“Sure.”

“Did Sage say anything else? Anything you don’t want to tell me?”

I roll to my side, and she shifts her hand to the bed.

“He thought you were overreacting by moving out. But I explained that I’d encouraged it because of Floofy. I don’t think he’d heard the real story. Just a version of it. And when I told him what went down, he changed his tune. And he also said that he wants me to take care of you.”

She drags her finger across a wrinkle in the sheet, smoothing it out. “I love my brother, but I’m not sure he’ll ever see me as anything other than his little sister. Too fragile to make her own decisions.”

“If it makes you feel any better, he thinks you made a wise choice when it comes to me.”

“It doesn’t. It just means that six months from now, after the wedding, when we stop pretending, Sage will give me that disappointed look.”

“You can tell him you broke up with me because I was hard to get along with.”

“Oh no, at the end of this, I am not going to be the bad guy. Getting dumped will win me some sympathy, and I plan to milk that for all I can.” She trails her finger over a small scar near my eyebrow. “What happened?”

“I had a run in with a barbed wire fence.”

“I’m sorry. That must’ve hurt. Have you always worked as a cowboy?”

I shake my head. My life is divided into two sections, the before and after. Before getting dumped and then losing my parents is a time I rarely talk about. The after, working as a ranch hand, has kept me content. “Nope. Remember how I talked about going through a rough time? Well, during that span, I quit my job. Found a job as a ranch hand. And I love what I do.”

“What did you do before?”

“I was in finance.”

She lifts her head off the pillow. “Like suit-and-tie-at-the-office kind of finance?”

“Like that, yes. But I much prefer what I do now.”

Her smile widens. “Cowboy suits you.”

I’m fighting the urge to lean forward a few inches and kiss her. Which I shouldn’t do for lots of reasons. “Were you and Cara close growing up?”

“No. Sage is five years older than I am. Same age as Richard. And Cara is three years older. To them, I was the baby, andthat never really changed. Don’t get me wrong. I like Cara, and I think she’s perfect for Sage. But we aren’t close.”

“Are you in the wedding?”

“A bridesmaid.” She holds up crossed fingers. “Let’s hope the dresses aren’t awful.”

I can’t imagine Rose looking awful in anything. “I should go grab us some coffee. And that will give you some time alone in the room.”

“Okay.” She eyes me as I roll out of bed and reach for my shirt.

“Didn’t believe me when I said the tattoo wasn’t on my back?”

With raised eyebrows, she grins. “I’m just looking at you.”

I toss my T-shirt at her, then carry clothes into the bathroom to get dressed. I like Rose. And I hope that after her brother’s wedding we can remain friends. Because I’m enjoying her bit of sunshine in my life.

CHAPTER 17

ROSE

I’ve hardly spent any time with Dallas this week because when I wasn’t working, I was packing. I never realized how much stuff I had until it all needed to go into boxes. So after days of packing and several runs to Salvation Army, I’m ready for the move. I stare at the stack of boxes piled in the living room. There is a lot about living here that I will miss, but I need space from my mom.

We’ve gotten along because I always give in. And I can’t do that anymore. Not when it comes to who I should love. The bonus lesson I’ve learned with this whole fake engagement scheme is that somewhere in this wide world there is a man who will treat me like Dallas and not be faking. I’m trying to ignore the fact that I want it to be Dallas because that will only set me up for heartbreak.