Page 28 of Dust and Desire (Sagebrush Cowboys #5)
Alex
N erves had been running high all day with Ali’s impending arrival.
Dustin had texted me, letting me know she’d arrived and that we’d all be having dinner together down at the diner.
And despite every logical brain cell in my head, I was still terrified that I was going to lose him to her, that she’d come to take him back.
Maybe not romantically, but back to their old life, back to New York, back to the world where I didn’t exist. The thought made my chest tight with anxiety as I finished up my work for the day, brushing down the last horse and securing the stable.
I’d changed clothes twice before settling on my best jeans and a button-down shirt that Dustin had once said brought out my eyes. Not that I was trying to compete with his ex-wife or anything. That would be ridiculous.
But as I walked into Dolly’s Diner and saw them sitting together in a corner booth, all my rational thoughts fled.
Ali was even more beautiful than I’d imagined, all polished elegance and designer clothes that probably cost more than I made in a month.
She looked like she belonged in Dustin’s old world, the one with corner offices and expensive restaurants and culture .
And there was Dustin, smiling at something she’d said, looking more animated than I’d seen him all week.
They fit together so easily, their conversation flowing like they were picking up exactly where they’d left off.
There was so much familiarity… something that Dustin and I hadn’t been together long enough to have.
Hell, I was still trying to get him to open up completely to me.
“Alex!” Dustin’s face lit up when he spotted me, and some of the tension in my chest eased. He slid over to make room for me, his hand finding mine under the table as soon as I sat down. “Ali, this is Alex. Alex, this is Ali.”
Ali turned those sharp brown eyes on me, and I felt like I was being evaluated. Her smile was polite but assessing, and I could practically see her cataloging every detail about me.
“So, you’re the famous Alex,” she said, extending a perfectly manicured hand. “Dustin’s told me so much about you.”
“All good things, I hope,” I replied, shaking her hand. Her grip was firm, confident, the handshake of someone used to boardrooms and negotiations.
“The best things,” she said, but there was something in her tone I couldn’t quite read. “He seems quite taken with you.”
Heat crept up my neck. “The feeling’s mutual.”
Dustin squeezed my hand under the table, and I felt some of my anxiety settle. He was here with me, choosing to sit beside me, to hold my hand even with his ex-wife watching. That had to mean something.
“Ali was just telling me about her riding lesson with Caroline,” Dustin said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Apparently it was... eventful.”
Ali laughed, a sound that was both musical and slightly embarrassed. “That’s one way to put it. I think I spent more time on the ground than in the saddle. Caroline is... intense.”
“She’s a good teacher,” I offered. “Tough but fair.”
“Oh, she’s definitely tough,” Ali agreed, and there was something in her voice that made me look at her more closely. A flush had crept up her neck, and she was fidgeting with her water glass. “Very... hands-on.”
Dustin snorted into his water glass, nearly choking. “Caroline? Hands-on? That’s... interesting.”
I watched the exchange between them, feeling like I was missing something. Ali’s blush deepened, and she quickly changed the subject.
“So, Alex,” she said, her eyes finding mine again. “Tell me about yourself. How did a city lawyer and a cowboy end up together in the middle of nowhere Texas?”
“Pure luck,” I answered honestly, feeling Dustin’s thumb tracing circles on my palm under the table. “Right place, right time.”
“He’s being modest,” Dustin cut in. “He showed up looking for work, and I was... well, I was a mess, Ali. You know how I was when I first moved here.”
Ali’s expression softened. “Lost. Trying to find yourself.”
“Exactly. I’ve been that way for the past two years. And then Alex came waltzing onto the ranch.” Dustin looked at me with such open affection that my earlier fears seemed ridiculous. “He just... saw me. The real me.”
“That’s beautiful,” Ali said, and to my surprise, she sounded genuinely happy. “Truly.”
Dolly appeared at our table, saving me from having to respond. “Well, aren’t you three a picture? What can I get y’all tonight?”
We ordered, and as Dolly walked away, I felt some of the tension in my shoulders ease. This wasn’t so bad. Ali seemed nice enough, and Dustin was clearly comfortable with both of us here. Maybe this dinner wouldn’t be the disaster I’d feared.
“So, Ali,” I ventured, wanting to make an effort. “Dustin mentioned you’re also a lawyer?”
“Insurance,” she nodded, letting out a long sigh.
