Page 18 of Where She Belongs

It was good it was still dark enough in his home to hide the blush that wove its way beneath her skin. Tate didn’t need to know how effective his flirting was with her. She wasn’t here to flirt, fall in love, or couple up. She was in Rocky Ridge to find herself. Leaning on someone else wasn’t in the cards.

She folded her arms. “While I appreciate the thoughtfulness, it was unnecessary. As you can see, I’m on my way⁠—”

“Where’s the coffee?”

Both Rylee and Tate jumped at the deep sound of Jason’s voice. His appearance made Rylee all too aware of her proximity to Tate. At some point they’d closed the gap between themselves. They were mere inches apart as she stared up at him and he grinned right back.

She took a quick step away from him then attempted to dart around him toward the door, but he was too fast. His warning look was enough to give her pause.

“We were just about to make some, isn’t that right, Rylee?”

Her mouth popped open.

Tate’s grin widened. “We were just trying to figure out what flavor of creamer to pick.”

“I vote hazelnut,” Jason announced as he reached the fridge and pulled a breakfast sandwich from the freezer. He glanced over his shoulder at the two of them. “You guys want one?”

Before Rylee could argue, Tate answered for them both. “Absolutely.”

She sat beside Jason while he pelted her with questions about her life in New York and what her plans were in Rocky Ridge. Neither one of them reacted when she admitted she only planned on staying for the summer. Rylee couldn’t tell if she was relieved or disappointed by that fact.

Why was it so easy to talk to these men after all this time? They’d all changed. That much was apparent. And at the same time, it felt like they had picked up where they’d left off.

The Three Musketeers.

That’s what her father had called them. They’d been inseparable once upon a time. Even if Tate and Jason had made a couple attempts to ditch her. She’d always found her way back to them.

Tate got a phone call and Rylee said her goodbyes to Jason. She was nearly halfway to her home when the sound of hurried steps came from behind her.

“Rylee, will you wait a minute?”

She tossed Tate an exasperated look over her shoulder. “Thanks for the coffee. And the breakfast. And the warm clothes, but⁠—”

“But nothing. I told you I didn’t want you going back there without someone.”

Rylee kept her thoughts from showing on her face. “I’m pretty sure that whoever was there, isn’t anymore. No one in their right mind would stay in that house with the storm raging and no power.”

“Regardless, I’m coming to check it out.”

Her brows furrowed. She would have asked him why, but she knew better. He’d probably give her a speech on being a gentleman. And what could she say to that? She wasn’t interested in being treated right?

Blowing out a breath that ruffled the few strands of hair near her face, she nodded. Then she continued toward her home. They walked in silence for several moments but then Tate must have gotten tired of the quiet.

“I train people to compete in the Rodeo. Jason and I both do.”

She cut him a glance. “That sounds interesting. You guys were always really good with horses. But I would have thought you’d train animals instead of people.”

He chuckled. “Jason was always the one who could calm down a skittish horse. I was better with people.”

“You guys must make a pretty good team, then.”

His grin might have been capable of shooing away storm clouds if they weren’t already missing from the sky. He had a way about him that drew people in. Or was that just her?

No, it couldn’t be. He said himself. He was good with people.

“You compete?” she asked, desperate to keep her thoughts off how nice of a specimen he really was.

“Compete? Like in the rodeo?”