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CHAPTER ONE
Blake
Blake pulled Applejack to a stop in front of the barn and quickly dismounted. “Sorry, AJ. Gotta run today.” He checked his watch as he led Applejack inside. He had half an hour to get to Everly’s.
Jess, the barn manager at Wolf Creek Ranch, walked out of the barn office and propped her hands on her hips. Her youthful features, high ponytail, and button nose didn’t do her any favors when she was trying to intimidate him. “Where have you been?”
“Up a creek without a paddle?” Blake guessed.
Jess reached for the reins. “I told you I needed him for a lesson today.”
Blake held up his hands in surrender. Jess ran a tight ship in the barn, and getting on her bad side wasn’t on his list of things to do today.
In fact, he only had one thing on his list: Drive Everly to the airport.
He wasn’t excited about that particular duty, since she’d be leaving him to meet up with her fiancé in Cleveland, but his brain thought any chance to spend time with Everly was cause to celebrate. Hence the mix of adrenaline and dread that had his stomach coiling in a knot.
If he kept mentally referring to Everly as his friend, maybe his wayward heart would get the memo. So far, he’d had no such luck. They were friends, but he’d always wondered what if. Mostly, what if he’d told her how he felt before she’d gotten together with her now-fiancé.
“Sorry. I thought you meant later. You usually don’t have lessons before lunch,” Blake said.
“I don’t, but Applejack is older, and I don’t want him worn out before the lesson even starts.” Jess brushed a hand down the horse’s nose and whispered, “Let’s cool you off and get you a treat.”
Blake patted the horse’s back and crooned, “Thanks for the ride.”
Jess glared at Blake as she led Applejack toward the walking yard. He’d have to shovel the stalls tomorrow to make it up to her.
Blake headed straight for the big barn sink and rolled his sleeves to the elbows. His morning mission had been to stay clean enough that he wouldn’t have to shower before picking up Everly. He’d managed to keep the dirt contained to his hands, and with the clean pair of boots in his truck, she should be able to ride the half hour to the airport without rolling the windows down.
After scrubbing his hands and arms, he jogged toward the front of the barn.
“Where you headed in such a hurry?” Brett stepped out of the last stall and propped a shovel against the wall.
Blake shouted over his shoulder as he passed, “Gotta take Everly to the airport.”
“Good luck with that. Nice chat,” Brett said as he picked up the shovel and got back to work.
Brett was Jess’s brother, but the siblings were opposites. Brett was as carefree and friendly as Jess was stern and assertive. Together, they made a good team. They both knew where Blake was going today, and while Jess had made it possible for him to be on time, Brett saw an opportunity to joke. Except Blake wasn’t in the mood for jokes about his one-sided feelings for Everly.
Those feelings were part of the reason he’d been dreading this drive. When Everly had asked him to drop her off, he’d immediately agreed. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized it was time to shut down the feelings. He’d happily lock away any romantic feelings for Everly in the back of his mind and throw away the key. If only he knew how to actually get her out of his head.
It didn’t help that they worked together. He saw her every day. Well, he made sure to see her every day. The stupid feelings were to blame.
Yet, he’d been telling himself it was possible to get over her. He’d also given himself a deadline. When he dropped her off today, he would move on.
Solid plan, right? Even his conscience was rolling in laughter.
Still, he had to try. It was time to face the music or something. He couldn’t be friends with Everly after she married David. There was a commandment about coveting your neighbor’s wife, and Blake didn’t like the thought of breaking it.
He spent the drive to Everly’s giving himself a pep talk. The motivational quotes turned to assuring chants that eventually morphed into catchy song lyrics. He’d just finished belting out the chorus of “Jessie’s Girl” when he pulled up at Everly’s house. No, it wasn’t a house. The white mansion jutting out of the snowy hills was more of an estate.
Blake groaned. Until he met Everly, his jealousy meter never blipped. Now that she was engaged to David the Jerk and decorating their dream mansion while he traveled for work, jealousy was Blake’s new default. Another thing he needed to get in check.
He parked in front of Everly’s and left the truck running. She was pulling her suitcase out the door when he jogged onto the porch.
He grabbed the handle of her suitcase. “Good morning.”
She locked the door before facing him. Her blonde hair fanned out and fell over her shoulders the way she used to wear it before she moved to Wyoming. She kept the soft waves pulled into a ponytail these days. “Good morning.”
