AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But I shove that shit down again. “Call me Rory,” I growl under my breath and stalk out the door.
Then like a fucking stalker I sit across the street, munching on that stick of cinnamon, fruity sweetness and watching Callie Hart like my life depends on it.
She’s smiling and happy except once in awhile I see her pick up her phone and then her smile fades away and she drops her head into her hands, her shoulders slumping as if she’s got the weight of the world on her shoulders.
My heart aches just looking at her and I fight the urge to storm back inside and demand to know why she’s so upset. What’s wrong. What or who can I hurt to make sure that she’s taken care of and safe.
After an hour just sitting there staring at her and wondering what she’s thinking, what she’s feeling I growl under my breath. Is she thinking about me?
Why the hell can’t I stop thinking about this woman?
I finally start my truck and drive away, fighting the urge to turn around the entire time.
When I get to the ranch, I go to the barn where my favorite horse is stabled. She’s a pistol and for some damn reason she reminds me of Callie. Her golden palomino coat gleams in the sun and her spun sugar mane and tail wave as she shakes her head at me.
I laugh and pat her head as she nods at me, her front leg pawing at the ground of her stall.
“Give me a few minutes, girl, and I’ll come and take you out for a little exercise.”
Cody Ironheart comes into the stable after me and smiles. “When are you going to stop talking to that horse and get yourself a girl?”
Rolling my eyes, I turn and glare at him. “I’m not interested in any woman.”
Unbidden, Callie’s pretty, pale face and the tiny freckles across her dainty nose rise up in my mind. Her dark blue eyes gleam at me and I shake my head, pushing those crazy thoughts aside.
“Well, I hate to break it to you but the ranch runs an auction as part of the charity and you’re up.”
“No, I’m not. That’s for the boys that we’ve got working here. Not for men who’ve already had the woman of their dreams and lost her.”
Not entirely true. But I’m taking liberties here.
Cody throws his dark head back. “How do you think I met my wife?”
“You two were friends”
“Yeah, but we weren’t pushed into doing anything about it until I was up for auction. Then she got jealous.” The smug smile on his face makes bile crawl up my throat.
I’m a jealous son of a bitch right now. I was married but it sure as hell wasn’t happily. My boss is practically glowing and I wish to heaven I’d have found a love like his instead of messing my life up as bad as I did.
But I sure as hell don’t want to get involved in the auction thing. That sounds like my idea of hell.
So like a dumbass, I blurt out, “I didn’t want to say anything because it hasn’t been very long…but I’m seeing someone.”
Cody eyes me cynically, lifting his brow. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t necessarily believe you, man.”
“It’s true.” Horror fills me as I blurt out, “Her name is Callie Hart and she owns the bakery in town. That’s why I go in there all the time.”
I’ve lost my damn mind. Now what do I do?
Chapter 3
Callie
Another week and I’m staring in the face of another Saturday, staring at the clock and waiting to open the door, wondering if he’s going to show up.
Logically, I know he is. But for some reason, panic sets in when I think I won’t see him again.
It doesn’t help that the other night I saw a shadow outside the bakery when I was walking in to work. It never came closer but the ice that slivered down my spine still has me unsettled.
