Page 36 of Cowboy Triplets Next Door

A few weeks passed with me keeping my head down. I focused on work, on training Ty and Jamison, and I kept to myself unless I was running out to Doll’s Club meetings or taking Turtle into town for livelier walks. Something about the thought I’d had about my Dad had chilled me to my core and left me feeling cold towards the guys. It felt like a betrayal to my parents and I couldn’t face that.

The guys finally lived up to their word and kept their hands off me. Part of me was hurt but another part of me knew they’d tire of playing with me. They didn’t even want to have sex with me. They were probably already bringing women home again, women they didn’t see as innocent little girls. I’d done what I wanted to, anyway. I’d lost my virginity and I was free to go out and have all the bad sex I could ever dream of. Only, I didn’t want that. I’d finally started gaining my footing when it came to playing with them, but all that power was gone. I was back to being Little Billie Myers.

Little Billie Myers, the cow farrier, though. I should’ve been happy. They’d trusted me enough to give me the job I’d always wanted. They believed in me without a doubt, even when I hadn’t. How could I hate them when they’d gone out on such a limb for me? That thought was quickly followed by thoughts of my parents’ faces if they’d ever had to watch the ranch go to someone else.

I was mentally a bit of a mess. It seemed like everyone was, though. When Joanie showed up on my doorstep in tears, I knew the world was tilting on it’s axis. I assumed Eve was having a bad time, too, because she’d gone into hiding, as well.

After the second day of Joanie wearing my clothes and barely existing on my couch, I’d forced her to tell me everything. I was a hypocrite because I had no plans on telling her my everything. She needed to talk, though. I could tell she was hurting.

She told me all about her mess with Chase and his two best friends over a piece of chocolate cake. Her love life was possibly even messier than mine. I couldn’t even call what I had a love life. “Chase has wanted to change me since the day he got to town and now they’ve brought my past here and it’s a nightmare. I don’t want to go back, Billie. I can’t face anyone right now.”

“You don’t have to. You can stay here for as long as you need. As long as you’re okay with Turtle and bake me more cake, you can live here forever.”

“Men suck.” Joanie looked over at me from where she was stretched out across the couch, my too short pajama bottoms sitting awkwardly on her long body. “Should we be gay together?”

I snorted out a laugh. “If we were even remotely attracted to each other, I’d say we should do it.”

“You’d only want me for my muffins.” She sighed. “Do you ever think about leaving this place, Billie?”

I swallowed. I couldn’t bury the feelings that came bubbling up so I just let them out. “I didn’t. I thought I’d take care of this place forever. I never thought about whether I wanted to, or not, it just was. When the bank gave the ranch away to the Hellstones, I realized I did want it. I wanted this place more than anything. Now, though…I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry, Billie.”

“I almost did leave a few days ago. I got in my truck and I drove past Lilyfield and wanted to keep going.” I bit my lip and rolled my eyes at myself. “Where would I go? My family is buried in the cemetery up the road and my friends are here. Everything I’ve ever known is here. Even if I wanted to leave, I couldn’t.”

“Maybe we should run away together. That’s how I ended up here to begin with.” Joanie scooped a bite of cake into her mouth and spoke around it. “Although, my problems followed me, so maybe don’t listen to me.”

“My problems wouldn’t follow me. My problems want nothing to do with me.” I stood up and grabbed the last of the cake. “I’m finishing this.”

“Want to tell me about your problems, Billie?”

I shook my head. “I would rather never eat another chocolate muffin in my life.”

She held up her hands and laid her head back on the couch. “Okay, then.”

I went out on the porch to eat my cake while Turtle played with an unsure Brutus. I watched them sniff each other and devoured the cake like I’d been starving for days. Brutus slowly made his way onto the porch and looked up at the empty cake plate. I held it out so he could see it was empty. “Sorry, Brutus. I ate it all.”

He stood up on his back legs and held onto the plate while he licked it. It only took him a few seconds to realize just how clean I’d left it. Without another look in my direction, he turned and ran off.

“Even the raccoon is being a jerk. Thank heavens for you, Turtle.” I glanced down and belatedly saw that Turtle was chasing after Brutus. “Dammit.”

It would’ve been easier to run Turtle down if I hadn’t just finished off the last of the chocolate cake. I chased Turtle around the carriage house and towards the main house while he chased Brutus the same way. Brutus seemed like he was having fun, judging by the sounds he was making. I lost sight of them as they rounded the front of the main house and when I made the move myself, I came to an abrupt halt when I saw Owen holding Turtle in his arms.

I bent over and put my hands on my knees. I needed to work out if I was going to be chasing dogs and raccoons. “Thanks. He decided to chase Brutus.”

Gray stepped off the porch and stood next to his brother. “You okay?”

I straightened and nodded while still catching my breath. I gave them a thumb’s up and nodded to Turtle. “I’ll take him.”

Owen shook his head. “I’ll carry him back for you.”

The way my body wanted to move towards his urged me to set more boundaries. For myself. “No, thank you. I have a friend over and we’re having a girls’ night.”

Gray studied my face intently. “How are you liking the job?”

“The job? I like it. It’s great. Thank you.” I shook my head and held my arms out for Turtle. “I just need my dog.”

“Things don’t have to be this awkward, B.” Taking a deep breath, Owen stepped towards me. “We’re all adults here.”

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