AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How do you figure? I’ve finally found the person I want to spend my life with. There’s nothing wrong about that.”
“It’s not the who that’s the problem. It’s thewho’sfather.” Shane made a clicking sound with his tongue. “I have only come in contact with Zeke Callahan a couple of times and let me tell you, if I were unlucky enough to fall for one of his daughters, I might just be convinced to fall for someone else instead.”
James frowned. “Then that’s not love.”
Shane studied him for a few moments and his smug expression slipped away to be replaced by a more contemplative look. “You really love this girl?”
Constance’s beautiful face filled James’s thoughts. Her laugh, her graceful, caring nature, and her intelligence made her the perfect package. “Yeah, I think I do.”
He rubbed his jaw with his hand, then let out a heavy sigh. “Then you’re not going to like what I have to say.”
James leaned forward. Whatever advice Shane might be able to give him was a better starting point than where he currently sat.
Shane chuckled. “You’re pretty much up a creek, pal. There is no way you come out of this unscathed. Either you talk her into convincing her father that she’s capable of making these kinds of decisions on her own, or you do it and find yourself on the other end of a shotgun.”
“Do you seriously think that Zeke would—”
“Oh. He most definitely would. That man had to raise all his daughters on his own. He didn’t have the gentle influence of his wife for most of those girls’ lives. They are more precious to him than this whole place is to me, and that is saying something.” Shane gestured around his office. “I don’t know what to tell you, James. But if I were to guess, I’d say the easiest way to fix this whole mess would be to convince Brielle to find a beau of her own.”
“It’d be easier to find a pig that could fly,” James muttered. “Brielle isn’t interested in finding a guy long-term. In fact, I’m fairly certain my relationship with her was probably the longest one she ever had.”
“Well, what does she have against getting married?”
“Beats me.”
“Come on, James. You dated her. What do you think it is?”
James stared at his hands in his lap and his thoughts raced through his mind. Each and every memory he had of Brielle—what made her tick. He could only come up with one reasonable explanation. “She doesn’t like being told what to do. When she was younger, she didn’t like being told she couldn’t date, so she dated. Now she’s being told to get married and she’s being stubborn again.”
“Or, she’s upset she lost out on you and, if she can’t have you, then no one can.” Shane laughed.
James shook his head, still staring at his hands. “No, that’s not it. I would be able to tell.”
“Sounds like she needs to find someone so irresistible that she wouldn’t be able to deny them.”
James slowly lifted his gaze to meet Shane’s. He was the most eligible bachelor in Copper Creek at the moment. Brielle would likely jump at the chance to go on a date with him.
His best friend lifted both hands and laughed. “Oh no, you don’t. After hearing what you went through, I wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole.”
“She’s not that bad. The only reason we broke it off was because I wanted something more and she wasn’t ready.”
Shane shook his head once more. “I may not be ready for something serious, but I’m definitely not crazy enough to get close to that one.”
James let out a sigh. “Then what do you think I should do?”
“I guess you could find someone who could distract her. Are there any other guys in the area that she might be interested in?” Shane picked up a file off his desk and flipped through it, his interest obviously spent.
James snorted. “I can’t think of anyone who she hasn’t already dated. She’s probably exhausted all avenues for new love interests.”
Shane arched a brow as he glanced over at James. “That’s not possible. I mean, this town is small, but it’s not that small. People are moving here all the time. Not to mention you guys breed like no one’s business.”
At James’s disgruntled expression, Shane laughed.
“You can’t possibly think it’s normal to have families with more than three children. How many ranches have over five?” Shane asked.
“Myparents only had two.”
Shane waved his folder through the air dismissively. “But that’s what I’m saying. There are a lot more men out here than you realize. She just needs to find one who can put up with her.” He tapped the file on his right hand thoughtfully. “Isn’t there a family out of town a little way that has like twelve kids? From what I heard, they don’t venture out this way all that often—kinda keep to themselves. I’d bet Brielle hasn’t dated any of them.”
