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He heard her soft, indrawn breath. “Colton, I’m sorry.”
“The kid who hit him had rich parents. They twisted everything around, manipulated things to make it appear as if my father was at fault. As if the medical bills weren’t enough, my mother was left with legal bills she couldn’t even begin to pay. I deferred college and got a job, figuring I’d go back in a few years.” He gave a derisive snort. “That rarely happens—no matter what anyone says. And then, after awhile, I realized I want what Joel and Britt have. Not on such a grand scale, but the same quality.”
“So you started with Lucky?”
“Started and stopped. I’ve barely put a dent in the bills and my father still needs twenty-four hour care…so, here I am.” Nearing the pasture gate by the barn, he glanced up and frowned at her expression. “I don’t want your pity, Kendra, that’s not why I told you.”
She regarded him for a moment, her expression curious. “Then why did you?”
Colton realized he wanted to go a step further—he wanted to finally tell someone about the guilt that gnawed at his insides almost every day. Would she understand? Would she think him a terrible person, or would she tell him it wasn’t his fault?
Maybe—
The sound of a car pulling into the ranch yard caught his attention. He groaned silently when he recognized Jordan and Justin, and worse yet, Cassie got out with them. He hadn’t seen her since that night a few weeks ago, the one before the morning when he’d lost his towel on the frosty sidewalk in front of a brunette wallet-thief.
“Hey, Colton,” Justin called out.
Colton nodded, but Justin wasn’t looking at him. And Jordan didn’t even bother with a hello. His full attention was focused on Kendra, too.
“How you doin’?”
Is he kidding? Colton shook his head in disgust at the ridiculous Joey Tribbiani impression from Friends.
Kendra, on the other hand, grinned. “Hi.”
Colton scowled. “Hey, Jordan.” His friend barely spared him a glance before giving Kendra a blatant once-over. “You look familiar, have we met?”
“No,” Colton ground out. “Now back off.” All eyes swung to him. He realized how possessive he sounded, and his heart thumped. “She needs room to dismount.”
“No, she doesn’t,” Jordan said. He stepped forward and reached to lift her off the horse.
Colton’s eyes narrowed when his friend’s hands lingered on Kendra’s waist. Just in the nick of time, she stepped back and Jordan let go.
“Hey, you were at the bar that night.” He shot Colton a glance, then turned his smile back to Kendra. “I’m Jordan.”
“Kendra,” she supplied, accepting the hand he offered.
Instead of a handshake, Jordan raised her palm to his lips.
Color bloomed in Kendra’s cheeks.
Cassie grinned.
Justin rolled his eyes.
And Colton fought the urge to punch one of his best friends.
He quickly stepped between them to finish the introductions. “Kendra, this is Justin, and Cassie.” As an afterthought, he turned to the other woman. “Hi, Cass.”
Friendly greetings were exchanged. Distracted by the frown on Kendra’s face as Cassie stepped up to his side, Colton asked, “What brings you guys by?”
“The college girls all went home for the summer,” Jordan said. “We’re bored.”
Justin punched his shoulder. “Speak for yourself.”
“Yeah,” Cassie said, directing a sultry look through her lashes at Colton as she ran her hand up his arm.
Jordan just laughed. “Are you up for a game tonight?”
