Page 69 of Saltwater Cowboy

But I’d take a meal without a fight as progress.

Rose and I ate mostly in silence, the soft patter of rain against the window filling the quiet.

“You know what’s funny?” she murmured, breaking the stillness.

I glanced up, brow raised. “What’s that?”

“If Thad saw a picture of me before I showered, he wouldn’t even recognize me.”

“Who’s Thad?” I asked, watching her carefully.

She took a slow, measured breath. “My ex.”

“The guy I said looked like a douchebag when I saw his picture on your phone?”

I swore I caught the ghost of a smile as she absentmindedly stroked Granger’s fur. “Yeah. Basically your antithesis.”

“What’d he do?”

Her eyes flicked to mine, guarded but not unkind.

“He didn’t want to move last minute,” she admitted. “The car was packed, but none of his stuff was in it.”

I nodded, letting that settle before clarifying, “I meant—what did he do for work?”

Her eyes widened slightly. “Oh.” She stretched her neck like she was shaking something off. “Investment banker.”

I huffed. “Yeah, you weren’t wrong. Definitely the opposite of me.”

A beat of silence passed before she shifted gears. “I like storms,” she said, almost to herself.

I smirked. “Wait until you get caught in an afternoon one.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Do we even work outside when it rains?”

I nodded. “In moderation.”

She sighed dramatically, sinking deeper into the couch. “Of course we do.”

I smirked, taking another bite of my food. “You signed up for this.”

“I did not sign up for this. I signed up for a fresh start. I just didn’t realize it involved blisters, snakes, and manual labor.”

“You still got time to quit.” I offered.

Rose scoffed, shaking her head. “Not a chance. I’m not giving you the satisfaction.”

I chuckled, standing to clear my plate. “Suit yourself.”

As I rinsed my dish, I heard her shifting behind me.

“You really think I would’ve gone back?” she asked, her voice quieter now.

I glanced over my shoulder. She wasn’t looking at me, just absently tracing the rim of her glass with her finger.

“No,” I answered honestly. “I think you wanted out long before your car was packed.”

She let out a slow breath, finally meeting my gaze.