Page 27 of Don't Trust the Cowboy

“Shit. Hey, if y’all don’t want to do my taxes and shit anymore, I don’t mind. Besides, I think that Piper’s going to be able to take it all over soon. She’s got a fire lit under her.”

“Yeah? She’s off to a good start, is she?” He says as we walk into the house. And that’s when I completely lose my shit and forget that her stuff is plain as day in the bedroom. “What’s that? You got company?”

“Shit.” I mutter, closing the door.

Cassidy places a hand on his hip. “What’s going on, Billy?” He asks, half concerned, half nosey as shit, as usual.

“Nothing. Hey, let’s go see Mazy. And you can meet Scout.”

His face changes into a smile, while I mentally wipe my brow in relief. “Oh, shit, she had it?”

“Yeah. Come on. Let’s go see.” I gesture with my hand for us to go to the barn. Sprout is suckling happily on Mazy, while she chomps on some hay, satisfied. “Dr. Collins says all is well. She did great.”

“Looks like it. Congratulations, papa.” He teases, cuffing me playfully on the shoulder.

I chuckle. “Thanks, asshole.”

Then he changes the subject, which I knew would happen, but at least it bought me a minute or two to come up with a cover story. “So, who’s visiting? Or did you hire someone to come in?”

“Yeah, I hired someone.” I half lie. I did hire Piper, after all, but this isn’t what he means.

“Well, aren’t you going to introduce me?”

Shit. “Uh...no. Not right now. They’re busy.”

He lifts a brow. “That’s never stopped you before, Billy.” Then he looks around. “Where’s Piper?”

“Oh, she’s gone to school, and then to her other job.”

He walks back towards the house before I can come up with an excuse for him not to. As he walks inside, Piper’s new boots are standing up by the door. Cassidy takes a second glance at them and lifts them. “These new?”

“Uh huh.” I nod, taking them from him, setting them back down on the floor.

“Billy, what’s going on here?” He asks.

“What do you mean? So, I bought new boots. What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is these are women’s boots, man.” It takes him another moment to figure it out. He rakes a hand through his hair. “You did it, didn’t you.”

I’m about to play dumb, but I know that that won’t fly. “So, what if I did, huh? She doesn’t mean any harm. I’ve given her a roof over her head, safety, and I’m charging her rent, so this isn’t no free ride, either, if that’s what y’all are worried about. And, for the record, I don’t give a shit about what people around town have got to say about all this. It’s better than having her live on the fucking streets, and that’s the truth. So go on to hell with any of your negative comments, because I don’t give a shit.”

He folds his arms over his chest. “Good.”

I’m confused. I raise my voice an octave. “Good? What the hell do you mean, good?”

“I mean, good. I’m glad that you’re not following her around town anymore.”

“Is that all?” I demand, pissed off. “You mean you’re not going to accuse me of falling in love with her or something? And you’re not going to go blabbing about it to mama and daddy? Come on, Cassidy! You’re off your game, man!”

He’s got that look in his eyes where I can tell that he’s going to test me, and it pisses me off that I didn’t rattle him at all with what I said. “I said that youlikeher. I never said anything about no falling in love with her.Yousaid that.” He points at me, and then walks away.

I stand there, dumbfounded, speechless, knowing damn well that he’s right. And I know that there’s a difference, too. He walks to the door before I can say anything, but I follow him. “Fine. Did y’all blab to mama and daddy? Should I expect mama to be coming over to check her out?”

“You know the answer to that one, Billy. Mama and daddy will be way more pissed off to hear it from someone in town. It’s much better this way.”

“Great. Thanks, asshole.” I growl.

“You mean you didn’t warn her? Or she didn’t already figure that part out, Billy? Come on, don’t play the fool. You know that she was born and raised here. She knows how it works.”

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