“I meant it. We are friends. I’m sorry. I just couldn’t resist the chance to hit that guy.”
Her smile fades. It makes my stomach hurt. I don’t want her to feel like she’s not good enough for me or that I don’t want to be with her.
But I know, in my heart of hearts, she’s not ready for this.
She’s not ready to commit to me while the ink on her divorce papers has barely dried. She’s not ready to be locked down in another exclusive relationship when she’s still healing from the trauma she gained in the last one.
And even though it’s painful for me, I know it’s what’s best for her.
After the rodeo weekend, I open up my schedule to start teaching more roping lessons to kids after school. Holden and I take turns running the ranch hands out to assess new calves, mend fences, and cut the steers before taking them to the sale barn.
Ranch work is rigorous and never-ending. I love every minute of it.
I start going out again, mostly to Old Harry’s since it’scloser to home, but occasionally, I go see Dallas at Lucky’s Pub.
We don’t discuss the rodeo weekend at all. We’re polite to each other, and we both seem to have accepted that our relationship is going to stay just as it is—friends. Good friends. And neighbors.
I know she’s healing. And I don’t want to get in the way of that.
I’m sitting at Lucky’s Pub a few weeks later, nursing a beer, when a gray-haired man I’ve seen hitting on her here before walks up and orders himself a beer.
Here we go again.I sit up straighter.
My self-control can never be lax around Dallas, especially when men are on the prowl, which is basically always. The man smiles at her, adjusting his baseball hat.
“We’ve had some crazy weather here lately. The storms have slowed things down on the rig.”
She smiles warmly at him. “Hi, Scott. I bet it’s scary out there during storms like this.”
It’s a busy Saturday night. I know it’s her last night without the boys. Dawson and Dutton will be back with her tomorrow, and then they’ll be sleeping soundly in the bunkhouse with Eden when she comes back to work on Wednesday. Dallas always has an empty look in her eyes and a smile plastered on her face when they’re with Matt.
Thunder cracks outside, loud enough to be heard over the acoustic band playing.
“You working next weekend?” he asks.
“Yeah, I’m working Friday night and a double on Saturday.”
“A pretty girl like you shouldn’t have to work that much.”
Don’t hurt him, Duke. That would be abuse of the elderly, and you’re better than that.
I tighten my hand around the beer mug.
“Still waiting on my Prince Charming.”
“You did promise me a date, I seem to remember.”
She laughs. “Was that you?”
“Sure was. What about lunch? I’ll come to your neck of the woods.”
I hold my breath, feigning disinterest. A woman comes up beside me, slipping her hand inside my elbow.
“Duke, I haven’t seen you in forever! Dance with me?”
Before turning toward the familiar voice of Madi Wright, I watch Dallas’s reaction. Her nostrils flare, but she doesn’t look at us.
“I think I’d love that actually. Lunch sounds nice.”
