Page 26 of Road to a Cowboy

But... Norway. Austin could live in Norway.

Cal couldn’t though.

Sure, he could get a job at a ranch in Norway—assuming there were ranches there—but Cal’s home was here. He loved this town and he loved working on the Windsor Ranch.

But fuck, this sounded like a cool opportunity. And maybe Central Wyoming College would take him more seriously if he had collegiate teaching experience under his belt.

But... Norway.

He couldn’t go.

Could he?

“I have a date tonight,” he blurted without thinking twice about it.

“Yeah?” Marco unwrapped the bottom half of his burrito. “Good for you. Who with?”

“Cal.”

Jaw dropping, Marco let the burrito fall onto his lap. He scooted his chair closer and leaned in. “Tell me everything.”

“There’s not much to tell.”

“Who asked who?”

“I asked him.”

He expected Marco to tease him, but both his smile and tone were gentle when he said, “Good for you. I know you’ve been crushing on him for a while.”

Austin wasn’t sure what to comment on first: the fact that Marco was more observant than he’d thought or that what Austin felt was much more than a measly crush.

He didn’t get to say either. Marco continued with, “Guess this opportunity in Norway came at a bad time, huh?”

“Can’t deny I’m tempted, though.”

“I’d wonder what was wrong with you if you weren’t.” Marco picked up his burrito and took a bite. Once he’d swallowed, he said, “You don’t have to decide right this second, you know. Or even today or next week.”

Austin ran a hand down his face and read between the lines. “Wait to see if this thing with Cal crashes and burns, you mean? And if it does, take the job in Norway so I can lick my wounds far away from here?”

“Wow. Doom and gloom much? That’s not what I said. I wasn’t even thinking it.”

Okay then. Maybe Austin hadn’t read between the lines so much as read the fear in his heart.

Marco nodded at his uneaten burrito. “You going to have that?”

“Don’t touch a man’s breakfast, Marco.”

Marco laughed, then got up to greet a customer who entered beneath a dripping umbrella.

Austin closed his laptop, setting Hedda’s email aside for now, and put on his customer service smile.

* * *

As Austin got ready for his date, he couldn’t help the feeling of impending disaster that squeezed his chest. A heaviness hung in the air, unrelated to this morning’s rain showers.

Nerves, maybe?

On the one hand, he had nothing to be nervous about. This was Cal.

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