Page 11 of Wrangled and Tangled (Raven Peak Ranch #1)

“ W hat the fuck , Staci?” I’m bellowing into the phone before I hit the bottom step of Spencer’s house. He threw me out, and hell, I would too if I were on the other side of this damn mess.

“I told you, this player shit ain’t gonna work anymore,” she says, calm as a cucumber while I might very well have a coronary. Spencer’s someone I could have seen myself pursuing, and now? Fuck, he probably hates me.

How do I tell him that Macy’s a woman my publicist set me up with? And because I hoe’d around for a little too long to boot.

Throwing my head back and groaning, I look at the blue and orange morning sky. It’s as beautiful as I thought it’d be. The grassy hills of the pasture glisten with morning dew, and the sky mixes with blue, pink, and orange.

An easy morning, that’s what it should have been. Now here I am, walking down Spencer’s long ass driveway to the bar down the way so Eddie can come pick me up. Kicking the dirt and listening to Staci tell me about how good this is going to be for my image , I roll my eyes.

“You didn’t think to run it by me first?” I scoff, “You didn’t think, ‘maybe he’s with someone?’”

She laughs, and if I had a guess, she’s not at all amused, “You’re always with someone, Heath, that’s why Macy and I made this arrangement.”

“Goddammit! I like this guy, Staci!” I shout, hearing my voice travel across the fields.

“Of course you do, Heath. He gave you his undivided attention,” she coos. “What happens when you leave for the next city, hmm? Are you expecting him to follow you?”

“No,” I hmpf.

“Exactly, and there will always be another guy or girl that you really like ,” I can almost hear her eye-roll from over the phone. “Get back to your trailer, get ready for tonight, and you’ll be on your way to your next stop, okay?”

She ends the call with a click, and I stop, standing there like an idiot in the middle of the dirt road leading to his house. I should go back, explain, even if he doesn’t want to hear it. Maybe if he knows that it’s a farce, he’ll understand. Or, at the very least, not hate me.

The rumble of an engine catches my attention, and a truck appears down the hill, coming my way. It’s a black Ford with a Raven Peak Ranch plate on the front. Whoever it is comes to a stop beside me and rolls down the window.

It’s the older man from The Raven.

“You Heath?” He asks with little enthusiasm, and I suck my teeth and nod. “Get in.”

“I think I’ll walk,” I start, taking a few steps past the passenger door. And he honks the horn, stopping my feet from moving.

“Get in the truck, Heath, I ain’t gonna hurt you,” he sighs.

Looking down the road, I decide to get in. If he’s gonna kill me, I guess I had a great last night.

“Spence said you might need a ride,” he says, putting the truck in reverse and backing into the grass where the fence is open. Pulling it in drive, he presses the gas, and we fly down the road, kicking up dirt behind us.

I can only imagine what Spencer told him, an engaged asshole whom he fucked last night. The words sound crude in my own head. I can’t imagine that’s how he said it.

“He didn’t tell me what happened, if you’re worried,” the older man says, and I’m grateful for that. I doubt he’d be hospitable if he knew Spencer’s view on the situation.

“Mhmm,” I offer him. I don’t really have anything else to say. My phone’s blowing up, and I have half a mind to turn it off. I don’t know what’s being said, and Lord, I don’t think I wanna know.

The entirety of the drive back to the arena is quiet, and my thoughts circle.

Eddie’s standing at the gate, arms crossed and legs standing apart like a disappointed father catching his son doing something bad.

“Don’t,” I sigh, stepping out of the truck and turning back to speak to the man who saved me a whole lotta steps. “Thank you, and if you see Spencer, would you tell him it's not–” I let out a long breath. “Just tell him I’m sorry.”

“You bet,” he nods but doesn’t look very hopeful.

I can’t hope for much after this morning. He doesn’t seem like the type to give second chances.

“How are you feelin’?” Eddie asks, clapping my back as I reach him.

“Like I might have just fucked up somethin’ good for me, and I wasn’t even the culprit,” I admit with a sad chuckle and shake of my head. “You know Staci’s so fired, right?”

Eddie laughs, shaking his head as he walks me to my trailer and opens the door.

“Rest up, Muffin,” he hollers. “You’ve got a qualifier tonight.”

The door shuts, and the quiet settles. There’s a bottle of water and a few pain pills on the small counter where the sink is. I didn’t even drink that much last night, Spencer was amazing, and so fucking hot that I didn’t need any liquid courage to be with him.

I’ll have to find him, make him understand that this engagement isn’t real.

Tomorrow, once this rodeo is over, I’ll talk to Macy.

Buy her out of whatever contract Staci made her sign.

There’s something between Spencer and me, and I’m not about to let that sliver of hope go, not when I have all the charm in the world at my disposal.