Page 12 of Forever To Me

“Is he married?” I ask.

“Yes,” she says, sounding surprised that I’m asking. “Cash is married and has a baby on the way.”

A baby on the way.

My breath catches as I try to hide my horrified gaze, the sound of my soup sliding from my spoon with a plop.

I’m horrified as that news settles in, but I try my best to hide it. “Good to know.” I jut my chin up and say, “Let’s play cards.”

My stomach drops like it’s bottoming out. My chest grows tight, my breath stutters, and my stomach turns with nausea. I feel awful and disgusted with myself, but mostly furious at him for hiding that he has a baby and is married.

She doesn’t say anything further and pulls out a deck from her purse. We play a few hands until we head back to the Dogwood.

Fucking men.

And this is why I’m in Bridger Falls in the first place. To get away from people who take advantage of and shit on others. I hope I never see that cowboy ever again. Actually, I hope I do. I’m going to give him a piece of my mind. I’m no longer tolerating anyone treating me less than I deserve. And I didn’t deserve that. Neither did his poor wife.

Chapter 6

Walker

Lies Lies Lies

I’m supposed to be focused on inventory. The bar isn’t open yet, which makes it the perfect time to catch up on paperwork, crank up my play list, and get things done. But instead of counting bottles of tequila, I recount the memory of her fire-red hair against the pillow, the way she laughed, and the way her lips felt on mine. When I close my eyes, I can still taste her.

I bury myself in work, or at least I’ve tried to. I’m desperate to keep my mind off her. It doesn’t work, not even close.

Red lingers in my mind like a song, and I can’t stop hearing it play over and over in my heart.

And then she pulls up in my parking lot.

My pen falls to the counter with a soft clatter.

She doesn’t see me since the bar windows are tinted. But I watch her and suddenly feel nervous and excited.

“What is she doing here?” I mutter even though there is no one to hear.

My heart races. I should go back to my paperwork and pretend I don’t care. It was one night. I shouldn’t care thismuch. But her showing up here messes with my already tangled thoughts.

She looks different in the daytime. When the door shuts to the bar, sunlight pouring in around her, it almost looks like her hair is ablaze. Even her silhouette hints at the dips and curves of her body. Dips and curves I know intimately. I stand here like some lovesick idiot, watching as she makes her way toward the bar.

She’s here. And I’m about to find out why.

She looks over at me through the hazy bar that is still dark because we’re not open yet.

“Hi,” she calls flatly. But her tone has changed. It’s not playful like it was, it’s serious.

“Hi,” I clip a little too gruffly, nervous at her change in demeanor as I run my hand over my beard.

I hope she’s not mad Cash dropped her car off on his way to the bank. I just wanted to make sure that she had it and wasn’t stranded.

She stops in front of me. Then I realize she looks pissed. Really pissed.

“You, okay?” I ask hesitantly.

“No. I’m not,” she hisses.

“Okay,” I reply, running through reasons in my mind why she could be so mad. The only thing I can come up with is leaving without saying goodbye. Her eyes continue to flare with anger, and she looks like she wants to murder me.

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