Page 10 of Fragile Heart

I ignore him. He doesn’t understand, not the way his brother does. Which is probably why Hudson shared the gossip with him and not me. Being a Beta, Beau isn’t inclined to have a territorial hissy fit over finding out someone’s gossiping about their best friend’s fucking.

Not that that’s what I’m having. I’m too goddamn old to be having piss fights. That’s what stupid Alphas just out of high school do. Not thirty-three-year-olds with a child.

I force another deep breath and start toward the barns, ready to have a quiet afternoon with my son. There’s an unfamiliar car parked in front of Mom and Dad’s place alongside Emily’s Jeep. It’s an impeccable dark green Land Rover. As we get closer, dodging around the tended area immediately surrounding the front of the farmhouse, the simple Colorado plates become more obvious. I frown.

Who is here from Colorado?

Beau grunts as he takes in the car. “Wonder who that might be. You didn’t hire anyone new, right?”

“Nope. Everyone stayed on from last summer. Didn’t even need to put out an ad this year.”

Beau frowns. “Weird. Wonder what someone from Colorado wants with your parents. Or maybe they’re wanting something with you? You haven’t had anyone call about the ranch this year, have you?”

“Not since the investor last November. I think I made it clear enough to scare off most people.” I better have, at least. I was born here, and I had every intention of dying here, too. If Camden didn’t want it by then, he could decide what to do with it all.

Emily’s leaning against the entrance to the primary barn, her head tossed back as she laughs. Beau pulls away, heading toward the second barn. He tips his hat at Emily as he passes her. She offers a wave, then turns away, walking into the barn.

I ease off Cottonwood, grabbing her lead rope before she can decide to follow Beau. My legs are stiff, but I don’t show it as I guide Cottonwood forward. She hesitates, shaking her head.

“Let’s get you a snack. That all right with you, pretty girl?” I say, keeping my voice low, running my hand down her nose. She stomps one foot and then nuzzles into my shoulder. I can’t help but laugh.

The sound catches in my throat, cutting off all at once, as the shadows in the barn clear as my eyes adjust. Emily and Melissa stand with a third woman, both of them helping pull equipment from Phoebe.

“That was so much fun,” Melissa says, her bright voice filling the space. “I’ve missed having you here.”

Emily nods. “Phoebe and you were great. She’ll be happy to have someone other than Beau to work with.”

The third woman doesn’t respond, her eyes locked on me. The brown of them slam into me, a thousand memories tied to them, and I can’t fucking breathe. What is she doing here? And why thefuckis she holding onto Phoebe’s bridle while Melissa eases off the saddle Brandon used to use? Her face is pale, like she’s seen a ghost. God knows mine probably matches.

Emily glances at me.

“Oh, hey,” she says. “You’re done early. Mom says lunch is ready.”

I should look at her. I should say something. I should do literally anything other than just stare at Brielle. But fuck if I can’t manage it. She’s still stunning, and it brings my body—unresponsive to literally anyone over the last four years—back to life between one second and the next. Her jeans hug her hips, her boots a new, shiny black and sporting a designer label I don’t recognize. Her shirt hugs her curves, the deep vee of the neckline just showing the swells of her breasts. Her brown hair is pulled away from her face, highlighting the delicate line of her jaw.

There are too many smells in the barn, and I’m sure she’s wearing some kind of scent blocker, but my memory fills in the gaps just fine, supplying the smell of her perfuming—lavender, like a damn English cottage. The need to pull her away from Emily, to mark her and surround her until my scent is the only one anyone can smell on her skin, slams into me with the force of a damn stampede.

My pulse races in my ears, and my palms are sweaty.

Cottonwood ducks her head, nudging my shoulder. I tighten my hold on her lead rope, trying to figure out how to move her without actually closing the distance between me and the Omega that’s haunted my dreams for the last ten years.

Emily frowns, her gaze bouncing between Brielle and me. It’s only a matter of minutes until she realizes it, until the last decade of my summer fling being a faceless woman no one knew goes up in flames. The secret Melissa and my mother have guarded with their lives, knowing nothing good would come from the town knowing her name, her face, her designation. Certainly not with Kayla being our matched Omega—ourbondedmatched Omega.

And now she’s here, standing in front of me.

Mint floods the barn as I lose the fight with my body. Brielle swallows, the column of her throat moving, and the palest version of her lavender scent overlays everything else happening in the barn.

Holyfuck.

Memories of the last time I smelled that, smelledher, overwhelm me. Her hand laced with mine, her knees straddling my hips, her hair brushing over my chest. My scent grows even stronger. And I can’t do anything to curb it, struck motionless like I’ve been hit with a damn bolt of lightning.

Melissa grabs Brielle’s hand, and it steals her attention, breaking whatever the fuck moment was just happening. I can’thelp but drop my eyes to her fingers, needing to remind myself of the mark that sits there, that confirms she’s not mine and never will be again.

There’s no fucking ring. Not even a simple gold band like the one and only time I saw her in the last decade.

What in the actual hell is happening right now?

“Emily, could you let Phoebe out to the pasture?” she asks, not looking away from Brielle. “Bri and I will put away the equipment really quick.”

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