Page 21 of The Player I Can’t Pick

“Oh.” My eyebrows lift. “I can ride any of them. I mean, if you’d rather⁠—”

He holds up his hands. “No. Daisy will love it.”

I nod, unsure what else to say.

“Shit,” Ozzy mutters. He’s looking toward the drive as a small truck pulls up.

Guy turns, instantly tense. “What is it? Who’s that?”

Ozzy grits his teeth. “The new vet. She’s filling in for Dr. Jameson.”

Guy looks surprised. “Dr. Jameson is still alive?”

Ozzy nods. “Yes.”

His body stiffens as a woman walks toward us. She’s carrying a bag, and when she reaches Ozzy, she hands it to him.

“Hey, hot stuff.”

Then she looks at Guy and me. “Hello. I’m Ivey. Local vet.”

Guy looks between Ivey and Ozzy before holding out his hand. “Hi. I’m Guy, Ozzy’s brother, and this is Nicole.”

I give her a small smile before looking between the two of them. The chemistry is impossible to miss.

Guy looks at his brother. “Hot stuff, huh? I’ve heard you called a lot of things, but never hot stuff. Wait until the others hear about this.”

Ivey gestures up and down Ozzy’s body. “I mean, look at him. He should be in magazines. I’ve tried to get him to go out with me, but apparently he prefers the company of horses.”

She says it jokingly, but as a woman I can hear the truth beneath it.

Ivey claps her hands together. “Well, I’d better get to work. I’ll be with the cattle if you need me.”

She reaches for the bag, but Ozzy shakes his head. “Go ahead. I’m right behind you.”

Ivey walks away.

Guy is the first to speak. “Ozzy, you should⁠—”

Ozzy glares at him. “Don’t. I’m not ready.”

Guy holds up his hands. “Got it.”

Ozzy gestures toward another man across the barn. “I’m going to help Ivey. Jason will get you set up with the horses.”

He walks away, and Guy looks at me. “That was weird, right?”

I shrug. “He’s your brother.”

“I know. It was still weird.” He looks in the direction Ozzy disappeared. “Maybe Ivey is exactly what he needs.”

I nod. “Maybe.”

Jason walks toward us holding the reins to two horses. “You two ready?”

Guy helps me onto Daisy before climbing onto his own horse.

I lean forward and stroke her neck. “Hey, Daisy. Are you a good girl?”