Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 101778 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101778 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
“Kaylee, he didn’t mean it when he told you to go back to Atlanta.”
She scoffed. “Who? Ty? Whatever. Okay, I admit I had a crush on him when we got there. He’s the opposite of . . .” Her voice trailed off.
A sadness swept over her face, but I didn’t get the feeling it was for John. She liked Ty more than she was letting herself believe.
“I don’t think Ty Shaw is the type of guy who wants to settle down, and that’s okay. I’m not looking for that.”
Lifting a brow, I sighed. “You’re coming, though? Promise me you’re moving to Hamilton. I know you liked it there.”
“I did, a lot. That’s why I finally decided it was time to come back home, face reality, and handle my stuff. I’ll be there soon. I promise, Lincoln. Are you going to be okay? Dirk said that they had the next few months off, and that both he and Brock were back home now.”
I chewed on my lip. The idea of seeing Brock made my heart drop. I wasn’t sure if that was because I wanted to see him or if I didn’t want to risk seeing him. “The idea of seeing Brock is . . . well, I don’t know what it is. I spooked him; I know that. But for him to just leave me like that, to say he couldn’t even try . . . I don’t know if I can risk falling more for him and having him make me feel like that again.”
She gave me a knowing look. “You said he called.”
“Yeah, I could hear the sadness in his voice.” Tears threatened to spill. “I’m not sure I’m enough for him.”
“What do you mean?”
I shook my head, lost in my own confused thoughts. “I don’t know if Brock Shaw is willing to let me into his heart.”
“He is,” Kaylee said with more confidence than I could muster.
“Kaylee, all I mentioned was having sex without a condom,” I whispered. “He freaked. He ran so fast from me, it made my head spin.”
“As much as I love you, and I’m on your side, Lincoln, y’all hadn’t been dating that long. For some guys, that’s a huge step in commitment. For women too. Now add in Brock’s past and imagine what was going through the guy’s head. Not to mention you said he sort of seemed to realize where he was when he looked around the tack room. Maybe the idea of being in there was what freaked him out.”
I blew out a frustrated breath. “I know; I know. I messed up and shouldn’t have suggested it. Especially knowing how gun shy Brock is. At any rate, I’ve got a date tomorrow night with a really nice guy. I’m not really looking to start dating anyone, but I think I’ll still go. Maybe that’s what I need to move on.”
Her head tilted as she studied me. “Even though you’re head over heels for Brock? You might not want to admit it, Lincoln, but you’ve fallen in love with him.”
When I opened my mouth to disagree, nothing came out. Instead, I said, “I’d better go get checked in. I’ll see you soon?”
She nodded, pulling me in for a hug, and her voice cracked as she replied, “I’ll see you soon.”
When I walked out of the Hamilton airport a few hours later, I smiled at the sight before me. Tanner Shaw and Chance Miller, his team roping partner, were both there with signs that had my name scrawled across them.
I shook my head. I’d gotten to know them both pretty well the last two weeks while Brock was MIA. Chance had gotten hurt, so they had taken a few weeks off from the circuit and had been using my corral to practice in.
“How did you know when I was coming back?” I asked the younger Shaw. He looked so much like his older brothers. The only difference was, he had hazel eyes instead of the blazing blue that Ty and Brock had.
“Mom. She told us to get our lazy butts up here to pick you up. Plus, she was worried Brock might try to be here, and she wasn’t sure you were ready to see him.”
I swallowed hard. “Is he still in town?”
“For now,” Tanner answered.
“For now?” I asked, trying not to seem like I really cared.
“He’s riding in a rodeo on Friday night.”
“A rodeo? Why?” I asked.
Chance laughed. “It’s for a benefit. They called him and Dirk up and asked if they wouldn’t mind doing it. Help raise money for a little girl in the community who has cancer. With two big names like Dirk and Brock, both in the top five of the PBR, they’ll bring in a lot of money.”
My chest squeezed at the thought of Dirk and Brock doing that. I knew Brock had mentioned wanting to give his body a rest, and Dirk was ready to be home for a couple of months. “How far away is it—where they’re riding?”