Page 78 of Rope Me In

I sit on theedge of my twin bed with a permanent flush on my cheeks after last night with Kade, the sun casting a warm glow across the small room. There’s not much decoration, but the walls are painted a warm green, and the white comforter and sheets are soft, giving the place a cozy feel. And while the hands’ quarters don’t feel like home, it’s comfortable.

When I think about it, I’ve ever been in a place that feels like home. Not even my own home felt like a home. Neither of my parents’ homes did, either, for that matter. I always just felt like a seasonal decoration, one someone likes for a short time and then puts in a box and forgets about for most of the year, if not forever.

Ping!

I pick up my phone, glad for the distraction. There’s a message from Jake, letting me know that Derek is still being held at the Sheriff’s Department. I was concerned that he would press charges, but it’s been almost twenty-four hours, and so far, he hasn’t, which goes against his character. He’s the type of guy who would sue a coffee shop for their coffee burning his tongue. Regardless, I hope he got the message to stay away.

My phone pings with another message from Jake, and I open it.

JAKE: Gavin’s covering for you tonight. Please take the night off.

My stomach rolls. I’m the worst employee ever. I know Kade says Jake would never fire me, but I would fire me. I suck. I quickly type a message back.

PRESLEY: I can come in. It’s not a problem.

JAKE: Nope. I won’t hear it. However…

As I wait for his next text to come in, my mind races with all the things he’s about to say, a product of my never-ending anxiety. But despite last night, I’ve felt a lot calmer recently. And I know who I can attribute it to.

Ping!

JAKE: I couldn’t help but overhear you play fiddle?

I bite my lower lip and chew on it. Out of all the things Jake could ask me, I’m surprised I didn’t think that this would be one of them. I thought he’d ask me to work more shifts to cover my absence or prove Kade wrong and fire me, not ask me about playing fiddle.

I mull over my options. It’s not like I can lie because Derek screamed it to the whole bar. Kade told me this morning while we were doing chores that what happened last night had already spread through the Randall gossip mill. Blake even came to me first thing this morning while I ate breakfast to make sure I was okay.

I couldn’t help but notice that the whole time she was there, Kade kept glancing at her like he wanted to say something toher. But every time she’d look his way, he’d turn back to his food. I wanted to ask him more about why their relationship is strained, too, but we had a lot of work to do today, and there were far too many people around helping with their yearly cattle vaccinations and weighing.

My phone pings again, and I look down.

JAKE: Did I scare you away? I shouldn’t have said anything.

Great.Now you made it weird, Presley.With a sigh, I decide it’s time to stop running from this. It’s not like I don’t want people to know I play fiddle, and it’s not like I don’t want to play. My hands have been itching to, especially since last night. The memory of Kade’s mouth between my legs, his hands on my thighs, and the way he took care of me and made me feel good about myself and my body come to my mind. How he helped me feel…free.

Just as I feel when I’m playing music.

PRESLEY: No, you didn’t scare me away! I do play fiddle.

JAKE: Would you be open to playing at Night Hawk sometime?

I think of standing on their small stage and playing for a crowd of people on a busy night with Kade in the audience. I know he’d be front and center, dancing and cheering me on—that’s the kind of man he is. I’ve never had someone in my life like that before, and even though I don’t know him super well, I do know he would be there.

I look across the small room to the other twin bed. My violin case is sitting on the flowered comforter, its metaphorical eyes staring at me, asking me to play—beggingme to play. My hand clenches around my phone, and I let out a long exhale, finally making a decision.

PRESLEY: I think I can do that.

JAKE: Hell, yeah! Let’s chat next time I see you, and we’ll figure it out.

PRESLEY: Sounds great.

JAKE: Now go enjoy your night off ;)

The winky face throws me off a bit. A winky face implies something, right? I almost ask if he meant something by it, but instead, I tell him thank you and put my phone back on the nightstand. While I’m annoyed he gave me the time away—not only because I could use the cash after all my unplanned nights off but also because I’m the one who caused all the problems and shift shuffling the last two days—I’m thankful for the rest.

Ranch work is exhausting. I don’t know how Kade and Gavin have done two jobs for so long. They operate on so few hours of sleep that it can’t be healthy. I’ve had to drink an obscene amount of caffeine to function on a daily basis, especially after the last couple of late nights.

I blush from head to toe. The effect Kade has on me…

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