Page 26

J ensen opens the truck door for me like the perfect gentleman, and when he circles to the driver’s side, I check my phone and notice a string of missed texts.

Backroads & Bad Decisions Group Chat

Charlie: Mission: Date Night with Hot Lawyer = Successfully Aborted

Charlie: PS. He turned out to be a handsy creep with no concept of personal space.

Wren: Wrong message thread, Charlie.

Charlie: Shit!

I shake my head with amusement.

Briar: Wow. So we’re doing secret group chats now. Noted.

Birdie: Only for tonight!

Charlie: Snitch.

I have a good idea what it means, and truth be told, I’m not mad about it.

My date was a train wreck from the start.

Sure, the lawyer was good-looking, but that lost its charm the second he launched into a ten-minute tirade about how awful small towns are.

The only reason he’s living in Bluebell is because he couldn’t land a job in California, and his uncle owns the only law firm in town.

Then he picked a fight with our server over the lack of vegan options on the menu and bad-mouthed her the second she walked away when she refused to get the manager.

If that weren’t enough, he made us wait almost an hour to order because he wanted to let his drink settle before eating and then couldn’t decide what to order.

I had every intention of taking a page out of Birdie’s book and powering through until dinner was over, but that flew out the window when he put his hand on my leg and refused to let go after I’d already dodged his attempt to hold my hand.

Just as I was about to cause a scene, Jensen strode over wearing Wranglers and a cowboy hat, channeling Rip Wheeler from Yellowstone , all brooding hero and silent fury.

It was sexy as hell. I didn’t even care that he wasn’t supposed to be there.

I was just grateful that he was, and I didn’t hesitate to go to him when he held out his arms.

Wren: Can we go back to the part where the lawyer was a handsy creep with no concept of personal space?

Charlie: He put his slimy hand on Briar’s leg and acted like it was his god-given right.

Birdie: Did you or Briar mace him?

Charlie: Damn, that would have been so much more satisfying than tossing water at his face.

Charlie: Urban cowboy did get totally possessive and drew Briar into his arms before telling the lawyer off.

Not going to lie, it was a swoon-worthy moment.

Wren: Jensen sounds like a keeper.

Briar: Charlie, is now a good time to remind you that you practically begged me to go out with the lawyer?

Charlie: Momentary lapse in judgment. Now back to the group chats…

Briar: I still can’t believe you started a new one without me.

Charlie: You’re never going to let that go, are you?

Briar: Not a chance.

Birdie: Even if she had good intentions?

Charlie: Zip it, Birdie!

Briar: Don’t listen to Charlie. Tell me!

Now, I’m determined to get to the bottom of this.

Birdie: She set up that date, hoping Jensen would get jealous and show up.

Wren: And sent us updates in real time.

Birdie: Up until the lawyer got handsy, apparently.

Charlie: You’re both dead to me.

Charlie: And you’re wrong. I knew urban cowboy would show up. It’s obvious he’s smitten with our girl.

Charlie: I was hoping for a more dramatic ending like him punching the lawyer in the face.

Briar: OMG.

“Texting your friends?” I jolt slightly, caught off guard when Jensen speaks.

Briar: This isn’t over, but I have to go.

Charlie: Remember, save a horse…

“Yeah.” I jam my phone into my purse and set it on the floor by my feet. “Charlie gave Birdie and Wren a full play-by-play of what happened in the diner as if it were Monday Night Football .”

“Did she at least give them a decent halftime show?” Jensen smirks.

“Afraid not. She wasn’t impressed with the material she was given and would have preferred if you’d have punched my date to make it more entertaining,” I say, half-teasing.

I skip over Charlie’s theory that he came to the diner because he was jealous and my growing suspicion that she might be right.

His earlier indifference makes his sudden appearance feel more calculated than coincidental, and we both know he didn’t show up with a sudden craving for the best chili cheese fries in town.

“I considered it but figured the chance of a night in jail wasn’t worth missing even five more minutes without you.

” I blink, stunned by his unexpected honesty, but don’t have a chance to reply before he speaks again.

“Why did you have Earl drive you?” The question comes suddenly like it’s been weighing on him all night.

I’d plead the Fifth if I could. I was angry at how little he seemed to care, and I figured if anything would push his buttons, it would be taking the taxi into town.

I wanted him to wonder if I was spending the night with someone else.

I even considered crashing at Charlie’s or Birdie’s to see if I could get a reaction out of him.

Turns out, I didn’t have to go that far.

I fidget with the hem of my dress, avoiding his gaze. “No reason. I just wasn’t in the mood to drive.”

When I risk a look at Jensen, he’s frowning. “Oh, so we’re lying to each other now?”

I scoff. “Rich, coming from the guy who crashed my date and won’t tell me why.”

“From where I stood, you seemed rather receptive to the interruption.”

I narrow my eyes, exhaling sharply. “That’s not the point.”

“Then what is?” Jensen claps back.

I smooth out my dress, angling toward him to make sure I have as much of his attention as I can while he’s still focused on the road ahead.

