Page 49 of Some Cowboys Fight for Love

The man was tall and wearing a suit. Not a hair was out of place on his head—coiffed in a slick-backed style that screamed he had money. He was good-looking. Even from where Daniel stood, he could tell.

Aria had turned to face the man, so it was impossible to see her expression. Was she smiling at this stranger? Flirting with him? How did they know each other?

A knotted feeling twisted around in his gut, and he stepped back out of view in case Aria turned around. He didn’t want to get caught spying on her. She’d either tease him or get upset with him—neither of which he was interested in taking place.

The longer Daniel watched, the sicker to his stomach he became. He wanted to tell himself that this was nothing—perhaps this guy was someone from her hometown and they’d bumped into one another. Or he was involved with her father’s case. But why wouldn’t he simply call? Why come all the way out to Copper Creek to see her?

His thoughts swirled with the worst-case scenarios, and he withdrew into the closest shop to get his bearings. This feeling, the ache in his chest, was more than simple jealousy. It was something else. That familiar feeling of betrayal from when Aria had taken his drawing and submitted it came back—but it wasn’t quite the same thing, either.

Aria didn’t owe him anything. She didn’t have to tell him that she was having coffee with a male friend. They were dating, but they weren’t married. Of course, she wouldn’t come out and tell him her plans if they didn’t involve him.

And yet there was something off with his rationalization of the situation. He could feel it in his bones. Something wasn’t right. Aria owed himsomething. This sort of situation shouldn’t be swept under the rug. They needed to be open with each other.

His hands clenched into fists. Thankfully he hadn’t acted on his urge to march up to the man and clock him. Daniel could be level-headed. The guy hadn’t done anything wrong.

At least not yet.

Daniel could wait. He’d have to. Aria would come as planned to dinner and tell him about the friend she met for coffee. Then he’d admit with embarrassment that he’d been jealous when he caught them talking. She’d tease him and they’d keep on with their lives.

He gave himself a nod as if doing so would be all he’d need to do in order to convince himself of this new narrative. Then he pushed out of the shop and headed back toward his truck. He refused to become the monster he’d been when he was a hotheaded teenager.

Daniel’s legbounced as he sat on the couch. He’d been antsy ever since he’d gotten done with his work. He’d waited for Aria to return from her outing, watched for her, but she hadn’t returned until after lunch.

She didn’t even look in his direction when she got back. He’d expected her to stop over by him to tell him how her day had gone or what she’d been up to, but when she didn’t seek him out, he couldn’t help the way his heart reacted.

Something was wrong.

Whoever it was that she’d met with had caused it, he was certain. Still, he refused to jump to conclusions when it came to Aria. She was an adult. If there was a problem, she would have spoken to him.

He launched off the couch and paced in the small area, running his hands through his hair until he was sure he looked a mess.

Daniel didn’t like this feeling—the sense he got that his life was unraveling. That was a ridiculous notion, and yet he got the distinct impression that was exactly what was happening. There was no proof of it. He didn’t have any way of knowing that something had changed with Aria. So why couldn’t he shake the feeling that everything was about to change?

He glanced at the clock on the wall. Normally, Aria would be here by now.

The tension in his shoulders only continued to increase with each second that ticked by. He was overreacting. Logically, he could understand that. Sure, she’d slipped off at an early hour without telling him. Then she’d met with someone he didn’t know. And when she’d gotten back, she’d avoided him.

But was that really something to be worried about?

Yes.

Yes, it was.

He shut his eyes tight and focused on slowing his heart rate. If she didn’t arrive in the next ten minutes, then he’d go track her down to make sure she was okay. By then she would be an hour late and he wouldn’t look like an overprotective jerk of a boyfriend.

By the ninth minute, he was moving toward the door and that was the very second he heard her knock.

Strange. Lately she just walked in.

Daniel slowed his steps as he approached, then he grabbed a hold of the knob and pulled. Aria stood out in the cold, carrying a pot with a lid. Steam escaped out the sides into the cooler temperature.

She smiled at him, but it wasn’t like the ones he’d grown accustomed to. This one was very much like the fake smiles she’d given him when they had first met. His whole body went rigid. This wasn’t his Aria.

Something was undeniably wrong.

Daniel stepped aside, his eyes drilling into the back of her head as if that would be enough for him to be able to see what she was hiding. Unfortunately, it did nothing.

Aria flitted about the kitchen as he shut the door behind her. She rambled on about being late and making excuses, but none of them registered as he watched her antsy movements. Her hands trembled.

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