Page 4

Trying to get back on task, I shook my head a little—like I was trying to shake off every thought about the handsome stranger.

It felt good to be noticed by him—to be the object of his stare. Right after my divorce, my self-esteem had been at an all-time low. Even now, more than a year later, it wasn’t great.

So I couldn’t deny that I liked someone looking at me like I was the only person in the room.

My ex-husband had never looked at me like that.

Nowthatwas a train of thought I was not dealing with today. I pushed it down and went back to my iPad, and noticed a new email from the owner of Rebel Blue.

Ada,

I hope your drive was okay and everything went smoothly. Excited to meet you and get started tomorrow.

Best,

WR

Sent from Mobile

Chapter 2

Ada

I looked at the time: 10:32p.m. A couple of hours had passed since I arrived at the bar. I was meeting Weston at nine-thirty, so I really needed to get back to my motel soon. I started back in on my work, making sure I wasn’t missing any important files or information that I needed to review with Weston tomorrow.

Once I got into a groove, it was easier not to think about the cowboy sitting at the bar, but I couldn’t shake the thought entirely. Every time I looked up, his eyes were on me. Again and again we made eye contact for a second too long, and then I would get back to work.

It was a seemingly harmless cycle, but it was getting me all keyed up.

I didn’t quite know why, but I was…drawn to him. The way he joked with the bartender, the old men at the bar occasionally slapping him on the back, and how he kept one hand on his dog—all made me wonder who this man was and what he was like in the light of day.

I was curious.

That’s why I did it.

At least that’s what I would tell myself later.

I got to my stopping point in my work, gathered up my stuff, and slid it into my tote bag. I didn’t need to look up to know that his eyes were on me, but I looked up anyway—just as he took a swig of his beer.

We stared at each other again as I stood up. His eyes followed me, and I hoped that his body would too. I had no idea what came over me, but I didn’t want to fight it.

I broke eye contact when I got closer to the door, but as I walked, I could feel his eyes on my back. Instead of walking out the door, I turned down the hallway right before it.

Ada, what the fuck are you doing?

Are you actually inviting a stranger to follow you down a dark hallway in a dingy dive bar? Is that what you’re doing?

Yeah, that’s what I was doing.

I stopped when I reached a door halfway down the hall and leaned against it. Waiting to see if he would come to me.

He did.

His shadow appeared in the entry to the hall, and my heart kicked at my rib cage like it was trying to escape.

I could feel his footsteps as he approached me, because as he was coming toward me, the world that I knew was shaking and crumbling to make way for him.

For something new.