Page 50 of The One I Stood Beside

“Shit. You know, I looked at some stuff online, and if you think I was a bad dancer, I’m going to royally suck at this.” He walks back inside. “I’ll be right back!”

I hear his footsteps pounding up the stairs before I hear a vehicle of some kind coming down the drive to his house. I down the rest of my wine, needing to get rid of any inhibitions about what’s about to happen.

Romy parks the eight-seater limo-type UTV with The Knotted Barn logo on the hood at the end of the drive. The woman with her is dressed in a cute green sports bra and tight yoga pants. Her dark hair is pulled back into a high ponytail, and her face has a full-on makeup job.

I really should’ve upped my game. My oversized T-shirt over yoga pants isn’t nearly as sexy as our instructor’s outfit. Jude will be staring at her while I’m staring at him. He doesn’t usually show other women attention when I’m around him, but every time I’ve caught him, it’s been a brunette. This woman is Jude’s type, and I want to run inside the house and lock her out.

“Better?” Jude says, walking out of the house and stopping, his gaze going to the woman’s ass as she’s bent over, grabbing her stuff from the back of the UTV.

Great. This is going to be fun.

“Hey, guys!” Romy waves, helping the woman with the mats.

When they walk up the porch steps, Jude hasn’t said another word. Probably because he’s distracted by the swell of the instructor’s tits. I could never pull off a sports bra as a shirt since I barely have a handful.

“This is Autumn. She’s your instructor for the day,” Romy says.

Autumn smiles at us. “It’s beautiful here. I’ve always wanted to live somewhere secluded like this.”

Jude and I look at one another and laugh.

“My entire family lives on the ranch. Trust me, there’s nothing secluded about it,” Jude says.

Autumn’s eyes roll over Jude as though he’s going to star in her fantasies tonight. “Much more so than my small apartment in Lincoln. I might have to relocate here. Romy was just telling me that you might have an opening for a yoga instructor.”

“Really?” Jude asks, eyeing Romy.

“Just something Scarlett and I have been throwing around. Nothing is for sure yet.”

It’s a weird dynamic at the ranch. It’s all Noughton land, but Bruce took over the cattle farm years ago, since he was the only brother and the oldest sibling. His sisters, Jude’s aunts Darla and Bette, both married and have since opened businesses of their own, which trickled down to Jude’s six cousins finding ways to incorporate the things that interest them. But when it comes to doing anything on the family land, it has to be a group decision.

“We’ll schedule a meeting,” she says, which appeases Jude.

He takes the role of being the eldest cousin seriously, though Lottie always reminds him she’s only three months younger.

“Hi, Autumn, I’m Sadie. The bride.” I stand and put my hand between us.

“I love the early start.” She eyes my wine glass on the table and situates her bags to shake my hand.

“And this is Jude, my cousin. The groom.” Romy takes over the introductions, and I pick up my empty wine glass.

They shake hands a little too long for my liking.

“I can take your bags.” Jude holds out his hands, and Autumn acts as if she’s carrying fifty-pound weights, handing them over to Jude.

I really need to stop judging her. She’s here to do a job, and Jude is a good-looking guy. Can I blame her for noticing?

“Okay, I’ll leave you guys to it. Autumn, I’ll swing by in two hours to pick you up.” Romy steps down from the porch stairs.

“I’ll drive her back,” Jude says.

“Or I can,” I offer. “On my way home.”

Autumn laughs. “I think I’m covered. Thanks again, Romy.”

“Seems like it. Thanks, guys.” Romy walks to the UTV, starts it up, and drives off.

“Let’s get started.” I round Jude, since his hands are full, to open the door for her.

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