Page 54 of Broken Boundaries

But I don’t like it. The thought of her laughing and smiling with another man, kissing another man, makes my head start to pound.

Which is how I find myself quickly showering and putting on a clean pair of jeans and a T-shirt before I get back in my truck and drive to town.

It’s when I park in front of Melvin’s Tavern that I realize that this must be what people say is jealousy. I’ve formed some sort of attachment to Aspen. It’s not hard to see why. She’s fun to be around, hardworking, and has a drive that’s not easily ignored. I like hanging out with her, and I’ve subconsciously started to want to do more than just hang out, even though I know I can’t.

This date is messing with my head.

Before I left my house, I called in a ‘to-go’ order at Melvin’s. I don’t want to crash her date. I only want to see how it’s going. Make sure she’s ok. I head inside to the hostess and give her my name for the pick-up order. When she goes to grab it, I start my perusal of the restaurant. I spot Aspen first. She’s facing toward the door. She has more makeup on than she normally wears at the ranch, and her curls are down and not as wild as usual. I like it when they’re a little wild, like she’s been riding and the wind has blown through her hair.

The moment my eyes find her, she looks in my direction.

It’s like the world stops when her eyes meet mine, and I know deep in my soul that this is not a one-sided attraction. I know she feels it too.

Her body goes stiff, but she keeps a smile plastered to her face, trying to play it off like nothing has happened.

The hostess comes back and hands me my bag of food.

“Thank you, ma’am. I’m gonna go say hi to a friend real quick,” I tell her before I start walking in Aspen’s direction.

I don’t know what I’m doing. I didn’t think this part through. I just had to see her, but now I can’t walk away.

It’s not like I can walk up to her and announce that I like her and she should leave this date right now. No. That wouldn’t be fair. But before I can think of what I’m doing, I’m at their table.

“Hey, guys. Fancy seeing you two here,” I say, sounding like a psychopath. Aspen tilts her head in confusion. She knows she told me where she’d be tonight.

“Hey, Mr. Calloway.” Dawson stands and shakes my hand. Like I said, good kid. “Haven’t seen you in a minute. Staying busy?”

“Oh yeah. The Ranch has been packed this summer.”

“Good. That’s great to hear.” Dawson sits back down with a smile on his face. Poor kid has no idea I’m here to sabotage his date.

“What are you doing here, Brooks?” Aspen asks me as calmly as she can.

I hold up the bag. “Came for some dinner.”

“At Melvin’s?”

“Yep. Looks like it.”

“Tonight of all nights, you wanted Melvin’s?”

I look her directly in her pretty blue eyes and repeat, “Yep.”

Her brows furrow, causing a little crease between them. She knows I’m full of shit.

“Melvin’s is good,” Dawson interjects, likely picking up on a weird tension between us.

“It is,” I agree. “So, how’s your evening going?”

“It’s great,” Dawson answers, but he’s not the one I was asking. “We’re getting to know each other.” He reaches his hand out to Aspen, and she takes it and nods in agreement.

I look at her, and she gives me a wide-eyed stare before she says, “Yes, tonight is going great. Dawson is a great guy.”

I know he’s a great guy. I told her as much on the way home from the bar that night. The problem is he’s not me, and I want to be the one sitting across from her.

“Aspen’s pretty great, too. Can’t believe I got lucky enough to be the first one in town to ask her out. And she said yes.”

He smiles at her, and it feels like a punch to my stomach.