Page 24

I t’s settled. I’m a goddamn idiot.

I pace the entryway as if that’ll make time move faster. At this rate, I’ll wear through the rug and my nerves by the end of the night.

Briar left for her date thirty minutes ago.

She was wearing a blue floral summer dress that hit mid-thigh, paired with cream cowboy boots, making the outfit more seductive than sweet.

She looked stunning, and all I could think about was it should’ve been me taking her out to dinner and making her laugh.

Instead, I let her leave and told her to have a good time with another man.

I shouldn’t have tried to play it cool when she told me she was going out.

If she’d mentioned it was a date before asking to get off work early, I would’ve found an excuse to keep her at the cottage tonight.

Petty? Maybe. But the thought of her out with another man is pure torture.

Yes, I’m aware we’ve only kissed once, but that hasn’t stopped this gnawing jealousy from sinking its teeth into my chest when I picture her with someone else.

The worst part? She had Earl pick her up. Nothing says “first date” like calling the town taxi instead of driving yourself. If she wasn’t planning to go home with the guy she’s out with, why not drive herself?

What am I going to do?

I can’t just pick up the phone and ask her to come back. She’d ask why, and what am I supposed to say? That I’m jealous? Like I have any right? We agreed that nothing could happen beyond the kiss we shared.

However, if Briar gets serious with this guy, I’ll be forced to watch him fawn over her, and she won’t spend as much time with Caleb and me. That’s not going to happen on my watch.

So much for keeping my distance.

I have to put a stop to her night out.

But how?

Julie and Samuel are visiting a friend a few towns over, and even if they left now, they wouldn’t be back for another hour. That’s enough time for Briar to finish dinner and be well on her way to falling for her date.

I dial Heath’s number, cursing when it goes straight to voicemail, so I try Walker next.

“What’s up, pretty boy?” he answers, his tone cheeky.

“Where’s your brother?”

“Out.”

I let out a frustrated sigh, losing patience. “Out where?”

“He was checking the cattle, so he should be back at the ranch house soon. Why?”

“I need you guys to come to the cottage and watch Caleb for a couple of hours.”

He lets out a humorless laugh. “Good one.”

“I’m serious.”

“You must be desperate if you’re askin’ two guys with zero experience to look after your kid. ”

“Walker,” I say, my tone sharp. “This is important. He’s in bed, so all you have to do is wait downstairs until I’m back.”

“What if he wakes up?”

“You give him a glass of water and read him a story. He hardly ever gets up once he’s settled, so you shouldn’t worry about that.”

“And where exactly are you going out on a week night?”

You’d think I was being cross-examined based on his line of questioning.

“Prickly Pear Diner.”

Walker lets out a low whistle. “Interesting. Isn’t that where Briar’s on her date tonight? According to the town gossip, she’s gone out with a fancy lawyer from California who moved here to work at his uncle’s practice.”

I clear my throat to hide my jealousy. “A lawyer?”

“Don’t worry, I doubt he’ll last very long.

He’s a vegan. We don’t have tofu and avocado toast around these parts.

Although he does have dreamy blue eyes,” Walker says with a swoony flair.

“Come to think of it, why do you care so much who Briar dates? Aren’t you a little old for her?

” he jokes, not letting up. “I hear the lawyer is only twenty-six.”

“That’s five years younger than you,” I point out.

“Yeah, but six years younger than you ,” he quips. “Plus, he’s not family, so I can’t question his intentions with Briar like I can yours.”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. The truth is, I don’t even fully understand the feelings I have for her.

Would the age gap stop me from going after her if that was even an option?

Hell no. I’d even let Walker and Heath grill me on my intentions.

But for now, my only focus is cutting Briar’s date short.

Unpacking my feelings will have to wait.

“Walker,” I growl, “can you and Heath come or not?”

He chuckles, clearly getting a kick out of pushing my buttons. “ What’s in it for us? I was going to swing by Blue Moon Tavern tonight and wasn’t planning on leaving alone.”

Son of a bitch. This is why I prefer Heath. He’s straightforward and doesn’t play games. Walker, on the other hand, has the reputation of a cowboy Casanova. Rumor has it he’s been with half the women in town and left behind a trail of broken hearts.

“I’m helping bale hay next weekend,” I say.

He scoffs. “If I’m giving up a night with a pretty girl, there’s no way you’re getting off that easy. I want you working three full Saturdays on the ranch.” He pauses, giving me a chance to think about it. “Do we have a deal?”

