Page 8 of The Cowboy's Off Limits Option

My brother moves through Mom's kitchen like a whirlwind, grabbing a glass from the cupboard and shoving me aside as he moves past me to fill it with water from the fridge.

"It was really good," he continues, after gulping down half the glass. "Glad to hear she's doing so good with her business-- she still gonna marry that guy up on the Ridge?"

"Um, yeah. I think she's actually staying the night up there tonight."

I try to focus on the dishes I'm putting away after cleaning up from my dinner-- Mom and Dad usually eat before I get home from closing up the flower shop-- and not on my jealousy about how easy it was for my best friend to go after her happily ever after as soon as she saw it.

Putting the drying towel back on the hanger, I expect Rowan to have disappeared into the living room to visit with our parents.

He moved out to his own place years ago, but his animals are here at Mom and Dad's since they have the land and Rowan lives in town. Plus, my brother's still single too, so we see a lot of him.

But when I turn around, I'm surprised to find him still standing in the kitchen, silently watching me with a weird look on his face.

"What?"

With a ten year difference between me and Rowan-- my parents honestly thought they were done after one hell-raising toddler-- it took me going away for a couple of years for my degree for him to stop treating me like a little kid, but it's rare for him to get so serious around me as he is right now.

"What about you, Cal?" He asks in a tone much softer than I think I've ever heard him speak to me in. "You ever gonna get out of Mom and Dad's house and start your own family?"

My mouth gapes, but before I can even think of a way to answer that, Rowan's already switching up gears, acting like he never asked.

"Shit, guess I better start thinking that way myself, with another O'Leary about to fall, I'm gonna be looking for a new drinking buddy soon enough."

"Lance finally made a move?"

The entire town has a silent bet running on how long it's going to take for Archer's younger brother to pull his head out of his ass before the girl he's obviously in love with gets away.

But Rowan is shaking his head side to side.

"Archer Dean." He smirks at me, like he just let me in on the world's biggest secret, oblivious to way I sway on my feet with sudden nausea. "Man's got it bad. He was telling me all about it this afternoon. I think we'll be getting another wedding invite pretty soon from the way he was talking today."

"Dean?"

It's barely even a squeak that makes its way out of my tightened throat.MyArcher Dean?

"Yup. Wouldn't tell me who she is, said her family doesn't like him much." Row reaches into the fridge and refills his glass, still talking nonchalantly like my whole world isn't falling out from under me.

Immediately, Jessica Reynolds comes to mind. I heard that she was seen out with Archer for a while when I was still at school, but as far as anyone knew it never went anywhere.

Jess is only a couple years older than I am, and I guess her parents didn't really like the idea of her dating someone older.

It tracks with everything Rowan just told me; younger girl, secret love, family that doesn't approve.

I'm going to be sick.

Fortunately, my brother's already lost interest in me and has gone further into the house to go find our parents for a visit before he heads home. At least he's out of hearing range so he can't hear my heart breaking as I make my way down the hall to my room.

Ginger was right, they're falling like dominoes, and I missed my chance to shoot my shot.

After a solid fifteen minutes of hard, ugly crying until I couldn't catch my breath, I find myself laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling and feeling-- numb.

Ginge is somewhere in Moonshine Ridge, getting cozy with a mountain man and not checking her messages at all.

Well; I did say that if Archer ever found his girl it'd be for the best. Now maybe, I can finally let go of this ridiculous crush I've had on him for half my life.

Rising with determination, I head for my closet, rifling through my options while doing my best to convince myself that it's just a stupid crush.

My feelings for Archer are part of my childhood and they belong in the past.

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