“It’s dull as hell, but it pays well and there’s never anything too complicated to do.
The biggest issues I have are arguments over wording in contracts and policies.
” She glanced at Dustin. “I sort of hate it, but it pays for my apartment and my shopping habit, so I don’t mind. ”
“You were always better at accepting the monotony than I was,” Dustin said with a small smile. “I kept thinking each new acquisition would somehow be more fulfilling than the last.”
“That’s because you’re a romantic,” Ali replied, her tone fond but teasing. “Always expecting the world to be better than it is.”
I felt Dustin tense slightly beside me, and I squeezed his hand under the table. These weren’t just casual observations, this was someone who knew him in ways I was still discovering.
“Nothing wrong with being a romantic,” I said, surprising myself with how protective I sounded. “The world needs more dreamers.”
Ali’s eyes flickered to me, something like approval in her gaze. “You’re right. It’s one of his best qualities.” She took a sip of her water. “So, what about you, Alex? What were you doing before you became a ranch hand?”
My stomach clenched. This was dangerous territory. “Bit of everything. Worked ranches all over. Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, Louisiana.” I shrugged, aiming for casual. “I like the freedom of it.”
“A wanderer,” Ali observed, her lawyer’s eyes seeing more than I wanted. “What made you decide to land in Sagebrush?”
“They had a job open, and I needed one.”
“And do you plan to stay?”
The question caught me off guard, but I nodded. “Right now, I am.”
She lifted and eyebrow. “Why?”
Dustin’s thumb traced circles against my palm, and I found myself answering honestly. “Him,” I stated simply.
The word hung in the air between us, raw and honest. Ali’s expression softened, and for a moment, I thought I saw something like relief in her eyes.
“Well,” she said quietly, “I’m glad he found someone who sees his worth.”
Our food arrived, temporarily saving me from the intensity of the conversation.
As we ate, the talk shifted to lighter topics instead of an interrogation.
We talked about Ali’s adventures in learning to ride, Dustin’s newfound love of cooking, the characters that made up Sagebrush. It was almost... comfortable.
Until I glanced out the window and saw it.
The red truck was parked across the street, barely visible in the growing darkness. But I knew that truck. I’d know it anywhere, right down to the dent on the driver’s side fender.
My fork clattered against my plate, and Dustin turned to me with concern. “Alex? What’s wrong?”
I forced a smile, even as my heart hammered against my ribs. “Nothing. Just clumsy. I’m fine.”
Dustin frowned, clearly not believing me. “Are you sure? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m okay,” I insisted, though my voice sounded strained even to my own ears. “Really.”
Ali was watching this exchange with sharp eyes, her lawyer’s instincts clearly sensing something amiss. I needed to get it together before she started asking questions I couldn’t answer.
“So, Ali,” I said, desperate to change the subject, “how long are you planning to stay in Sagebrush?”
She allowed the diversion, though her eyes remained focused on me. “A few days, maybe a week,” she replied, her gaze still studying me. “Depends on how things go. I’m finding the place has... unexpected charms.”
I nodded, trying to focus on her words instead of the panic clawing at my chest. The red truck was still there, a shadow I couldn’t escape. I took a long sip of water, willing my hands not to shake.
“You should stay for the weekend at least,” Dustin said, oblivious to my inner turmoil. “There’s a small rodeo competition on Saturday at the arena. Nothing fancy, but you’d get to see Caroline and her students compete with one another.”
Something flickered across Ali’s face at the mention of Caroline’s name, a brief flash of interest she quickly masked. “I might just do that.”
I forced myself to eat, mechanically cutting my chicken fried steak into smaller and smaller pieces while keeping my eyes away from the window. Keith was out there watching us. Watching me with Dustin. The thought made me sick.
“Alex,” Dustin’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts, his hand warm on my knee under the table. “You haven’t touched your food. What’s going on?”
I met his concerned blue eyes and hated myself for the lie I was about to tell. “Just tired. Long day.” I managed a smile that felt brittle on my face. “And maybe a little nervous meeting the ex-wife.”
Ali laughed, the sound surprisingly genuine. “Oh please, I’m not that intimidating.”
“Says the woman who made the CEO of her company cry,” Dustin countered with a fond smile.
“That was one time,” Ali protested, waving her fork. “And he deserved it. He was being a prick.”