Page 39 of Honey Bee Hearts

“Not by choice,” she says with a smile, but the smile is tight as her eyes flick to me. “Last I saw of you, you were disappearing around the Boot Skoot after our little meeting in your truck.” I wince at her words and glance back at Rhett. His expression is hard. “I called Circle Bee and asked for you. Mel said you were out of town for a while,” she continues, as if she can’t quite see his coldness. “And here you are.”

“Here I am,” he says. His eyes meet mine. “Sorry you expected a call, Darla. I thought we’d discussed how things would be.”

He says the words while he meets my eyes. My heart twists. Is he trying to tell me something here? I like Rhett, sure, but I have no illusions about what getting mixed up with him would mean. He’s a player, not because he’s trying to hurt people, but because he can’t settle down. He’s not playing with his heart like Darla clearly was.

Darla huffs. “Well, I’m sure my brother would like to hear about how disrespectful you are.”

“I’m not scared of your brother,” Rhett says. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. . .” He grabs the disco hat from the shelf again and tucks it gently under his arm. “Come on, Fable.”

“Is she your girlfriend?” Darla asks, glaring at me.

“No,” I answer honestly. “Just a guest at Circle Bee.”

She sniffs. “I figured. Rhett would never mess with someone like you.”

I tense at the insult, but before I can say anything, Rhett is in front of me, blocking the woman from sight. I don’t know what his face looks like, but Darla takes a few stumbling steps back when I peek around him.

“You shut your mouth, Darla Savage, before I tell that brother of yours just what you’ve been up to,” he warns. “There’s nothing wrong with Fable. All she’d have to do is snap her fingers and I’d grovel at her feet.”

Darla’s face pales. “Rhett, I?—”

“Come on, Fable,” Rhett says, grabbing my hand again. “Let’s get out of here.”

I’m so surprised, I don’t even realize we’re out the door without paying until he’s lifting me up into the driver’s seat of his truck.

“Wait! We didn’t pay?—”

“It was added to my tab,” he growls before closing the door and storming around the passenger seat.

In front of us, Darla comes stumbling out of the store. Her eyes go to the truck I’m sitting in, her eyes wide, before she takes off down the street. I glance at Rhett nervously as I turn the key in the ignition.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“For what?” he asks, his expression still dark.

“For the hats. . . And for sticking up for me.”

He meets my eyes. “I wasn’t lyin’. In case you were wondering.”

I wince. “Seems a bit. . . silly, considering we ran into an angry ex-girlfriend not two seconds ago.”

“Darla is not an ex-girlfriend,” he growls. “She’s just a money hungry asshole.” At my expression, he shakes his head. “I didn’t sleep with her no matter how she made it sound. The ‘meeting’ she mentioned was her trying to sell her half-brother’s ranch out from underneath him. She thought Circle Bee would be willing to buy it while he’s out of town in the rodeo circuit. She’s shopped it around to lots of people, but the Green River Basin is nothing but loyal, and the Savage family has owned Fairview Acres for as long as most of us can remember. They ain’t going to go changing that because Darla Savage is mad no one will marry her.”

I blink. “Oh,” I reply stupidly. “I’m sorry for assuming. I didn’t realize.”

“I don’t blame you,” he shrugs, and the tension starts to ease. “I gotta stop flirting with random people. Honestly, I owe like seven people relationships right now,” he laughs. He eyes me. “You’re alright, Fable Everhart. I think that interaction deserves a coffee. Go on up this street and we’ll stop at Georgia’s place. She has the best coffee.”

“Another onion,” Jinx comments from the back seat. “Seems Wyoming is full of ‘em.”

My eyes flick to the rearview mirror and because I’m stupid, I don’t think about how Rhett is still looking at me. He frowns and turns in his seat, following my gaze.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“Careful, Everhart. Wouldn’t want them to think you’re insane,” Jinx laughs. “Or maybe this one would enjoy it. He seems the type.”

“Nothing,” I answer, smiling gently as I put the truck into reverse and start easing out of the parking spot. “Coffee sounds great.”

Chapter 23

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