Page 39 of Talk About… Rivalry

Here I could just exist.

It was strange, but so fucking nice.

I’d hear an earful the moment I stepped back onto the ranch. Uncle Dale would be pissed that I missed my morning session with the new horse. My dad would be angry that I didn’t help with the chores.

It wasn’t like they paid me an amazing amount. I was paid less than the ranch hands and I did half of their work most days.

Bennett’s earlier question and had me thinking about what I’d do if I didn’t have the ranch.

Outside of art, I had nothing. My sketches were my escape and I had sketchbooks stashed everywhere, from my bag, to my nightstand, and scattered around my cottage.

I’d tried other hobbies, hopping from one to the next but never really satisfied.

I was well and truly stuck on that farm and I hated it. I hated it more than anything, but that sense of duty kept me in place.

Even admitting it to myself felt pointless, but now that the wheels were turning, I couldn’t let it go.

Bennett seemed just as content to be lost in his own thoughts. There was no pressure to talk or say anything more.

I wondered if he felt the same as I did. Stuck. I had a feeling that working for your family, traveling and making business deals, but never settling was hard.

He may be able to have encounters like this, enjoying evenings with someone to keep him company, but in reality, it would get exhausting to never be in one place for long.

Bennett was the first to break the silence. His eyes drifted to the clock and he let out a sigh. “I have a meeting today. I’m going to need to shower and get ready so I can report back to my family and set up the portfolio I need.”

At first it felt like a dismissal and I fought back my disappointment, but he looked at me before I could get up.

“Don’t feel like you have to hurry out of here. In fact, I’m not opposed to one more round before I have to leave.”

That didn’t sound too bad to me.

Taylor

Gossip in this town was never just a two person conversation. I knew more about the people of Rockwood Valley than I ever wanted to.

Today, though, my interest was piqued the moment Sidney’s name was mentioned.

I recognized one of the women in front of me as Avery, Sidney’s very pregnant best friend. The other, I didn’t know.

Clearly, she didn’t notice me as her full focus was on the other omega who was talking. The dark haired, petite omega regaled her of last night’s events while I hung on every word.

“Apparently, some omega asked Maverick out on a date,” the omega hissed. It wasn’t just gossip this time, they were also upset on their friend’s behalf.

“What? No, Grace, that can’t be right,” Avery gasped before sounding downright sad. “I really thought he and Sidney…” She trailed off as Grace took over.

“We all know, both of them are terrible at hiding it. She’s pined after that man for years and I damn well know that he did the same, but she didn’t protest, in fact, she left with someone else. Another alpha.”

It was like the whole world came to a screeching halt as she finished that statement.

Sidney left with someone.

My stomach turned and any hope that I had just came crashing down around me. I no longer wanted to snag a pastry for breakfast, instead I just turned and walked out of the door, leaving them and their gossip behind.

When I walked into the storefront that Leo had bought, he looked at me expectantly, his eyebrows furrowing at the sight of my empty hands.

“I thought you were stopping for breakfast.”

I opened my mouth to say something but no words came out, instead my lip quivered.

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