Page 101 of Saltwater Cowboy

I forced a smile, though my chest felt tight. “Just make sure you show up looking good. Don’t make me regret helping you.”

“Trust me,” Wells said, his voice low and sincere. “I won’t.”

“Marie will think you’re the most charming man in the room, no matter what you wear.”

Wells raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching like he was trying not to smile. “You think so?”

I grinned. “I know so.”

He nodded, seeming to appreciate the effort. “I trust you.”

Something about that made my heart stutter.

Wells stepped closer, peering over my shoulder at the outfit I’d picked out. “I never thought I’d need help picking out clothes. Guess I was wrong.”

I looked up at him, really looked at him, and realized just how comfortable we were together. How natural it felt. My chest tightened, but I forced the feeling down.

“You’re set,” I said, handing him the clothes.

He grinned and tossed the clothes onto the bed. “Thanks, Sunshine. I guess I owe you one.”

“Just make sure Marie knows how lucky she is.” I shrugged, heading toward the door.

Wells didn’t say anything, just watched me leave, his gaze lingering for a moment longer than it should have. I felt the weight of it as I stepped out of his room, the door clicking shut behind me.

I couldn’t figure out why my heart felt so heavy.

Maybe it was the fact that he was going on a date tomorrow—something I should’ve been completely fine with.

Maybe it was the way his space felt like it belonged to someone who wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon.

Or maybe it was something else entirely.

But whatever it was, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all changing. That Wells was becoming someone I cared about in a way I wasn’t prepared for. I fought it tooth and nail, but it happened.

I walked back to my room, my footsteps sounding louder than usual in the quiet hallway. The door clicked shut behind me, and I leaned against it, taking a deep breath. Wells had trusted me to help him, to pick out something that would make him look good for a date. It was a simple thing, but it made my heart do something strange.

I sat on the edge of my bed, trying to shake off the lingering feeling that had settled in my chest. I should’ve been happy for him. Marie was a good person—smart, sharp, with a dry sense of humor that Wells seemed to respect. She had been kind to me, but for some reason, the thought of him going out with her left me feeling… off.

I stretched my legs out on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Was I jealous? That felt ridiculous. Wells and I were barely friends, right? I was here for a fresh start, and so was he. A date with Marie didn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things.

But why did it sting?

I rolled over, burying my face in the pillow for a moment, trying to force myself to relax. It didn’t help. The fact that Wells was putting so much thought into his date with Marie made me realize how much he cared. It was the same care I’d seen when he talked about the farm, or when he’d gone out of his way to help me. But Marie was different. She was older than me, more experienced, and—let’s face it—better suited for someone like him.

The thought didn’t sit right, no matter how hard I tried to push it down. It wasn’t like I had any claim on him. He was free to date whoever he wanted. So why did the thought of him with Marie bother me so much?

I let out a frustrated sigh and reached for my phone on the nightstand, scrolling through a few messages to distract myself. But the nagging feeling wouldn’t go away. I’d helped him pick out an outfit, something simple, but it had made me realize how well I knew him. It wasn’t just about the clothes. It was the little things—the way he’d trusted me to make that choice for him, the way he smiled when he said thank you. It was all those little moments that had started to add up over the past couple of weeks.

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “You’re overthinking this,” I muttered to myself.

I grabbed the blanket, pulling it over my head like a shield. But even under the covers, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was changing. Maybe it wasn’t just Wells who was evolving here. Maybe it was me, too.

Maybe I was starting to care more than I was ready to admit.

SLOW DANCING IN A BURNING ROOM

The sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving a golden haze over the land as I went inside and got changed. I glanced at the time—just after seven. It felt like a normal Friday night, but tonight was anything but.