As I walk down to the barn I see Cole talking to a few ranch hands, their voices low and rumbling, hats tipped back, laughter cutting through the air and I wave at him. He nods his head and goes back to chatting. I’m walking closer and I feelmy heart starting to jump. The closer I get. I hear his voice. His roughness—deep, gravelly, sending that familiar shiver down my spine even from here. The barn smells like hay and leather and horse, sun baking the wood siding hot to the touch.
I stop before I get too close, being mindful of their conversation, and he looks over at me, eyes dark under his hat brim and ends the conversation with the ranch hands, walks toward me.
“You need something?” He asks, smiling, that small, crooked one that makes my stomach flutter no matter how hard I fight it.
“Thanks for the book. I will really uhhh check that out. It will probably be a big help.”
He crosses his arms, has a smirk across his face. “You’re welcome. I saw that at the bookstore the other day. I thought you might enjoy it.”
“You? At a bookstore?” I cross my arms, looking him up and down—dust on his jeans, shirt sleeves rolled up showing those strong forearms, toothpick in the corner of his mouth.
“I like literature from time to time.” He tries hard not to laugh but I can’t help it, I chuckle.
“Okay.” I smirk.
We stare, smiling at one another until it’s awkward and the feeling becomes charged, so electric I can feel it humming in the air between us, his cologne faint but there, mixed with sweat and ranch dust. So I clear my throat.
“Uh, I wanted to give you this. I didn’t want to be late.” I hand it over to him and our fingers touch, rough calluses against my skin, spark shooting up my arm. I close my eyes for a split second, trying to stop that butterfly feeling in my stomach.
He looks at the check, puts it in his front pocket while chewing his toothpick.
“Thank ya,” he mumbles.
“Thank you.” I turn to head back up to the house.
“I’m doing a class tomorrow. Maggie’s bringing her girlfriend Lanie. Luke’s bringing Stephanie. I wanted to invite you. There will be a few others. Just simple riding lessons. I figured you might miss Shadow. If you want to join tomorrow. I mean that is completely up to you. You don’t have to but you might… it might help with…” He trails off, rambling a little, rubbing the back of his neck.
I interrupt his rambling. “That sounds really exciting and I do miss Shadow.”
“It’s at 11:00 tomorrow morning,” Cole says.
I smile and nod.
“Hey uh, I need to do a grocery run. Do you think Maggie is going into town tonight? I could get an Uber—”
“I’ll be done here at about 5:30. Can you be ready then?” He asks.
“Oh. You don’t have to—”
“I need some stuff too. Kind of in the mood for some Mexican food to be honest.”
“That sounds really good. Actually,” I laugh.
“5:30,” he says.
“5:30,” I say back, smiling and walking back up the hill to the guest house. That wasn’t so bad. I didn’t exactly want Cole to take me to the store since he was so grumpy the first time, but whatever, it’s just Mexican and the grocery store. It’s not a date.It’s not a date. It’s friendly. The gravel crunches under my boots, sun warm on my back, but my mind’s racing. Friendly. That’s all it can be. But why does the thought of sitting next to him in that truck, sharing chips and salsa, make my heart skip? And what I’m going to wear?
Chapter 23
I like tacos
Cole
I look at myself in the mirror, fresh jeans hugging my legs just right, freshly showered skin still damp, nice button-down tucked in crisp, my new belt buckle gleaming silver under the bathroom light, and a spray of that cologne Maggie got me a few years ago for Christmas. The scent’s woodsy and clean, filling the steam-filled room with notes of cedar and citrus. Women seem to love it, always leaning in closer, eyes lingering.
But tonight? It’s not a date. Maybe a little. I’m trying the friend thing out. Friends go shopping and get food. Right? Whatever. I’m getting in my head, staring at my reflection like it’ll give me answers, jaw tight, stubble trimmed neat. Maggie said friendly. I can be friendly. Although, Friendly, might kill me.
Maggie knocks on the outside of my door, sharp raps that pull me from the mirror.
