AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What’s the address here?” he asks loudly, and I tell him as I slip on a T-shirt and shorts.
Within ten minutes, the front door swings open and then closes. I pick up my phone to delete the stupid dating app that got me into this mess and hope no one saw him leaving. Rumors fly rampant around here, and for once, I’d like to keep last night to myself.
Chapter Two
Braxton
PRESENT DAY
“Fuck, I shouldn’t have stayed out so late last night.” I groan as I help Colton load hay onto the trailer. The September sun is barely awake, though I’m surely not, but that’s the life of a ranch hand. I’ve been working at the Bishop ranch for a little over four years, and everyone treats me like family, though most of mine are still in Alabama.
“You chose it, man. I told you to stop goin’ to the Honky Tonk. Way too much damn trouble’s just waitin’ down there,” he tells me with a smug grin. “And possible STDs.”
“You know I ain’t bringin’ nobody home without a background check these days,” I remind him. We finish loading everything, then drive over to the barn where the training horses are kept close to the bed and breakfast on the property. Though I help tend thousands of acres with about twenty other workers, I’m the main runner, which means I help the Bishops wherever they need me, making each day interesting and different.
“Oh, you mean since Kat?” He snickers, purposely giving me shit.
We park, and I give him my best go to hell look. “No.”
“Riiiiight. You’ve basically been brokenhearted ever since she kicked your ass out with your dick between your legs six months ago.”
“I really don’t want to relive that again. But thanks for the reminder,” I say as we hop out of the truck and stack the hay in the loft above the stalls. It takes us no time to finish. I pull off my gloves and hear my stomach growl. “Breakfast?”
“Let’s do it.” Colton looks at me with a grin, and we both turn. John Bishop runs the B&B and likes to give us a hard time when we steal breakfast, but Mama Bishop gave us permission, and she rules the roost.
Colton and I walk in, going straight to the buffet table, and load our plates with eggs, bacon, and biscuits. Just as we sit down and I shovel food into my mouth, I see Colton’s eyes widen.
“What?”
He shakes his head. “Nothin’.”
Rolling my eyes, I turn around. First, I see dark brown hair and a tiny waist, and then I hear her voice as she speaks sweetly to John.
“Ugh. Fuck me.”
“She already did.” Colton snickers under his breath.
“What the hell is she doin’ here?” I hurry and finish my breakfast so I can sneak out before she notices me. It’s for the best, considering I’m still pissed about the whole situation.
When she told me to leave after our night together, I had to call Colton to pick me up since I had left my truck at the bar. As soon as I got in his vehicle, he burst out laughing at my humiliation. Then he informed me she’s cousins with John’s wife, Mila. Out of all the women in Texas, of course I hooked up with the number-one heartbreaker in Eldorado who apparently still holds that title. After that night, we would randomly bump into each other at the grocery store. She said hello with a forced smile, and that was as far as the conversation went. Each time since, the distaste we have for each other has become more apparent. It’s a small town, and though I’ve lived here for years, we have never previously met. I work more than I have a social life, and she runs in different social circles. Never in my life has someone treated me with such repulsion, but here we are, months later, and she’s still on my mind.
“You might be able to sneak out the front door if you get up right now,” Colton tells me, noticing I’m looking for an escape. The last time I ran into her was at the B&B a few months ago, and it wasn’t a friendly conversation.
Taking his advice, I quickly stand, but Kat walks up before I can escape.
“Colton!” she squeals, yet once she notices me, her whole demeanor changes. She immediately becomes more reserved as if she’s building a wall between us.
“Braxton.” I’m sure she only spoke to be polite.
She turns back to Colton, sounding way too chipper, which only annoys the piss outta me. “How’s the weddin’ plannin’ goin’? How’s Presley?” Kat completely bombards him with questions. She had the crucial role of making sure Presley was at the right place at the right time for the proposal, but damn, they’ve only been engaged for a month.
