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“Thanks,” she told the three of them when the crowd dispersed. “My fault. I wasn’t paying attention.” She held her hand out to the man. “William? Nicole Wells, and I appreciate your quick thinking. I owe you one.”
“Nonsense. I’m Andrea Hastings, and we’re just glad you weren’t hurt.”
William smiled. “What my wife said.”
Ina put an arm around her shoulders as they moved to the sidewalk. “Why don’t you let one of us drive you home, dear?”
Damn it.Nicole’s throat clogged, the small hug eliciting a longing for her mom. “I must be good. Look.” She cleared her throat, held up the leftovers still in the bag, and quipped, “I managed to save the food.”
William, bless him, took over for Nicole. “All right. Let the girl be on her way. Come along, you two.”
Nicole thanked them again and managed to file the humiliating incident away until that evening when she changed clothes and saw the bruise forming on her thigh. That explained the dull throb every time she put her weight on that leg. Instead of letting the minor injury interfere with her plan to have fun after getting Slade’s apology over with, she donned a clean pair of jeans and her favorite sweatshirt. In a simple design that said it all, the soft mauve depicted the white outline of a human hand and dog paw in a high-five gesture.
She babied Sam a little, gave him a chew bone, and left for the club, positive all would go well and as planned tonight.
***
WHAT THE FUCK WAS Ithinking? Grabbing my hastily packed bag off the motel bed that I’m fucking glad I’m not sleeping in tonight, I left the room and tossed it in the rental car’s rear seat. Leaving without accomplishing my mission doesn’t sit well but can’t be helped, not after my hasty, faulty judgment upon seeing the bitch pop up out of the blue like that. I’ve never given in to temptation simply out of convenience, and this is the reason. Too much can go wrong and screw up everything else, such as well-laid-out plans. Driving back to the private airstrip, I went over new plans for a return trip in another few weeks. Despite the asinine last-second decision that ended in failure and possibly put Wells on alert, not returning to finish this isn’t an option.
I never expected to see Nicole Wells there, not when I have yet to find where she’s living. Somewhere near the highway strip mall didn’t cut it with so much barren, open land everywhere I can see, the main thoroughfare only two lanes, and the numerous dirt road turnoffs unmarked. I’d hoped to finish this once and for all, quick and easy, and return home in time for the weekly family meeting. Now, I have to hurry back before anyone realizes I’m gone and then plan another trip to bumfuck Wyoming to end Wells’ miserable existence. Next time around, though, I’ll put the hunting skills our father taught us to use.
I have to do it for my peace of mind if nothing else. Family first, always. Dad also insisted on that.
***
“HAVE ANOTHER, THENwe’ll talk you into it.” Allie slid her second beer across the table to Nicole. “My donation to the cause.”
“Youwill talk her into it, not me. I think it’s nuts to ride that thing.” Lily feigned a shudder, glancing at the mechanical bull rocking in full motion, the rider laughing while getting tossed back and forth.
Nicole took a long pull on the brew before saying, “Thanks, I’ll take the drink but pass on bull riding for now. I think it’ll be easier to lose my riding virginity getting on a nice, calm,smallhorse first. And that ends your cause.”
The mechanical bull looked fun, and she wanted to try it, but her leg was too sore to risk further bruising. She’d managed to slip inside Casey’s an hour ago and hide her discomfort as she wound her way through the crowd to the table where Allie and Lily were already seated. Since then, she’d been ignoring Slade over at the bar while working on her apology.
“I get the gentler approach when it comes to losing your virginity, but after that pesky barrier is breached, there’s something to be said for taking a walk on the wilder side. Which means finding a new cause to lead you astray on.” Allie’s eyes twinkled, her impish grin hard to resent, even when she jerked a thumb toward Slade.
“I have to agree with you there, and add, Nicole, that all three brothers are worth risking the ride.”
Nicole put a hand to her brow with an exaggerated groan. “Lily, not you too. Allie’s the one who likes to play matchmaker. I thought you were on my side, or at least neutral.”
“Sorry, couldn’t resist.”
She couldn’t suppress a chuckle, or her appreciation for their friendship. The opening tempted her to tell them she had already taken that risk with Slade, but she didn’t dare hand over that ammunition. Regardless of continuing to lust for the guy, proven again when her blood warmed upon seeing him again tonight, she didn’t want another relationship. Not even a friends-with-benefits relationship.
Putting the one-night stand last weekend aside, the neighbors had welcomed her with food, assistance, and friendship, each visit chinking away at her belief she would heal faster if left alone. Without her realizing it, they’d quickly filled the void of missing her parents and friends back home, even though she had yet to reach out to Allie and Lily first. She would start there to deter them from matchmaking.
“If you have time, I’d love to try ridinga nice horsethis weekend. The contractors will keep me busy all next week.”
“I have time,” they said together.
“Wear a light coat. It’s always colder out on the range until we reach a forest trail. Then you’ll miss the sun though. By the way, love your shirt,” Allie said.
“You’ll have to tell us where to get something similar for Slade. He thinks we don’t notice he’s a softie for Chace.”
Nicole believed Lily as he was a difficult man to read. “I’ll send you the link.” Now, though, she wanted to get an apology out of the way so she could find a dance partner able to defuse her growing hunger for tonight to end upstairs with Slade again. “Excuse me a minute.”
She stood and meandered through the crowd toward the restrooms to divert the girls’ attention, cursing when she couldn’t help catching a glimpse of Slade on her way. He still wore his Stetson, which added mystery to the whole sexy, brooding cowboy image, and she wasn’t the only one looking. Nicole noticed how women hung around the bar, some trying to engage him in small talk, which he appeared to ignore. She liked hisI don’t give a shitattitude when he walked away from their blatant flirting.
Maybe too much.
