Page 13 of Caught By A Cowboy

“I’m headin’ into town, who’s comin’?” Lincoln gets up from the table and everyone follows him out the door except for Grayson.

“I’ll be right out,” he calls after them, keeping his eyes fixed on mine.

“What’s up, boss?” he asks once we’re alone. I’ve known Grayson my whole life, him and Dad were best friends and he fuckin’ knows that I hate it when he calls me boss.

“Nothing's up.” I do my best to sound casual and not like my world hasn’t just been turned upside down.

“You like her.” He points his finger at me accusingly as his lips hitch up into a smile.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I shake my head as I start scraping all the food onto one plate. I’m gonna have to trash it outside so she doesn’t see how much is leftover.

“Just look at yaself, ya spent today driving her around, ya sent us all that text telling us to hype up this shit show.” He laughs as he looks down at the table. “We both know she’s not cut out for this job and ye–”

“Will you keep your damn voice down?” I whisper-yell, checking over my shoulder. The last thing I want is for Maddison to start doubting that she belongs here. “Okay, I’ll admit she’s got some improvements to make but it’s the same when we get someone new out on the yard. They gotta be taught shit, learn from their mistakes. Maddison’s got nowhere to go and–”

“She’s not a stray puppy, Jace. And this shit is only gonna lie with the boys for so long. We all knew when we lost Marie that things wouldn’t be the same around here.” I feel my guts wrench when I think about my mom, she treated all the bunkhouse boys as if they were her sons. “but we can’t be traveling to the diner to be fed morning, noon, and night. Hard workers are hard to find, they need to be looked after,” he reminds me, picking up his hat and sliding it back on his head before he leaves to catch up with the others.

MADDISON

Ispend far too long in the bath, and when I get out and start drying myself, I hear the stairs creak. Seeing the way Jace got all protective over me earlier has made him even more appealing. Although the last thing I should be thinking about right now is another man, it’s hard for my mind not to wonder when he’s there as a constant reminder of everything I've been missing from my life.

Once I’m done, I wrap the towel around me and open the door, checking the coast is clear before I scoot across the hall to my bedroom. Everything about this place is cozy and charming; you can see it’s had a woman’s touch, and it makes me question if it was just his mother’s or if Jace has had other females in his life. This house is huge and perfect for raising a family. I can’t think of a better place for kids to grow up, than a ranch. I don’t know why those kinds of thoughts have started coming to my head over the last forty-eight hours. Ever since Adam mentioned that he didn’t want kids, I’ve been thinking a lot about how much I do. Which, considering I have no boyfriend, no home, and a family that will be furious at me, is hardly something obtainable right now.

It’s something I should definitely make sure of before I date again. Though I’m not quite sure at what point you ask that kind of question. I’ve never had to date before. Adam has just always beenthere. I can’t pinpoint the time we became a couple, it justhappened. Things got comfortable, they suited everyone and it felt as if I was just along for the ride.

I throw on some of my own clothes and head downstairs, and when I find the living room empty, I curl up on the couch and take ownership of the remote control. I spend time flicking through the channels until I see a woman standing behind a kitchen counter wearing an apron. She’s got a warm smile and is talking through the recipe as she makes her own meatloaf. I leave it on and start paying attention. She’s not flapping, she’s calm and makes it all look so easy. I wonder if she’d be the same if she was under pressure with seven hungry cowboys waiting to get fed. I have no idea how I’m going to pull off tomorrow’s breakfast but I’m too exhausted to care. Today’s been a long day, seeing Adam wasn’t easy, but it did affirm my decision, I could never have spent a lifetime with him. Not now that I’ve encountered Jace Sullivan.

“Getting some tips, huh?” I turn my head and see Jace coming down the stairs.

“I sure need it.” I smile as I watch him take a seat in the armchair by the open fire and the fact he’s placed himself so far away niggles me. It’s pathetic.

We both stare at the screen, watching the woman take the perfectly constructed meatloaf out of the oven and place it on a cooling rack.

“I wanna talk about what you said earlier,” he blurts out, taking me by surprise. “About your ex being heavy-handed.” He’s got that stern frown on his face that I find irritating, and handsome, all at the same time.

“There's nothing to talk about, things with me and him are done.”

“So what, now? What's your plan? To stay here?” he questions.

“I don’t have a plan. I don’t have anything, and I don’t want to talk about it.” I stare back at the television, hoping he’ll get the message and leave it.

“God, you can be such a brat,” he mutters to himself and when I glance at him and see him shaking his head, it infuriates me.

“I am not a brat. How can you say that when you don’t even know me?” I defend myself.

“Oh, please, you couldn't be any more of a princess if you tried.” He gets up and heads toward the door.

“I amnota princess.” I stand up and when my foot automatically stomps against the floor he actually laughs at me.

“I rest my case.” He takes his hat off the hook by the door, and when he puts it on his head, I realize he’s leaving and a knot forms in my stomach.

“Where are you going?” I snap at him.

“That ain’t ya business,” he reminds me, making me even more furious.

“Grrrr.” I let a little of that anger out as he steps out the door and slams it shut. Without knowing exactly what I plan on saying to him, I charge out onto the porch after him.

“You do not get to judge me. You don’t even know me!” I call out at him, it’s dark out here, and thankfully there doesn’t seem to be anyone around to witness me losing my head. He stops, and as he slowly turns around, it makes my skin prickle.

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