Page 23 of Timber's Line

I head out for the unknown. I don’t know the guy behind the door, but I don’t like the look of him. He gives off a vibe of being shady.

“You’re the mysterious Dayton,” Noah says, and I don’t like his tone.

“Don’t know what you heard.”

“Everyone knows your story, but you’ve been out of the public eye since then.”

“Maybe because I don’t like people prying into my life,” I hiss at him.

“Easy. I’m not here to judge you.”

I don’t say anything else. Once in place at the panel, I peek around to see Timber. I see her kiss Carlton’s cheek and I can’t help but glare at him. But it’s not his fault, and he’s married.

“Action.”

Noah heads around the panel and meets Timber. I watch as he takes her hand and leads her to a picnic table by the lake. I want to break his hand.

“Easy, tiger.” London joins me as we watch.

I don’t say anything. She’s not mine. I don’t even know how I feel about her, or myself for that matter.

“Timber is a sweet girl. You want to win her heart, you need to figure out your own.”

“I . . .” What do I say?

“It will happen,” he says.

“Says the manwhore.”

He snorts. “I have my eyes on someone.”

“What?”

“She’s been fighting it since we met. We don’t exactly run in the same circles.”

“Oh?”

“I’ll tell you when the time is right.” He smiles.

I sit on a log by the big oak tree, watching the whole date. She looks uncomfortable. He’s not her type, too stiff. When the date ends, she heads toward the barn, and I head in that direction too.

She’s sitting on the same bale from last night, staring off into space.

“I don’t think Noah is the right one for you either,” I say as I take a seat next to her.

“You don’t know my type,” she huffs out. She sounds bitter toward me, and I don’t blame her.

“I guess everyone’s type is just wanting to be loved,” I say sadly.

She starts to say something, but I hold up a finger to her mouth. “Don’t say sorry. I’m grateful that you don’t look at me like the others, like I’m lost and broken.”

“I don’t think you’re lost, just wandered off the course for a bit.”

“Then broken,” I mumble.

She takes my hand and caresses her cheek with it, and she can see my eyes flicker with emotion. When she stands and steps in between my legs, I can smell her strawberry scent and it snaps something inside of me. I grab her and kiss her, again. I don’t know what comes over me, but it’s like I just need to kiss her soft lips. I pour my heart into it, showing her my whole heart. It feels so good and so right. Yet, wrong at the same time. I break the kiss, abruptly standing, almost sending her spiraling to the ground.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” I mutter as I turn and leave the barn, heading toward the house. My heart is torn in two—one half wants Snow back, and the other wants to move on.