Page 11

Now that the fence was mended and the cattle had been moved, my day was over. I closed the tall red doors of the barn, headed back to the main house, and walked in. Jace was sitting at the kitchen island, eyes hollow, like he’d lost his most prized possession.

“Where’d you go?” I asked. His truck had been gone most of the afternoon.

“I went to the coffee shop in town. I asked Cassie out on a date, but she shot me down.”

No surprise there.

“I had tickets to the hockey game in Great Falls tonight, but she was busy. She and Ellie are having a girls’ night,” he explained.

His last sentence had me like a fish on a hook. My mind wondered what they might be doing for girls’ night. Maybe they would go out to a bar. The thought of drunk men ogling over Ellie pissed me off more than I cared to admit.

Jace must have caught the change in my expression because he smirked. “What’s that look for? ”

“Nothing,” I said, walking over to the fridge to grab a cold beer.

“Bullshit,” Jace said, leaning back on his stool. “You hesitated.”

I rolled my eyes, twisting the cap off the beer bottle and taking a slow sip to buy myself time.

“Where are they going for girls’ night? A bar?”

“Yep. Cassie told me they’re putting on their best miniskirts and heading to The Twisted Spur. She told Ellie ‘The shorter the skirt, the better.’ I even mentioned where they’d be to ole Dusty.”

I gave Jace a you-better-fucking-not-have look.

Jace tilted his head back, laughing and pointing at me. “Why the pissed-off look? Is it because you’re picturing Ellie on the dance floor right now with Dusty? I bet he has his hands all over her already.”

“Shut the hell up,” I said, glowering at him.

“There it is,” Jace said matter-of-factly. “I knew you liked Ellie. About time you just admit it.”

Busted.

I scoffed, even though he’d caught me red-handed. “No. I was just thinking, Ellie’s been through a lot. She needs space, not—”

“Not a cowboy who’d lasso the damn moon for her?” Jace chuckled. “Come on, Colt. We both know you’d move heaven and Earth for that girl. I still remember that time Mark Johnson was talking shit about Ellie at Tony Martin’s field party. I thought you were going to kill him that night.”

I clenched my jaw, glancing towards the back door, remembering the night in question .

The idea of Ellie in a crowded bar, surrounded by strangers—by men looking at her the way I had no right to—made my chest tighten.

Jace must have read my mind. “Don’t worry. I’m just messing with you,” he said, laughing. “They’re having margaritas at Ellie’s place. Low-key and definitely no Dustys around.”

I didn’t answer, but I did let out a big breath I hadn’t realized I had been holding in the whole time.

“So, what’s your plan? Sulk over Ellie all night?”

“I’m not sulking,” I shot back.

“Oh, you’re definitely sulking,” he said, laughing. “Probably because the only thing you’re getting your hands on tonight is that Bud Light.”

“If one more person brings up how I feel about Ellie today, I’m going to lose my fucking mind,” I told him.

“So, you admit you have feelings for her?” he asked eagerly.

I shot him a no-shit look.

“Hey, all I’m saying is, the first step is admitting you have a problem. And you, sir, definitely have one.”

“Hypothetically speaking, let’s say I liked Ellie, and she liked me back. Our friendship means everything to me. How do I know I won’t screw it up and jeopardize that?”

Jace sat there, thinking for a moment. “Well, there’s no way to ensure you won’t mess everything up by telling Ellie how you feel. But like Dad always says, ‘Nothing worth having was ever earned easy,’ right? ”

As I considered his words, I walked over to the window. The lights were on in the guesthouse, and a car I didn’t recognize—probably Cassie’s—was parked out front.

Jace walked up behind me.

“Come with me. I’ve got an idea,” he said, smirking.