Page 4 of Serious Cowboy

He hadn’t spent any time actually taking in her appearance when he’d come across her at his friend’s practice, but now… he couldn’t seem to glance away. Beyond all those curls werethese pale blue eyes that reminded him of a summer sky just after sunrise. The color along the horizon that was so light blue as to almost be white. She had pert features, too, a small nose and delicate mouth that only made those eyes of hers more beguiling.

He blinked and as people started to clap, the curly blonde broke their connection. Amanda and Tim were kissing one minute and marching back down the aisle the next, so he added his own handful of awkward claps to the chaotic mix.

Zeke lost track of the woman until after the cake-cutting at the reception. He’d just taken a giant bite of the cake—a sugary buttercream number that was close to perfection—when he spotted her way across the expansive reception hall.

Ms. Curly Blonde drew attention to herself like flames drew in moths. She flitted about from one group of attendees to the next, pausing by Amanda. He didn’t know where Tim had wandered off to, and to be one hundred percent candid, he didn’t care that much. He was intrigued by the blonde and felt a strong need to keep tabs on her, even though he didn’t want her to notice him. Zeke watched as the pair of women peeked over in his direction and had to fight the impulse to duck.

It was one thing to study her when she didn’t know it and something altogether different to have her be aware of his scrutiny. Worse, Amanda raised a glass toward him with an enormous smile on her face. And directly after that, the curly blonde aimed her high-heeled steps his way.

He froze like a deer caught in headlights.

“Hello, again,” she greeted him like they were the oldest and dearest of childhood friends. “You’re my brother’s best buddy, Zeke, right?”

Great, Amanda must’ve let the cat out of the bag. Of course, Ms. Curly Blonde would’ve noticed him standing up there by Tim today. The messaging wasn’t exactly subtle. Also, that meant this could be none other than Callie Blum, his buddy’s baby sister, a sibling Tim had mentioned often in passing. Zeke searched his brain for information about her, but he was notoriously bad about pretending to listen when he actually wasn’t.

From what he could recall, she’d lived in another state, likely Washington since that was where Tim had hailed from. Made sense. Not that he paid much mind to other people’s places of origin. One thing he did pay mind to was how she didn’t look a thing like the rest of his friend’s family.

While the Blum’s were tan skinned with narrow features, Callie had a rounder facial structure and one of the palest complexions he’d ever seen. It was like an alabaster bowl he’d once found in his mom’s attic. It basically glowed.

Sheglowed.

He thought all of this but didn’t voice a word of it. Instead, he offered her a brief bob of his head.

“Uh, yeah,” he said with his usual lack of social grace. “Zeke Knight.”

“Ooh, I’m so glad I’m finally getting to meet you more formally.” Then, the woman had the audacity to loop her arm around his. “So, tell me about yourself. I want to hear all of it. Every pertinent detail.”

He attempted to pull free of her, but it was as if she had suckers like an octopus, which didn’t make releasing himself without using more strength than he wanted easy. Zeke didn’t have any phobias or fear of contact with others, he simply preferred to keep his distance, and that included now.

Zeke had learned the hard way that relationships would never work, not for him. Not that he wanted to talk about that bee’s nest. Or think about it. So, he tried to avoid romance and dating—or even the possibility of them—like veterinarian’s tried to prevent parasites. Or hoof rot.

He again attempted to wriggle out of her grip. “Tim’s calling me.”

“Really?” Callie questioned him with a delighted smile, as if she didn’t believe him, holding on more tightly. “I don’t hear him. I don’t evenseehim.”

She had him there. His friend was nowhere to be found. Figured. Where was his buddy when he needed him?

Zeke shifted again, but she held him fast. What did this woman have on her palms, anyway? Duct tape? Also, her hands felt wonderfully warm on his arm, which meant he had to rid himself of her immediately. He already found her more interesting than he should.

Luckily, after hunting for an out, he caught site of Bryce and Lindsey Duncan. Nice. At Lindsey’s quizzical gaze, he raised his chin and half-dragged himself and by association, Callie in their direction. Zeke paused for long enough to again attempt to loosen her hand. When that didn’t readily work, he told a little fib.

Desperate times, and all that.

“Gotta go. Boss is signaling to me to come on over. Must be official ranch business.”

Whether it was the surprise of his statement or the puzzled expressions on two of the most well-known business owners of Rocky Ridge, he didn’t know, but Callie at last uncoiled her grasp on him. Zeke took advantage of this freedom and half raced across the high-ceilinged and lavishly decorated room. Dodging flower-strewn tables and ribbon bedecked chairs, he reached his quarry.

“But…” he thought he might’ve heard Callie yelp, but he kept going. In fact, he didn’t even say much to Bryce or Lindsey.

“Zeke, nice to see you out and about,” Lindsey told him cordially, since Maggie Duncan, the mother of the four Duncan brothers, frequently chose to go gallivanting across the country with her husband, Bryce’s wife had taken up the mantel of matriarch of the family.

“Lindsey,” he said, still strolling by. “Bryce.”

His boss merely offered him a nod, which was fine by Zeke. He thought he might’ve heard his name being called out by a familiar curly blonde woman’s voice, but he was already out the door.

Gone.

And considering the stickiness of the situation involving someone who happened to be his best friend’s younger sister, Zeke planned to stay that way.

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