“You don’t get to be upset with me,” I state firmly.

“When I told you I was going out, you had a chance to stop me, and you didn’t.

Honestly, you looked relieved when I left.

What was I supposed to think?” My hands tremble, so I clasp them in my lap before Jensen notices.

“Or what about when you kissed me, then pretended nothing changed, and suddenly appeared when I went on a date? Totally normal, right?” I ask, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jensen casts me a glance, regret etched into his features.

“You’re right, Briar. I fucked up. Big-time.

” He shifts in his seat, his posture rigid.

“You seemed so damn eager to go out tonight, spending hours getting ready, putting on that pretty dress, and wearing perfume that smells like apples and amber.”

My heart skips a beat at the word pretty —and again at the mention of my perfume.

Normally, I wear jeans and a T-shirt and put on my scented lotion, but tonight, I wanted to go all out.

Now, it feels ridiculous that I dressed up for a guy I have zero interest in seeing again, and who turned out to be a total creep to boot.

But it was never for the lawyer.

“I didn’t put all that effort in for him,” I admit, feeling vulnerable.

“You didn’t?” Jensen asks.

I shake my head, letting the silence linger between us.

I’m disappointed when we pass the sign leading to Silver Saddle Ranch, my stomach dropping as the cottage comes into view. The porch lights shine bright, welcoming us home. But I’m not ready for this conversation to end.

When Jensen parks the truck, I slowly unbuckle my seat belt, not ready to get out yet.

I peek over at him, his hands still gripping the steering wheel, shadows playing across his face.

God, he’s so handsome. Ever since he pulled me to his side at the diner and held my hand on the way out, I’ve wanted the chance to touch him again.

Before I can make a move, he looks over and pats the seat between us. I don’t hesitate to slide over, and I exhale in relief when his hand lifts to gently cup my cheek. His eyes soften as they lock with mine, and I melt into his touch, feeling a sense of peace I’ve been missing all day.

“I showed up at the diner because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about our kiss.

” He leans forward, pressing his forehead to mine.

“I’ve regretted saying it should be a one-time thing ever since.

I know I don’t have a claim on you, but watching you go out with another man drove me wild, and I knew if I didn’t do something, I’d regret it. ”

“What are you saying, Jensen?” I whisper.

“The truth is I want you all to my—”

He stops short when the front door of the cottage swings open, and we both turn to find Caleb dashing outside in his glow-in-the-dark dinosaur pajamas.

“What the hell,” Jensen mutters under his breath. “He’s supposed to be asleep.”

I grab my purse from the passenger side floor, then climb out of the truck. When I circle to the front, Jensen’s already gotten out and has scooped Caleb into his arms, ruffling his messy hair.

“Shouldn’t you be asleep?” he asks, his tone amused.

Caleb nods shamelessly.

“If that’s the case, why are you awake?”

Caleb scrunches his nose as he twists his head to the side, pointing toward Heath and Walker, who’ve just stepped out onto the front porch.

Walker whistles when he looks at Jensen. “The cowboy hat suits you, Harding.”

“Thanks. I think it’s safe to say I look better in it than you do.” Jensen smirks.

Walker shoots him a mock glare. “You wish.”

“Don’t worry, Jensen, he’s just jealous that you’ve got the whole rugged-charm thing going better than he does,” Heath interjects with a grin.

Walker steps off the porch, heading straight to Jensen. He plucks the hat from his head and places it back on his own with exaggerated flair.

He grins. “Now that’s more like it.”

Caleb lets out a giggle, and Jensen shoots him a playful side-eye as he wipes what looks like cookie crumbs from his face. “ Is there a reason why my son’s face is covered in crumbs?” Jensen asks.

Walker raises his hands in defense. “The kid probably heard you leave because he came down shortly after. He seemed confused, and we were worried he’d start crying, so Heath gave him some of the chocolate chip cookies left on the counter.”

Heath shoots him a glare. “Oh, come on. You were totally on board. You’re the one who said yes when he wanted to watch Shrek. ”

“You try saying no to that face,” Walker says, gesturing at Caleb, who’s smiling at his antics.

Jensen readjusts Caleb in his arms, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Would it have been so hard to give him some water and read him a story like I suggested?”

“Maybe next time you’ll think twice about leaving him with us. And don’t forget, now you owe us four Saturdays working on the ranch.” Walker smirks.

“It’s a good thing you didn’t make the deal with me,” Heath says to Jensen. “I would have had you out there for the whole damn summer.”

“Watch your language,” I warn, glancing at Caleb, resting his head against Jensen’s shoulder. I’m guessing the sugar’s finally catching up with him.

“My bad,” Heath says, holding his hand out in surrender as he moves inside behind Jensen.

Before Walker can follow, I hold out a hand to stop him.

“How did Jensen get roped into ranch duty?”

“He agreed to help out in exchange for Heath and me watching Caleb. Didn’t even try to negotiate. That’s how desperate he was to stop that date of yours.”

He did that for me?