Page 37 of Hope's Highest Bidders

I’m not seeing the whole story with what’s happening. That’s all I can come up with. He’s obviously not thrilled to be married to me, that much is obvious, but he’s not said one word about getting a divorce. Heck, at this point we can get an annulment. No, there’s more to it, and I’m going to find out what it is. It feels like all my dreams are within reach right now but I can’t quite grasp them. But a future with Cole is worth fighting for.

13

COLE

It’s crazy to think Sassy has lived next door to me all these years. I’ve forced myself to stay away from her, and now I can’t even imagine letting her drive into town by herself. This crazy need to claim her is getting out of hand.

I always go to the cattlemen’s meeting. Usually, I pick up Delilah, we have dinner, go to the meeting, and then I take her home. I wasn’t lying when I said I hadn’t slept with her in years. I haven’t. And she really is just a friend, but I can understand why Sassy has a hard time believing it. Small town gossip definitely goes rampant sometimes.

I pull up to Sassy’s house at a quarter to six. I make my way to her front door and knock. Amos answers the door, and a big smile comes on his face when he sees me. “Cole, it’s good to see you, son. What are you doing here this time of night?”

I smile and walk through the door he’s holding open for me. I shake his hand. “Good to see you, Amos. I’m here to pick up Sassy.”

Right at that moment, Sassy comes in. “Yeah, we’re going into town to get something to eat. Can we bring you anything back, Amos?”

I catch on that she’s not wanting to tell Amos about the cattlemen’s meeting. It will be weird not seeing him there. But I am caught off guard when she calls him Amos. “What are you doing tonight, Amos?”

He looks grudgingly toward Sassy. “Well, it looks as if I’ll have the house to myself tonight finally. I’ll probably watch a little television, drink a beer, and maybe go shoot a bit.”

“Uh...” I start but don’t finish.

Sassy rushes toward me, and all thoughts of Amos drinking and shooting guns vanishes. “We should go... we don’t want to be late for dinner.”

I nod and say bye to Amos, but he’s already got his eyes on the television in front of him. I follow Sassy out the door, and she lets out a breath. “Don’t worry, the nurse is here. I’ve hid all the guns from him, and thanks for not telling him about the cattlemen’s meeting. Today is an off day, and I know if he went it may set him off.”

I shrug and open the passenger side of my truck for her. “He seemed okay. He knew who I was.”

She bites onto her lower lip, and I realize what I just said. Fuck. “Sassy...”

She waves me off. “It’s fine. Today he thinks I’m the help.” She does a little laugh to try and hide the pain she’s feeling.

“Aww, honey.”

She holds her hand up to stop me. “No, don’t. Don’t feel sorry for me. I’m fine.”

I nod my head. “I know you are.” And because I can’t stop myself, I lean in and press my lips to hers.

I back away, and she’s looking at me with surprise. I’ve kissed her before—hell, I’ve had my tongue in her pussy—but a kiss for comfort surprises her. I’m definitely doing something wrong.

The drive to the meeting doesn’t take long. Sassy is quiet most of the ride, and even though she’s never been to acattlemen’s meeting before, she fits right in. Almost everyone knows her already, and it’s obvious by the way the other people react to her that she’s respected in the ranching community.

“Sassy Reid!”

Sassy and I both turn at the man’s voice. The only difference is I’m scowling and she’s smiling ear to ear. They embrace in a hug, and the man lifts her feet off the floor. It takes everything in me not to pull her out of his arms. “Aaron James. I haven’t seen you since we graduated! How is college?”

The man’s face turns red. “It was okay but not for me. I made it two years and decided I’d rather come back and help run the family ranch.”

Sassy seems excited. “So you’re back! I bet your family is happy to have you home.”

He shakes his head and opens his mouth just as tonight’s speaker announces that we’re going to start. Sassy and Aaron mention talking after the meeting, and Sassy sits down next to me, smiling ear to ear.

When she finally looks at me, she seems taken aback by the scowl on my face. She looks around and then asks, “What did I miss? You okay?”

I force my eyes off her and to the front of the room. I feel her shrug her shoulders and do the same. She has no idea that just seeing her hugging an old friend is enough to make me come unglued. I’ve never been a jealous person, but with Sassy, I’m learning all kinds of new things about myself.

Sassy pulls a notebook and pencil out of her purse, and I watch as she focuses on the speakers at the front. I usually pay attention at these things, but Sassy’s nearness and the scent of her strawberry shampoo has me off kilter.

The speaker talks about the price of beef, new testing for local water sources, and the current state of hay after the small drought we had, and Sassy writes it all down.

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