Page 9 of The Cowboy Who Looked Again

Daddy pulled Link into one of his big bear hugs, and Link sank into it. He let himself be small and weak and cradled, because he needed it. Bear Glover had always made Link feel so safe, and he found he needed that in this moment.

“I just want you to be happy.”

“I’m not unhappy,” Link whispered. But he couldn’t say he was happy either. He felt stuck, and with every passing day, he grew more frustrated in his current situation.

“I know you, son, and I saw you with her.” He pulled back and leaned forward, his eyes searching Link’s. “I’m real sorry it’s not working out the way you want. If I could fix it for you, I would.”

“I know.” Link nodded and finished buttoning his shirt. He looked up, wishing he was brave and strong like his father. “I’m not going to get back together with her. I have more dignity than that. But I’m not ready to date someone else either. I still really like her, which sounds stupid, but I can’t change that faster than I am.”

“You’re doing great,” Daddy murmured.

“I do feel frozen,” Link said. “But if there’s anything you and Momma have taught me, it’s to put my faith and trust in God, then forget myself and go to work. And that’s what I’m trying to do, day by day, so I’m okay. Okay? I’m okay.”

“Okay,” Daddy said, agreeing with him maybe a little too quickly. “I’ll tell Momma not to worry.”

Lincoln scoffed and then chuckled. “That’s like tellin’ the sun not to shine, Daddy.”

“I know.” He grinned at him. “But I’ll tell her all the same.” He draped his arm around Link’s shoulder and turned with him as he moved toward the door. “We’re prayin’ for you.”

“Thank you,” Link said. “Now, if you’d go get changed and help me ride the fences, I’d take your company.”

“I thought you’d never ask.” Daddy grinned at him and said, “Give me a half-hour, and September and I will come find you and Copper.”

“Yes, sir,” Link said. “Can we not talk about Misty?”

“Not another word for tonight,” Daddy promised, and Link knew his father always kept his promises.

Link nodded and headed into the kitchen to fill his water bottle while Daddy went out the front door. He sighed as he leaned against the countertop, and he looked out the window to the ranch beyond. His backyard wasn’t much to write home about, but he wasn’t surprised to see Dusty and Rio, two ranch dogs, trotting across the fields from the stables. It was as if they knew he’d just gotten home and would be headed out to work soon.

He moved to open the back door and whistled for the dogs, who both broke into more of a run. Link filled a big bowl with cold water for them, and he chuckled as he scrubbed them along their ears and jowls.

“We’re just ridin’ fence tonight,” he said. “Daddy’s coming, okay?”

Neither dog confirmed, but Link drew comfort from their presence anyway. The ranch employed a dozen dogs, and somehow this blue heeler and this border collie had taken a shine to him. He didn’t mind at all, and he suspected they’d started hanging around this cabin, because they liked Honor, Mitch’s hearing dog.

Link didn’t care, and because he gave them steak and chicken and other treats, both Dusty and Rio kept coming around. “Let’s go saddle up,” he said, and with the sun still hanging in the sky, and the dogs trotting alongside him, and Daddy riding up a bit later, Link let his mind linger on the gorgeous Misty Granger while he did his evening chores.

By the time he went to bed, he still hadn’t heard from her—no apology, no lost head—and Link had no idea what to do next. Call her in the morning? Text her that they had no chance, that he wasn’t interested?

His parents had taught him not to lie….

Frustrated, he rolled over, begging God to take her from his mind just for a few minutes, until he could fall asleep and find some rest from the gorgeous woman who’d dominated his life for the past year.

He’d figure out what to do, if anything, in the morning.

Chapter Four

Misty sighed as she laid down on the couch.

“Uh, oh,” Janie said from where she stood in the kitchen, finishing up the wiping of the counter. Misty didn’t mind sharing the small, two-bedroom-one-bath, apartment with her co-worker. She’d rather have a roommate than live alone, that was for sure.

“I know what that sigh is,” she said. The water ran in the kitchen while Misty stared at the ceiling, her phone resting on her chest. She couldn’t believe Link hadn’t called or texted yet. At the same time, she didn’t expect him to.

“All right.” Janie exhaled as she lifted Misty’s socked feet and sat underneath them. “Start talking.”

“I miss him so much,” she said, because she could admit she had started to fall in love with Lincoln Glover. She didn’t know what to do about it, but she could admit she’d enjoyed dating him, she’d loved kissing him, and she missed him greatly.

“Did his parents say anything?” Janie asked.

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