Page 23 of Taming the Billionaire Cowboy (The Billionaire’s Bidding #3)
CARLY
I already know that with Oliver gone I’m going to feel lost. Which is stupid. Crazy.
I have work. Bradley. My life. The life I had long before he ever showed up. I don’t need him to give meaning to my existence.
And yet, the moment he drove away, it felt like a big gaping hole opened up in my chest.
At least it’s not long before I’m distracted from it. Bradley’s friend’s mom texts, asking if Bradley wants to join them at the pool today. The race to dig out a clean bathing suit and gather a towel, floaties, and sunscreen keeps me plenty occupied.
Helping Bradley into his flip-flops and grabbing the bag stuffed with pool necessities, I usher him into the car.
During the drive, he talks nonstop about his birthday party and all the presents he got.
The words spill from him in an enthusiastic ramble, and I can’t help but smile at his excitement.
By the time we reach the community pool, it’s close to midday and the sun is beating down with unforgiving Texas-summer force. Bradley’s friend’s mom, Edith, waves at us from under a large umbrella. She has both her sons with her, the two of them playing in the shallow end.
“You’re not staying?” Edith asks, noting my jeans and work boots.
“Naw, I think I’m gonna head into work. See what I can get done.” I smile, already knowing that if I stayed here at the pool, I would drive myself crazy sitting around. I’m the kind of person who has always needs to stay busy.
“All right. Well, Bradley is welcome to stay as long as he likes.”
“Thank you,” I tell her. “We’ve packed a lunch, so you don’t need to worry about that.”
After a quick goodbye, I hop back in the car and head toward the ranch. Miles has probably gotten all the animals fed by now, but there are a few things that need fixing that I’ve been meaning to get to. Oliver and I have a running list, but sometimes, we get distracted and do, uh… other things.
It’s hard not to be sidetracked when it’s just the two of us out there, sweat running down his neck, the invigorating smells of dirt and grass rising around us. I feel most alive next to his side, caring for the land and the animals.
A quick check of the time tells me he’s already on his flight, headed back to Houston. One day , he said. Maybe a few .
Letting out a long, shuddering exhale, I grip the wheel tighter. The ranch comes into view, an oasis in the midst of my internal chaos.
There’s work to be done.
Miles is in the barnyard with a water bottle in his hand. “Hey, boss,” he calls out.
“Hello, Miles,” I respond. “You got everything sorted?”
“Yep,” he says, taking a sip from his bottle. “All are fed and watered.”
I give him a nod of approval. “Good work. Check on Bettie for me?”
“The old mare? Yeah, she’s doing fine. Took her out for a short trot.”
“Nice. Thanks. Oliver will be out of town for a couple days. Maybe a week. Figured I’d catch up on some stuff this afternoon.” Heading into the stable, I inspect the list that Oliver and I pinned to the wall.
Deciding that I should finish the most important thing first, I get started on the damaged fence.
The sun is scorching, but I like the heat, the way it causes my muscles to loosen and my body to thrum with life.
Sweat drips down my forehead as I swing the hammer again and again, driving nails deeper into the wood.
Hours pass in a haze of sweat, splinters, and women’s country ballads playing from my phone. Without Oliver to lend a hand or distract me with his handsome smile and sexy laughter, I find myself making good time.
The fence mended, I allow myself to gaze at it for a while, satisfied with the completed project. It stands tall and sturdy, a physical representation of the work I’ve poured into this land. Not just today, but every day.
The glow of the setting sun paints the ranch in honeyed hues, casting long shadows that drape over Cobbler, the old quarter horse chewing grass in the nearby paddock. A gust of wind rustles through the trees, causing the leaves to dance and shimmer in the golden light.
Out here, everything reminds me of Oliver, from the horses to the barn, the fresh-cut grass to the air I breathe. He’s threaded himself into the very fabric of all that I hold dear.
As I trudge back toward the main house, I make a mental note to catch up on bookkeeping tomorrow. With the physical work done, it’s time for the nitty-gritty details. Finances, paperwork, schedules…
I have to smile to myself. Even absent, Oliver is here in my thoughts, in every plan I form. I miss him. A lot.
But it’s okay, because he’ll be back. We’ll be together again, and knowing that eases the ache in my chest. Now is a little lonely, but the future is ours, and that future is golden.