Page 13 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

“You really don’t. Tanner’s good people.” Shayna bounced up and down on her toes. “And I have to tell you, I’m excited about this. I mean, you can tell what he’s like – he’s usually only interested in hooking up. It’s kind of cool to see him so smitten by you.”

Everly swallowed. “Smitten?”

Shayna nodded vigorously. “Oh yeah. He is one smitten kitten. And what makes it even better is that he still feels that way even though he thinks that you’re hung up on the love of your life.”

“But I… Oh, shit! I told you guys that the guy I was supposed to meet tonight was my dad, but I didn’t tell Tanner that yet, did I?”

Shayna grinned. “Nope. And he’s not given up even though he doesn’t think he stands a chance. That’s pretty cool, if you ask me.” She frowned and pulled her phone out of her back pocket. “Aw, Ty’s checking to make sure that you’re okay.”

Everly laughed. “You should tell him that I’m fine, and we should get back out there.”

Shayna tapped out a quick text. “I told him he should put Tanner out of his misery – that we’ll be right out, and you haven’t climbed out the window and fled.”

Everly had to laugh. “I doubt that possibility would have occurred to him. He probably has more of a problem with women trying to reel him in than trying to flee from him.”

“Yeah, normally. But it seems to me that nothing about this whole deal with you is normal for him.”

As she followed Shayna back out into the bar, Everly tried to catch up with herself. Sure, she was flattered that Tanner was attracted to her, and of course she felt the same way about him, but that didn’t mean… anything. Her heart started to pound in her chest. Unless… She was well aware that one-night stands were the norm for him. What if…?

He and Ty were waiting for them just outside the bathrooms. Laney and Luke came over to join them.

“How are we going to work this?” asked Laney. “Are you comfortable riding with Tanner? It’s totally up to you, Ev.”

Everly had to laugh. She appreciated that Shayna had taken her aside to make sure that she was okay, but Laney was a very different person, and Everly liked her forthright approach perhaps even better.

“I’m good with it, thanks for checking.”

Tanner made a face at his sister. “I want to be mad at you, but I’m not.” He turned to Everly. “Are you ready to go, then?”

“Sure.”

They all walked out to the parking lot together. Everly really wasn’t worried, and when they reached the trucks, she felt even more reassured to see that they both bore a logo that declared them to be the property of MacFarland Ranch.

After they’d all said their goodbyes, Shayna and Ty, and Laney and Luke climbed into one truck. Tanner walked Everly to the passenger side of the second truck and held the door open for her.

He gave her a rueful smile and said, “They said they’re going to follow us.”

She chuckled as she climbed in. “That’s sweet of them.”

He came around to the driver’s side and got in. “I guess it is. I mean, I know that you’re perfectly safe with me, and so do they, but it’s not about us, is it?Youcan’t know for sure, so it’s about reassuring you.”

She waited until he backed out of the parking spot and pulled away from the lot. “Is it weird if I say that I do know?”

He glanced over at her. “Yeah?”

“Yeah, it’s weird?” she asked.

He laughed. “No, I didn’t mean that. I wasn’t saying yeah, it’s weird, I was asking – yeah, you know? That you’re safe with me?”

“I do. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not in the habit of letting guys I don’t know drive me home, but…”

He glanced over at her. “Is that because you usually go home with your boyfriend – the one who didn’t show tonight?”

She leaned her head back against the headrest and stared up through the sunroof at the stars. She was going to have to come clean with him.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”

She couldn’t help but chuckle. “You didn’t. At least, not in the way you think. I feel bad because I wasn’t completely honest with you earlier.”

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