annoyed with me.
It’s a situation I’m way too used to.
In one way or another, I’m almost always letting him down. I try not to let it get to me, but sometimes it’s hard. He’s always beenthe strong, stoic type, and I can never seem to do anything right in his eyes.
He loves this ranch and expects me to take it on when he retires, and it’s not that I hate that idea. It’s just that I hate that there seems to be no other option. Not once has he asked me what I want to do with my life. It’s just been assumed.
We ride back to the stables, where we lead the horses to their stalls. Feeding them is part of my nightly chores, along with another long list of tasks.
If I’m quick, though, I’ll make it to the party on time. And I don’t want to be late. Erin doesn’t strike me as the kind of girl who stays out all night long.
And I really, really hope that she’s there.
“You got something on your mind?” My dad hangs up his horse’s saddle and eyes me.
“Uh… no.” I shake my head.
But I do.
Erin. I’ve been crushing on her for months now, but she’s always seemed out of reach. She’s the kind of girl who lights up a room with her smile, and I’m just a small-town boy with nothing going for me except the hope of inheriting this place someday.
And she’s going to the East Coast to be a doctor. She’s way out of my league.
He smiles knowingly. “A girl?”
I feel my cheeks flush and look away. I can’t believe how transparent I am. “Maybe.”
“Anyone I know?”
Probably. This town is painfully small.
“Erin Toomey.”
His eyes widen. “As in Dr. Toomey’s daughter?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
He whistles low. “Well, well, well. She’s a nice girl. Well done.”
I laugh, surprised at his reaction. “Really?”
