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I haven’t heard from my ex recently and that’s unusual. Surprising. He doesn’t just give up. That’s not his way. He slams and bangs and yells until he gets what he wants. The silence is unnerving.
So forgive me if I’m looking for anything to try and distract myself from what feels like impending doom.
My phone’s alarm goes off and I walk out front to unlock the door and let the first customers in.
It’s a busy morning and I smile and chat with everyone. Cody’s wife, Heather even comes in and smiles at me, her eyes dancing with some hidden amusement that only she knows.
“Hello, Callie. How have you been lately?”
“Ummm. Not too bad. Pretty busy with work. The bakery is growing by leaps and bounds lately.”
“Yeah.” She eyes me shrewdly and I knit my brows. “Just work, huh? Nothing more personal than that?”
“I don’t think so.”
She nods her blond head and the pair of silver and turquoise earrings she’s wearing flash in the bright lights of the bakery. “I see.”
The bell goes off and she smiles, her head ping-ponging back and forth between the two of us. “There you are, Rory. I was wondering when you’d show up and tell her what’s going on.”
The big man flushes, his clear green gaze smiling at me even as his full lips twist. His eyes never leave mine.
“Hello, Heather. You beat me here.”
“It wasn’t too hard. You were busy this morning with that new colt that just came in. I knew that was coming and that it would slow you down. I really wanted to see how this all goes down since I know you lied to Cody.”
I swing my head back and forth, staring at the two of them like they’re speaking a foreign language. I don’t get any of this.
“Heather, if you don’t mind I’d like to talk to Callie alone.” Heather nods and her soft eyes smile at me for a moment and then she winks slowly and turns away, walking out the door and blocking it so that nobody else can come in.
When we’re alone, Rory starts to pace back and forth and takes his tan cowboy hat off his head, slapping it on his thigh. One hand runs through his golden-brown hair, mussing it up, leaving it standing up straight in the back…which for some reason is one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen.
“Ummm. I’m not sure how to say this. But let’s start here. Did you know about the auction at Iron H Ranch?”
I nod my head. “I have heard about it.”
He sighs. “Okay. I want to preface this by saying…I don’t know what I was thinking. I just panicked.”
My heart stalls and I squint at him, confused by the flush tinting his tanned cheeks.
“Cody came to me and said that I had to be in the next auction. And I just don’t want to do that.”
“Is it because of your wife?”
He pales and stares at me. “What do you know about my wife?”
I glance away, my heart lurching in my chest. The stricken look on his face makes me feel like an asshole. I didn’t mean to hurt him though.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. It just seems like the whole town has talked about you and the love you must have had for your wife. Nobody’s seen you with anyone else and you don’t seem interested at all.”
His green eyes glitter with some strange emotion that has my body quaking. “You’d be wrong,” he growls.
My mouth falls open. “Ohhh. Ummm.” I don’t know what to say. I thought I knew what was going on but apparently I don’t know a damn thing judging by the frustration and anger on his face.
“It’s not a big deal. But don’t ever think that I’m still in love with Anna. She wasn’t that to me. My marriage was a disaster and I’m just not looking to repeat said disaster.”
“But that’s not what I need to talk to you about.” He starts pacing back and forth again and I can’t help but watch him, entranced by the subtle play of his muscles as he paces. He’s like a caged lion, proud and sexy as all hell. He’s so damn big too. Just big all over which makes my eyes drift downwards like I’m being drawn in by a magnet.
I can’t help but wonder what he’s hiding under his plaid flannel shirt that’s rolled up to his elbows. He’s got the perfect arms for arm porn lovers. I can see the tendons and muscles on his forearms and my mouth dries out. Or what his tight Wranglers are almost hiding. He’s just freaking too much to look at without wanting to climb him like a tree.
