Page 144 of Fixing to Be Mine

Colt slips off to talk to Beckett and Emmett for a few minutes, and I’m passed to each family member and family friend.

Everyone says the same thing. “We knew Colt was different when you came into town.”

A few of them joke about the auction and that he won the best prize. I blush, laugh, and take it all in stride.

Eventually, I find myself near the dessert table, eyeing a tray of mini pecan pies, when a voice beside me says, “So, you’re the reason my bestie has gone soft.”

I turn and see Boone standing there, looking like he walked out of a Southern gothic novel. Dark gray eyes, sharp cheekbones, a mouth like a dare. He’s wearing a black T-shirt.

He holds out a hand. “Boone Tucker. You probably don’t remember me.”

“I remember you from the bar,” I say, taking his hand. “How have you been?”

“Good.” He smiles. “Busy working now that I’m home. Happy looks good on Colt. That’s because of you.”

I grin wide. “Thanks. You should join us for dinner one day.”

“Actually, I’d like that.” He picks up a glass of whiskey from the edge of the table and takes a slow sip.

Before I can say anything else, Colt appears beside me again and slides a hand around my waist. His presence shifts something between us—makes the air feel grounded again.

Boone raises his glass in a lazy salute. “Congratulations, both of you. Don’t screw it up.”

Colt laughs and gives his friend a hug. They chat for a little while longer before Boone is pulled away by his aunt.

I glance up at Colt. “I invited him to dinner.”

He snorts. “Awesome. Thank you for that. I’ve been neglecting a lot of people.”

“Because of me?”

He shakes his head. “Because of the house. When I’m in reno mode, everyone knows I focus. You were an added bonus.”

Colt takes my hand and leads me outside, away from everyone. The noise of the party fades the moment we step away.

It’s not loud to begin with—nothing like the city or even the rodeo—but inside the barn, there’s a steady hum of voices, laughter, the occasional burst of music. Out here, it’s quieter.

Colt guides my back against the cold metal and slides his mouth against mine. I grab his shirt, losing control as our tongues twist together. When he pulls away, we’re both breathless.

“What was that for?” I ask.

“I needed it,” he tells me, pressing kisses on my neck. “Couldn’t stop watching how pretty you are from across the room.”

I can hear the muffled sound of Emmett laughing inside. Kinsley is retelling a story about how they wrestled in wet horseshit when they were kids. The tempo of the music picks up, and it floats through the barn doors.

“This feels like a real beginning,” I say quietly. “Not the next chapter, but the part where the whole story shifts.”

Colt hums in agreement. “It does.”

He reaches for my hand again, lacing our fingers together.

“I love you,” he says, like a truth he’s lived in for so long.

I tilt my head back to look at him. “I love you too.”

Seconds later, we’re interrupted. It’s Fenix. “Y’all gonna stand out here and make out all night or enjoy your party?”

I burst into laughter, and so does Colt.

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