Page 35 of Wrangling Nash

“They are so stinking cute,” I said, watching one of the little babies, born just this week, suckling on its mother.

“They are,” Wylie grinned. “But it won’t last. They get big fast.”

“It’s a good thing human babies don’t grow that fast. Do you ever think about having kids someday?” I asked, recalling a conversation with Stevie before I left about men wanting to settle down once they hit 35. Wylie was only 33, but that day was approaching quickly, and I wondered if it was something he thought about under the tough exterior he tried to maintain.

He looked over the horizon at the setting sun, deep in thought. “I’ve thought about it. A little Wylie running around would be fun. Just haven’t found the right woman. When I do, I’ll know.”

My eyebrows raised. I guess Wylie knew Lana wasn’t around for the long haul.

“What are you doing with my brother anyhow? I know Nash can’t be that good in bed,” he said, teasingly.

And there’s the Wylie we all know and love.

“Just having fun, Wylie,” I said as I tossed the empty bottles for the baby calves into the back of the gator. “We've always been clear that we have an expiration date and it’s nice to have the companionship while I’m here.”

He nodded. “Is that what you want, though? Nothing more than fun and for things to end in nine months?”

I swallowed. Though I was only in my third month, I knew that my heart had fallen for Nash. I also knew in my head we had an expiration date, but I couldn’t seem to reconcile the two. Verbalizing how much I really felt for Nash was terrifying, and I wasn’t willing to do that yet, especially when I could tell he wasn’t either.

“I don’t know, Wylie. We can’t have a future. I’m selling the ranch and leaving, but I’ll admit, my heart has definitely fallen for Nash.”

He nodded again. “I know it has. Just be careful, Jovie. Nash’s ex Brooke...” he sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “She did a number on him. And I haven’t seen him this into a woman since. Just make sure you’re both on the same page about what your expectations are out of all of this.”

“Is Wylie Cameron showing a sensitive, caring side of him?”

He grinned. “Just don’t want to see you, or my brother, getting hurt, that’s all, and the way I see things headed between you, seems like it’s headed for a major heartbreak."

He grabbed the side of the gator and hopped back on, "But hey, let’s get back to the house. Gloria told me she was making my favorite, spaghetti. I always knew I was her favorite Cameron,” he said, winking.

We rode the rest of the gator ride back in silence as the sun disappeared along the horizon. The night sky came alive with fireflies, crickets, and toads. The familiar sounds were the soundtrack of my life now and a comfortable playlist.

Wylie’s words rang in my ears; were Nash and I really headed towards a major heartbreak? I didn’t want to think about it, but I could tell that if we were, it was going to be my heart breaking and not Nash’s because I was already in too deep.

As we approached my grandfather’s ranch, a car I didn’t recognize was parked in the driveway.

“You got a visitor?” Wylie asked as we pulled up next to it and hopped out.

“Not that I’m aware of?” I questioned, walking to the front door. It was still locked, so I opened it and headed inside, calling out into the space, “Hello?”

No response. I walked out to the back deck with Wylie close behind me. There I found our visitor perched on a pool chair – Patrick.

“Patrick?” I asked, confusion registering in my voice.

Patrick stood up with a wide grin on his face. His brown hair was meticulously combed back and to the side in a sophisticated style, and he was wearing a pair of jeans with a white cotton t-shirt and aviator shades pushed up on his head.

“Hi Jovie. It’s good to see you.”

I hesitated, feeling Wylie hot on my back as I walked towards Patrick’s open arms, and he hugged me tightly. Things were about to get uncomfortable fast.

“What are you doing here?” I asked as our hug broke.

“You haven’t been answering my texts or calls for the past three months, so I thought I’d drive down and surprise you. I figured you might be lonely without seeing any of your friends or family, and I had a 3-day weekend off.” I nodded my head, taking in his words as Patrick’s eyes cast behind me to Wylie inquisitively.

“Maybe you aren’t as lonely as I thought you’d be?” he stated.

“Oh, Patrick, this is Wylie. Wylie is my neighbor; his dad is Rig Cameron, who owns the neighboring Cameron ranch. He and his brothers have been helping me get up to speed on things at my grandfathers over the past three months.”

Patrick nodded, “pleased to meet you, Wylie. I’m Jovie’s boyfriend from Houston,” he said as he stretched out his hand.

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