Page 40 of Take My Name

“He’s quite the workaholic, too,” she replies. “He’s also in publishing.”

“Oh…” I swallow hard, hating myself for needing to know more about him. “Is that how y’all met?”

“Mm-hmm,” is all she responds and it’s obvious she’s holding back, so I don’t push her on it.

Once we arrive at the restaurant, we sit across from each other in a booth and place our orders.

“So I told you about my job. Tell me more about yours.” She sips her Coke, looking up at me as she does.

“You probably know plenty about my job considerin’ not much has changed in the ranchin’ world.”

“Well…you’re like the boss now, right? Under your dad, I assume.”

I nod, grabbing my Sweet Tea and taking a drink. “I manage the ranch staff and deal with the day-to-day operations. I’m usually at the stables or out in the pasture fixin’ shit. Bodie works with me, so he helps with makin’ sure tasks get done.”

“I can’t believe how grown up he is. He must’ve been fourteen when I moved.”

“Sounds ’bout right. Little shit went through a growth spurt and passed me up a few years ago.”

She laughs. “And he has a whole face of hair! He was a smooth-skinned baby face back then.”

That has me chuckling. “Should see his arm. It’s all tatted up.”

“Bodie?”

“Yep. A full sleeve. Couldn’t tell ya what they’re of because they all blend together, but I swear he gets a new one every month.”

“Wow. Bodie the badass. Who knew?”

“Don’t tell him you said that. It’ll go right to his head.”

She grins and the sight of it warms me from the inside out. “Why do I have a feelin’ he’s a bit of a player?”

“You’d be correct.” I smirk, remembering how he said he had a date the other night but had to cancel because Blythe shit all over him.

Our food arrives and we shift to small talk. Her favorite restaurants in New York and what she loves and hates about living in the city. I eat my sandwich and onion rings, nodding along but secretly dying inside that she’ll never want to leave a city that offers her much more than I ever could.

If a second chance between us became a real possibility, could I move up there for her? It’s not like the ranch can’t run without me, especially now that Bodie’s older and my parents aren’t busy raising teenagers in their house.

Back then I didn’t want to leave the only home I’d ever known or abandon my responsibilities on the ranch, especially being the oldest child. But now knowing what it feels like to lose the love of my life, my perception has changed.

Could I livein a big city?

If it meant I got my wife back…I think I could.

By the time we get back to my house, it’s after dusk. We managed to keep a flow of conversation going while we ate and on the drive back. I even had her laughing a few times until her phone rang and she told me it was Hayes calling to say good night.

I told her to go ahead and pick it up. When she explained to him that she was out with anold friend, my jaw nearly snapped in half. I wanted to ask her why she never told him about being married, but I have a feeling she wouldn’t tell me. We’ve had a fun evening with no fighting, so I didn’t want to ruin it.

“I actually had fun,” she says when I walk her to her car.

“You sound surprised.” I shove my hands in my pockets so I don’t reach out and touch her.

My heart’s been pounding all night at getting to be around her again. Being this close confuses my brain that she’s not mine to kiss, when I spent years pulling her toward me and spreading her lips with my tongue.

“Honestly, I am. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was a nice break from sittin’ behind my computer or thinkin’ about work. Sometimes it’s hard to turn off my brain, so I end up workin’ even when I’m not.”

“Sounds like you needed the reminder that you work to live and not live to work.”