Page 83 of The Guy Who Stole My Ranch

I took a deep breath and squeezed my eyes shut.

William and his category-four smile swam in my mind, as did the feel of his hand in mine. His arms around me had made me feel safe. The way he looked at me made me feel seen. When he smiled, I went weak in the knees.

I’d fallen for him a little bit the first time I’d met him in California with Victoria, and each time we’d talked since then the protective wall around my heart had developed microscopic cracks. Now I was afraid one touch, one look, or one grin from him would shatter my old life into a million pieces.

“Brooke?” Jessica asked again.

“Yes.” I said before I could stop myself.

“Yes, you’re there? Or yes, you’re falling for him?”

“Both.”

“Is this a problem?”

“I—I don’t know. I have no idea how he feels.” My filter turned off, and my thoughts came spilling out. “Why would he like me? He’s rich, handsome, and from New York. He runs a billion-dollar company and probably has business meetings for sixteen hours a day. I’m just a gal from Texas who loves horses and is good at ranching. There’s nothing there for us to build on.”

“And yet you’ve started building on something.”

“Maybe I’m just excited a nice guy is paying attention to me.”

Jessica snorted. “You’re one of the most independent women I know, and I seriously doubt that you’re all ga-ga because a good man was nice to you.”

“It’s been a while,” I muttered.

“I know what you mean.”

I decided to deflect from me. “How is your boss?”

“We’re not talking about him right now, we’re talking about William and how you have feelings for him.”

“Stupid feelings,” I muttered.

“Are you going to say anything?”

A soft knock sounded on the door, and William’s voice floated through. “Brooke?”

“I need to go,” I told Jessica.

“Are you going to say anything?” she asked again.

I imagined the man standing in the other room. Was there any chance that he could like-like me? After I’d been so surly? My stomach twirled at the tiny bit of hope that he might. “I guess you’ll be the first to know if I do.”

“Good luck,” Jessica said.

“Yeah.”

I hung up and turned the CD off. “Coming.”

“I’ve got ice and food for you.”

The room started spinning when I stood, but I gritted my teeth and made my way to the door. I tucked my phone into my hoodie pocket and straightened up before I turned the knob.

William, still wearing his jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, stood on the other side.

Why had he decided to roll up his sleeves?

In one hand, he had an ice pack and an ace bandage. In the other, he held a bowl of ramen. My stomach grumbled. He raised it and said, “Sorry, it’s the only thing you had that I knew how to cook.”

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