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prologue
Cage
Then…
“You’re surprisingly skilled for a kid your age,” Butch said, as I shoveled the hay in the stall that I was currently cleaning. I’d gotten hired at Duncan Ranch two weeks ago for a summer job.
“Thank you, sir,” I said, as I reached into the wheelbarrow for a big scoop of fresh grass. It irritated the hell out of me that he kept referring to me as a kid, but Butch was the ranch foreman for the Duncans, so I knew better than to act like a dick to my boss.
I’d interviewed with both the owner of this place, Frank Duncan, and Butch Hall. The ad had said that I needed to be sixteen years old, but I’d shown up and insisted I was capable of doing the job. I wanted to start making money this summer so I could afford to buy a car once I got my license. So, I’d been working hard to prove that I was more than up for the task.
Because I was.
“Finish up in here, and then you can call it a day.”
I nodded as he walked out of the stables, and I lifted my hat and wiped at the sweat running down my forehead. I was meeting some friends at the cove later, and I couldn’t wait to dive into the water and cool off.
“So, are you a real cowboy?” a voice said from behind me, and I whipped around to see the prettiest girl I’d ever laid eyes on.
Blonde waves rolled down her shoulders, and her skin looked like it had been kissed by the sun. She was petite and lean, wearing tan riding pants, boots, and a white top. She looked to be about my age, maybe a little younger.
My mouth went dry at the sight of her.
That had never happened before, and I’d met plenty of pretty girls.
But no one like this one.
“I’m a ranch hand here.”
“Yeah? You work for my dad?” she asked as she strode into the stall and stood across from me.
“Is your dad Butch Hall or Frank Duncan?”
She chuckled and held out her hand. “My dad is Frank. I’m Presley Duncan.”
I wiped my sweaty palm on the leg of my jeans and reached for her small hand. “Hey, I’m Cage Reynolds.”
“So, are you a cowboy, Cage Reynolds?”
“I’m a ranch hand, but I guess it’s not all that different from being a cowboy.” I shrugged as my stomach wrenched in the weirdest way. I guessed it was because she was standing so close to me. I’d made out with Marcy Waters more times than I could count, and my stomach never did this shit. “How about you? Are you here for the summer?”
I knew the Duncans lived in San Francisco, and they’d just bought this place a few months ago, which I assumed would be a summer home, although they were adding a lot of animals to the barn, and her father had hired on quite a few people to look after the property. But I’d never seen his daughter here before.
“Yep. I usually spend the summer traveling because I’m a competitive jumper, but I wanted to have a summer off and be a normal teenager for once in my life. Actually get to spend some time at our new place and have a little fun.” She smiled, and I swear I felt like I’d suddenly come down with a fever.
She was so damn pretty.
“A jumper? Like high jump and long jump?” I asked as I cleared my throat and tried to keep my shit together.
I’d never been nervous around a girl before. This was definitely new for me.
She chuckled, and I couldn’t help but smile as I watched her. Her dark brown eyes locked with mine. “No. I ride horses. I’m guessing you know about equestrian sports, living out here.”
“You’re a horse jumper. That’s cool.”
“How old are you, anyway?”
“Fifteen. I just finished my freshman year of high school. How about you?”
