I look past her toward the paddock. “Outlaw’s waiting on me. Should probably get back.”
“Right. Wouldn’t want to keep him waiting.”
But she doesn’t leave.
There’s a pause—just long enough for the air to thicken. I should walk away. But I don’t.
She’s watching me too closely now.
“You don’t have to act like you don’t care,” she says softly.
I force a laugh. “What makes you think I do?”
She tilts her head. “The way you’ve been avoiding me. The way your jaw tightens every time Lane so much as looks at me.”
“I don’t give a shit about Lane.”
“Sure,” she murmurs, biting back a smile.
I glare at her. “If you’re trying to get a reaction out of me, you won’t.”
“Whatever you say.” She lifts her hands in mock surrender.
“Does he know?” The question’s out before I can stop it.
She stiffens. “Know what?”
“That you’re leading him on. You’re only here until the end of summer. What then?”
”Ido notlead people on, Wesley.”
“No?” I step closer. “Could’ve fooled me.”
“You’reunbelievable.”
“No. What’s unbelievable is you thinking mynot-girlfriendwould have a boyfriend without me knowing.”
She scoffs, rolling her eyes. “Sorry to burst your bubble, Wesley—but I don’t haveanyboyfriends.”
Then she brushes past me, jogging up the porch steps.
“That’s not what I heard.”
She freezes with her hand on the door, then turns back toward me slowly.
“What?”Her voice is sharp now, all humor gone.
I shrug. “People talk.”
She scoffs again, shaking her head, and disappears inside.
The door clicks shut behind her.
But the damage is done.
And clearly, I’m not over it.
Afterafewmiserablehours wrangling Outlaw, the dark bane of my existence, I’m excited to finally get a sliver of time for myself.
