Page 29 of Holding The Reins

Liv

So… 8?

This is peer pressure

Ginger

CeCe

What?

Ginger

Dress like you want a pay raise and there’s only one way to get it

Liv

Dress like you’re about to get written up and you know just the way to change the boss’s mind

I hate you guys

Why do I listen to them? Why?

As I walk in the Horse and Barrel, I’m exhausted. After my heartfelt conversation with Nash this morning I’ve discovered it’s a lot harder to ignore how perfect this man’s appearance is when he’s this earthy rustic version of himself that I’ve never witnessed before. It only makes him hotter. Especially when I walked into that kitchen and saw him in full cowboy glory again. I thought Nash, the ice hockey player was hot? He doesn’t hold a candle to Nash, the part-time cowboy. There is just something about a rugged man in a pair of jeans and cowboy boots, and his tattered cowboy hat ready to shade his face from the sun. Cowboy Nash is in his element. I’m going to need to use my now ‘town famous’ vibrator in the very near future to get that Cowboy Nash image out of my brain.

“Have I mentioned I hate you guys?” I ask as I approach our table.

It’s much busier tonight with the after work mid-week crowd and my girls are crammed into a little corner booth while a good chunk of the bar dances to Zach Bryan’s “Revival.”

“You love us, and you listened—you look hot,” Ginger says.

I look down at my strapless floral sundress and my worn jean jacket. A simple look but I did pair it with a new pair of red strappy sandals that I got at Olivia’s shop today and cherry red lipstick.

“Hot enough that I’d stay late to work with you and I wouldn’t tell my wife.” Olivia smirks.

“God damn, you guys,” I start to say. “I’ve known him my whole life, it’s not like that.”

Both of them laugh at me like there’s a secret I’m not in on.

“You can’t see the way he’s looking at you right now. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say it’s exactly like that,” Olivia quips.

“I’d say he’s looking at you like he wants to give you a promotion,” Ginger says, looking over my shoulder.

Olivia cranes her neck to see him again and I die a little inside thinking Nash will notice that they’re talking about him.

“Yep, he is definitely over there plotting out his next performance review and he knows exactly which tasks he’s going to judge you on.” Olivia giggles.

Then they both start to giggle. They think they’re hilarious and I can’t help but laugh with them after a minute of this.

“Oh shit, hot boss man is coming over here and he has sustenance,” Ginger says.

Olivia straightens herself up and clears her throat. I look over my shoulder to see Nash in fact making his way over to us, with what looks like three margaritas.

“Not Angels,” he greets as I breathe in his spicy, clean scent.

“Nashby,” Ginger retorts.

I look up at him and his eyes meet mine.

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