Page 40 of More Than a Good Friend

While he drives us out to the pasture, I scroll through my phone. I haven’t been getting any messages from Goldie during the day this week because she’s been super busy.

But Ava and Mad Dog get back tonight, so Goldie will be going back to her regular workload. Hopefully, she can still make it to the dance.

I tap out a text, stopping several times to hang on because getting toppled off the trailer would be both painful and embarrassing.

Me:Just checking to make sure we’re still on for tonight.

I wait, hearing the Jeopardy tune in my head. In another minute, I’ll be tossing hay and won’t be able to check messages for a while.

Thankfully, a message pops up as we approach the pasture.

Goldie:I’m trying.

Me:As soon as I’m done getting the cows fed, I’ll head your way. Make me a list.

Goldie works extra hard and does more for us ranch hands than she really has to. Especially me. She cleans my cabin, scrubs my toilet, and takes care of my laundry. The least I can do is help her so that she isn’t spending the night scrubbing toilets instead of dancing with me.

I smile when a thumbs-up pops on my screen. She didn’t tell me no.

The tractor jerks to a stop as I’m sending one last message.

Me:I’ll even clean bathrooms.

“You going to sit there smiling at your phone or are you going to open the gate?” Dallas is leaning out of the cab.

“Be patient.” I jump down and let him through.

As he guides the tractor through the field, I snip wires and throw hay. I surprised myself by offering to clean bathrooms, but I’m a little excited about tonight and dancing with Goldie.

We’ve known each other forever. Most of the time, I’m pretty sure she knows what I’m thinking. Or when I’m not thinking at all. Because that happens. So we should be great on the dance floor. And I love dancing.

Once all the hay has been tossed, and I’ve balled up the wires, I bang on the tractor window. “Drive faster. Goldie needs help.”

Those must’ve been the magic words because the tractor jerks forward, and I hang on.

Dallas has a sweet spot for Goldie, which bothers me, but I’m using it to my advantage. We’re flying by tractor standards.

When we get back to the barn, I jump off. “Can you wrap up in here?”

“Hey. I know you think of Goldie as a friend, but you need to consider her feelings.”

I haven’t said a word to anyone about our conversation that night by the river. “I know how she feels.”

He blinks. “Okay, so are you in love with her too? Otherwise—”

“Wait. She told you?”

Shaking his head, he huffs. “She didn’t have to tell me. It’s obvious.”

“What?”

“And if you plan to leave her sitting at a table while you dance with every other woman there, do her a favor and don’t. Don’t go. Don’t take her. Don’t do that to her.”

I’ve known Dallas several years and not once has he mentioned any of this. “I’m not going to leave her sitting all alone. And, just so you know, it wasn’t obvious to me. Until she told me about her feelings, I didn’t have a clue. But apparently everyone else knew and didn’t bother to tell me.” I yank my keys out of my pocket and stomp out of the barn.

I’m miffed at Dallas, but I’m furious with myself. I just about can’t go a full day without being reminded that I’ve hurt Goldie over and over again. I have a lot to make up for.

As I pull away from the tool barn, I call her.

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