Page 46 of Country Music Cowboy

Tomorrow would be interesting. No doubt about that. Things might have gotten off on the wrong foot but once the whole alcohol-and-pills thing had been cleared up, he and Loretta had been nothing but honest with each other. He wanted to keep it that way—no matter how difficult it might be now thatthishad happened.

He didn’t remember dozing off.

“Travis.” Loretta was leaning over him, her long hair brushing his bare chest. “Wake up.”

He smiled but didn’t open his eyes. “Do I have to?”

Her laugh was soft. “Yes.” Her hair was soft.

He reached up, running her silky hair between his fingers. With a sigh, he opened one eye. “You’re dressed.” Both eyes popped open.What the hell?

“You sound so…so disappointed?” she managed, laughing.

“Iamdisappointed.” He sat up and peered around her. The small digital clock on the bedside table said it was almost eight. “Fuck.” He sighed and fell back against the pillows.

“Exactly.” She nodded, tucking the hair behind her ear. “It’s late. I didn’t want you…this…well, it’s probably best if this stays between us, don’t you think?”

He ran his hands over his face. “Yeah.” He wasn’t about to volunteer that Sawyer would know. He hadn’t missed a day since he’d come home from the Oasis. And after Sawyer’d caught them in the foyer… “I’ll go.” He sat up, sliding to the edge of her bed.

“Here.” She held out his clothes, neatly folded.

He took the clothes, stood, and stared down at her. She hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours but she still looked beautiful.

“You’re doing it again.” Her voice dipped.

“What?” he asked, softly.

“Staring at my mouth.” She cleared her throat.

He shook his head. “It’s hard not to, now that I know how it tastes…and feels.”

Her breath hitched. “You’re not playing fair this morning.” She pointed at him.

“I’m not?” He chuckled. “You’re the one that got up and dressed before I could do what I’d been planning to do.”

She shook her head. “You need to go. Before—”

“You start kissing me and I take off that pretty dress?” He finished, smiling.

“You’re…you’re incredible.” Her expression was beyond exasperated.

“Thank you.” He reached up, smoothing the hair from her shoulder.

“I didn’t mean… You… Oh.” She took a deep breath, shook her head, and left the room.

He chuckled, yanking on his boxers, jeans, and T-shirt. He stuck his socks into his boots and carefully, peeked out the door. He made it to his room without discovery. His phone—which he’d intentionally left in his room—was pinging with unread messages.

Archie, his sobriety coach, was checking to see about having lunch later this week.

TwoWhere are you?messages from Sawyer this morning, followed by aNevermind.

And a message from Momma. “Shit.” He swiped his phone open. “Shit shit shit.” He was supposed to meet her in town today for brunch. As much as he loved his mother, there was no doubt that she made thingsextrachallenging.

He shaved in the shower, moving as quickly as possible. Brunch with Momma meant spiffing himself up. Freshly pressed button-down, starched jeans, high-shined boots, and his dress tan cowboy hat. He dressed, grabbed his boots, and hurried down the hall, grabbing keys for his prize fully-restored black 1984 Chevrolet short-bed pickup truck.

His phone started ringing five minutes later.

“Travis, here,” he answered.