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“Thought you knew better than that on a work night.”

“It hadn’t been the plan.” He yawns before taking a drink from his mug. “Georgie was being possessive last night, and I had to break up a fight.”

“Georgianne Lewis?” That woman has been hot after Joseph for years. She’s a nice girl from a nice family, and if Joseph would grow up, she’d make him a good wife.

“Yeah, that’s the one.” He shakes his head and sighs. “I never should have gotten mixed up with her. She wants more than I can give. Now I have to deal with it every time I go out.”

“Maybe it's time you settle down.” I look at him out of the corner of my eye to watch his expression. To my surprise, he doesn’t look defensive.

He rests his arms against the bed of the truck and looks right at me. “I would for the right woman.”

“Are you sure Georgie’s not it? She's a good girl.”

“She is, but she’s not the one for me. I’m not sure I’ll ever catch the one for me.”

I lean against the bed of the truck opposite Joseph and clasp my hands together. “You never know. I’m sure she’s out there somewhere.”

“Oh, she’s out there all right, just not in Watercress Falls. But she doesn’t want me.”

I rear my head back and narrow my eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means exactly what I just said.” He pins me with a stare thatmakes my heart ache. I’ve never seen Joseph look so defeated and sad.

“Did something happen?”

“Nah.” He takes another drink of his coffee and turns away from me. “I’m just being a jealous fool.”

“Jealous of who?”

“You and Adam. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for both of you. But I had come to accept that we were all going to grow old together. Alone, grouchy old men.”

I snort, mostly to stifle the laugh that wants to escape. “Be jealous of Adam all you want, but I’m a long way away from getting the girl.”

“What are you talking about? I thought you and Jess got back together.”

I spread my arms out to my side. “Do you see her here?”

“Not at the moment, but she’s coming back, right?”

I let out a deep breath and pinched the bridge of my nose. “I hope so. She says she is, but she can’t give me a return date. I feel like I’m losing her again.”

“Well, shit. Sorry bro.”

I wave off his concern. “It’s fine. I’m probably just being paranoid. Tell me more about your problem. What did you do to make the girl of your dreams not want you? And who the hell is she?”

He laughs and opens the truck door. “There’s not enough alcohol in this county to get me to talk about that one.”

He slips inside and shuts the door, leaving me with my mouth wide open. Aside from the girls he flirts with and occasionally hooks up with down at Stocks and Stables, I’ve never seen Joseph serious about anyone. This little tidbit of info has my head spinning.

I let out a low chuckle and grab my coffee. “Well, I’ll be damned. Joe’s got a girl.”

Five exhausting hours later,we pull up outside the clinic. I groan when I see a truck with a horse trailer attached sitting in my parking space.

“What the fuck, man? I’m too exhausted for another emergency today.”

Joseph slaps me on the back and laughs. “That’s what working for yourself is like. Thought you’d be used to it by now.”

“Yeah, well. Call me hopeful. I really just wanted to sit on the porch and drink a few beers after the morning we had.”