“Fine.” Whatever it takes to get him here and fast.

“Awesome.” I hear a door creak open, followed by the low grumble of a truck engine. “Heath just pulled in. We’ll be there soon. And if that kid wakes up while we’re there, I’m cashing in another Saturday of hard labor.”

“His name is Caleb, and that won’t be necessary. He’ll stay asleep.”

Not a promise I should make, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

The whole drive into town, my mind runs through every worst-case scenario.

What if Briar’s angry when she finds out I’m here?

What if she’s making out with the guy? Or what if they’ve already left for his place?

I’m a damn pressure cooker when I reach Prickly Pear Diner.

The flickering neon sign has me clenching my jaw hard enough to crack a molar.

I slam the truck door and march inside. I’m relieved when I spot the “Seat Yourself” sign near the hostess station.

It’s a small victory to avoid an awkward interaction that could land me in the town gossip column.

I’d rather not explain why I’m here to keep an eye out on my kid’s nanny, who’s on a date with another man.

Nothing odd about that, right?

I fall behind a group of patrons heading into the dining area, tugging the brim of Walker’s cowboy hat lower to avoid drawing attention to myself. He insisted I borrow it on my way out the door, claiming I’d stick out like a sore thumb without it, and tonight, I’d much rather blend in.

I move slowly, scanning the room until I spot Briar at a corner high-top table.

She’s seated across from a man with wavy blond hair, wearing a colorful floral shirt that must have come from a beachside surf shop, paired with black skinny jeans that seem painted on.

He sticks out like a sore thumb, and several patrons keep shooting him wary glances, clearly not used to his flashy style.

Walker was right about the cowboy hat. No one’s given me a second glance so far. I’m almost to the bar, where I’ll have a clear line of sight to Briar’s table, when a voice cuts through the low buzz of conversation.

“Hey, urban cowboy. You’re blocking my view.”

I turn to find a woman sitting at a nearby booth with red hair pulled into a ponytail beneath a green baseball cap, sunglasses hiding most of her face. She’s wearing an oversized T-shirt that says Stakeouts are my Cardio. Subtlety doesn’t appear to be her strong suit.

“Can I help you?”

She motions to the empty side of the booth. “Take a seat before you ruin my surveillance.”

I glance around, unsure what to do, but when she sighs, tapping her red-painted nails on the table, I figure it’s best if I do as she says.

Once I’m seated, the woman pushes a glass of water my way. “This is yours. Took you long enough to get here. I was starting to think you weren’t going to show up. ”

I take a cautious sip, frowning. “Who did you say you were?”

“I’m Charlie, Briar’s best friend and your fairy god-matchmaker tonight.”

I sputter into my glass before setting it down. “Sorry. Are you the one who saves chickens?”

Briar has mentioned her friends’ names before, but I can’t keep them straight.

It would’ve helped if she’d had them over since Caleb and I got to Bluebell, but she usually meets up with them in town.

Now I’m left at a disadvantage, sitting across from one of them, and I’m not sure if she’s going to continue to make small talk or start an interrogation.

Charlie shakes her head. “That’s Birdie. I’m the getaway driver and distractions creator when things go sideways and we need a quick escape.”

I motion to her ensemble. “And what mission is it you’re on tonight?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” She slides her sunglasses off, tucking them in the V of her shirt.

“I’m working double duty as a spy and a matchmaker.

It’s exhausting. Thank god I ordered an appetizer.

” She slides a basket of chili cheese fries between us that I hadn’t noticed earlier and plops one into her mouth.

While she’s distracted, I look over at Briar and her date. He’s busy scanning his menu, but Briar’s stays closed, her eyes darting to the clock on the wall every few seconds. Maybe she’s not enjoying herself as much as I thought she might.

“They’re taking forever to order,” Charlie says, making me turn back to her.

“The hotshot lawyer is from California and vegan, so he’s had a million questions about the menu.

He’d better plan on leaving a big tip because their server is ready to throw him out if he asks about the dairy-free options one more time. ”

“He sounds high maintenance,” I say, doing my best to hide how pleased I am. “You still haven’t told me why you’re here or how you knew I’d show up.” Hell, I only figured it out an hour ago. “Were you not a fan of her going out with the lawyer either?”

Charlie’s smirk tells me I’ve admitted more than I should.

“Actually, I set them up,” she says smugly, grabbing another fry.

“You what ?”