Page 17

“You did what ?” Molly asked, looking at me like I just told her I murdered someone.

Apparently, Jace opened his big, fat mouth and told her about my almost-kiss with Ellie, so she wanted me to explain myself. And that’s exactly what I did.

I told her how I almost kissed Ellie Friday night, how instead of going in for the kill, I chickened out, how I basically said we can only be friends, and how I left without looking back. In Molly’s eyes—or any woman’s eyes, really—that’s just about as bad as murder.

I’ve had all week to think about it. Like a toddler in time-out thinking about what actions got me put there in the first place and what I would change next time so I didn’t land myself in the clinker again.

Except there would be no next time. I had fucked it all up.

Ellie was never going to forgive me. She’d been ignoring me all week. She didn’t so much as look my way when I was out working on the ranch when she pulled into the guesthouse driveway every afternoon.

I was definitely getting the cold shoulder. Not that I didn’t deserve it.

Even though I was older now, I was apparently still that scared teenage boy, too chickenshit to open up and express his feelings.

Kissing Ellie meant diving into the deep end of my emotional pool with no idea how to swim and no lifeguard in sight.

Even if Ellie felt the same way as I do and kissed me back, there was no guarantee I wouldn’t fuck it up somewhere down the line.

Then I’d lose her again, and losing Ellie almost broke me last time. I can’t do it again.

“So let me get this straight. You took Ellie out on a date—you’re not fooling anyone, we all know it was a date.

Then you had the best time you’ve had since before she left, winning trivia night at Maggie’s.

You took her home and almost kissed her, but you backed out at the last second, tucked tail, and ran?

” Molly asked, looking confused by the entire situation.

“Yep,” I said, taking a step back, fearing what Molly would do or say next.

“Told you he’s lost his damn mind,” Jace said, standing next to both of us in the living room of the main house. Big-mouthed Judas.

“Colt, the next thing I say, I’m saying because I love you,” Molly stated. “You’re a piece of shit for doing that,” she deadpanned.

I deserved it .

“I know, trust me. I’ve been replaying the entire night in my head for seven days straight. I wish I could go back and redo it, but I can’t.”

“What idiotic man-logic made you think handling that situation in that way was the right thing to do?” Molly asked, taking a seat on the couch.

“There was no logic, Molly. It was a heat-of-the-moment decision. Ellie’s taillights leaving me in the dust flashed across my memory again and the spell I was under faded fast. Now she’s ignoring me, and you two are in my living room scolding me, so here we are.”

“How do you plan on fixing this one, oh wise brother?” Jace asked.

“Yes, do tell,” Molly said.

“I have no idea, you guys, okay? I’m not even sure this is fixable.

Ellie probably hates me now. She’s been going through so much, and I went and hurt her already-shattered heart.

She’s been ignoring me all week. She won’t even look my way when I see her out on the ranch.

So no, I do not have a plan to fix this if you guys couldn’t already tell. ”

Molly grabbed her bag, heading towards the door, frustrated with the entire situation. She left without another word, borderline slamming the door behind her. Jace turned his attention towards me.

“Lucky for you, I know just the thing to solve your problem. I’ve got a brand-new bottle of Maker’s Mark back at my place that we can bust open,” Jace suggested eagerly.

“What is that?”

“Bourbon, duh. ”

I rolled my eyes, turning to look out the window into the back pasture. The sun was sitting just above the tree line, signaling that the day was just about over. I didn’t have much time to finish my ranch tasks for the day.

“I will not be joining in on that. I have stuff to do before the day’s over. You need to get back to work too. That new herd of cattle is not going to vaccinate themselves,” I said, brushing past Jace and heading out the front door.

After putting all the horses away for the night and tidying up the stalls, two hours had gone by. It was almost dark now, and I was exhausted, both mentally and physically.

Mentally because of my situation with Ellie. Physically because the only way I know how to keep my mind off hard things is by keeping my hands busy. It’s a recipe for disaster when it comes to the health of my body, especially in situations like my current one.

After finally calling it a day, I stepped outside the horse stables, heading to my truck.

As I approached it, I could hear laughing in the distance. When I turned, I found Ellie standing on the porch of the guesthouse with Molly on her left and Cassie on her right.

I was just far enough away to make out their faces but still stay hidden in the shadows.

Ellie was wearing a short black leather skirt, her pink cowboy boots, and a jean jacket. Her hair fell in soft waves down her shoulders, and she looked as if what happened last Friday wasn’t phasing her nearly as much as it was me .

One by one, each girl loaded into Molly’s car, excited for whatever lay ahead for them tonight.

Curious where they were off to, I called Molly, testing out my best detective skills.

“Hello?” Molly answered after one ring.

“What’s my favorite sister up to tonight?” I asked, trying to not give away the fact that I had seen her leave the ranch just seconds ago.

“Lonely with nothing to do on a Friday night, huh?” she asked.

“Something like that,” I replied.

“Well, if you must know, Ellie, Cassie, and I are going to The Twisted Spur. In a few minutes, we’ll be riding a mechanical bull and taking shots that all the men trying to get in our pants have purchased for us tonight,” she said mischievously.

“First of all, you’re my sister, that’s gross. Secondly, if a man hits on Ellie at the bar tonight and even thinks for one second that he’s taking her home, you’d better call me,” I said with a serious tone.

“You no longer get that option, Colt. Remember? You and Ellie are just friends, nothing more. Friends don’t worry about how many times their platonic friends get hit on at the bar or who they sleep with for that matter. So, enjoy your night, Colt. Don’t wait up!”

And with that, she hung up.

In a weird way, it was like the universe was giving me a taste of my own medicine.

I ran my hand down my face, letting out a deep sigh.

There was no way I could sit here alone all night without going stir-crazy. The longer I sat in the silence, the more my brain was invaded with thoughts of Ellie going home with some drunk loser from the bar.

I stared at my phone for a few seconds before ultimately deciding to dial Jace.

“Miss me already, huh?” he teased.

“Does your offer of a guys’ night still stand?” I asked, hoping for a yes.

“Before I tell you my answer, what made you change your mind?” Jace asked, amused.

“Our sister took Ellie out to the bar tonight, and I watched her get in the car dressed in the shortest skirt I’ve ever seen her wear,” I answered, defeated.

“Oof, that’ll do it,” he said. I could tell he genuinely felt sorry for me. “You stay put, and I’ll be there with alcohol to fix your inside boo-boos in a few minutes.”

“Just get here before I lose my damn mind,” I begged.

“10-4, little buddy,” Jace said as he hung up the phone.