Page 1 of Untamed

“Surprised to see you here, darlin’.”

My entire body freezes. I should’ve known there would be no way I could escape this moment. Ever since I moved back to town, I’ve been avoiding him like the plague. But since his brother basically forced me to come back to their ranch in order to adopt one of their rescue dogs, I knew he’d find me like a damn heat-seeking missile.

I’ve successfully avoided him all day, sneaking around the barn with all the rescues while he worked and then hanging out with his brother Rhett’s girlfriend all afternoon. But when Poppy begged me to come to her birthday bonfire, I knew it was a bad idea. I tried to get out of it, knowing that Hayes would find me, but she looked stressed about her fight with Rhett and was so hopeful that I would come keep her company.

I caved.

But I refuse to look in his direction, instead focusing on the grape salad that’s in front of me. I was trying to fill my plate with the sweet marshmallow and brown sugar stuff before he decided to drop in. And now I’m just…frozen. My arm is outstretched over the table filled with food, and my fingers dig hard into the plate I’m holding.

“I’m sure you are.” My voice finally comes, but it’s unsure and quiet. I haven’t spoken to him in over a decade. Not since we fought. Not since I told him I never wanted to see him again. “And don’t call me darlin’,” I add. Because that’s what he always called me, even when we were kids.

And my heart can’t take that kind of ache.

“Right?” he asks. “Because I’m pretty sure the last thing you said to me was that you never wanted to see my narcissistic, hypocritical, smug-ass face again.” He hums like he’s thinking hard about it. “Did I miss anything?”

“Ugly.”

“Ouch.”

I shrug. “Leave me alone, Hayes. I’m only here because your brother practically dragged me.”

“Which one?”

I sigh. He knows which one. Rhett is too grumpy to speak to anyone but Poppy. Dean is in rehab — at least, that’s the last I heard. And Wells is the one I’m still friendly with. He knows it was Wells, and the fact that he’s just trying to get more of my attention is annoying as hell.

“Wells.” My voice comes out cold and hostile. Good. I want him to leave me alone.

“Why would Wells drag you here?”

“God, can’t you ever do as you’re fucking told? Just respect people’s boundaries and walk the fuck away.” My temper spills over, and I instantly regret it because when I finally turn to face him, I’m assaulted with memories of us. It’s like a car crash I can’t look away from. His dirty-blond hair is hanging out from under his black cowboy hat, and his blue eyes look ornery as hell in this firelight. That little smirk on his lips makes me want to kick him in the shins.

“River—” he starts.

“I’ve been wanting a dog.” I decide just to tell him as quickly as I can. The faster I quell his curiosity, the faster he’ll leave me alone. “And Wells wouldn’t help me rescue one until I came out to the ranch to see him and your momma and pops. Then Poppy begged me to come out to her birthday party, and I caved. Because she’s sweet and new here, and I’d like to be her friend. I didn’t come here for you, or to talk to you, so just leave. Me. Alone.”

“You’re gettin’ a dog?”

“Yes,” I grind out. God, I didn’t think it would sting this much to be around him. “And I’ll have to come out here every day for a while. Because Betty has to get used to me before I can take her home. I’ll try to make sure I’m only here while you’re out working so we won’t cross paths.”

He scoffs and crosses his arms over his broad chest. I try really, really hard not to get distracted by his forearms. They were always the object of my fixation. From years of playing guitar and working on the ranch, they’re strong and tan, and my fucking god I’m distracted.

“Don’t put yourself out on my account.”

“What? What do you want from me, Hayes? I wasn’t kidding when I said I never wanted to see you again. Why would you think that had changed?”

“Why’d you move back here, then?”

“Oh, my god.”

I laugh, but I don’t find it funny. I’m angry. I’m angry at him and my mom and the fact that I can’t run to Addie because she’s gone, and this place feels so fucking empty without her.

Tossing my plate down on the table and losing a few grapes in the process, I lean in toward him. We’re surrounded by people talking, music playing, and the bonfire crackling, but I still don’t want to draw attention to us. I’m sure his parents know something happened because I was here every damn day of my childhood, running around this ranch, trying to keep up with the boys and then playing with Addie in the evenings.

I don’t want them to know what happened. The embarrassment would end me.

“I came home because my momma needed me to help her with bills.” I couldn’t say no. No matter how shitty of a mother she was to me, I couldn’t let her starve or lose the house. And it’s not like my sister, Janie, could just leave her job and husband in New York. “Coming back to Cane Creek had nothing to do with you, Hayes. I dreaded it. I loved my life in Bozeman, and I knew if I came back here, I would run into you no matter how hard I tried to avoid it. But Momma needed me, and I couldn’t say no.”

I can feel the tightness in my throat that always comes with crying. But I will not break down here, not in front of him. He is no longer my rock or my best friend. He is no longer my confidant.

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