Page 24 of A Jilted Bride for the Cowboy

“Why would you think that about me?”

Cadence glanced over. Both guys glared at each other. No love lost. What would it take for them to actually become friends? She needed to think on that. Not that she wanted to hang out with Weston, exactly, but it wasn’t his fault he hadn’t known this side of his family until recently. Feeling defensive seemed reasonable under the circumstances.

“You rode Kennedy last time. Okay with the same choice today?”

“Sure.”

Weston pivoted on his booted heel and entered the box stall across from Mirage’s, Graham trailing behind.

“I’ll saddle up for you. Your girlfriend there did a good job on hers, but you don’t have the experience.”

Girlfriend? Cadence stiffened.

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

Had she expected him to claim that status? Of course not. He’d rescued her. That was all. There might be something in his eyes at times — like at the barn dance — but he didn’t feel strongly enough about her to make a move. He hadn’t in college, and he didn’t now.

Did she want him to?

Cadence turned away from the men and wrapped her arms around Mirage’s neck.

No, she didn’t. She should still be getting over Paul Bradley. Because she should have loved him passionately.

She wasn’t. She hadn’t. She’d had no business marrying him. Thankfully, he’d broken things off at the last minute or she’d just now be returning from her honeymoon with a man she was barely in mutual tolerance with. What a close call.

Maybe her feelings for Graham were simply because he’d rescued her. Wasn’t there some sort of mental disorder like that? She was attracted to him because he’d saved her.

Also, maybe a bit because he was unerringly kind and polite and unassuming. Because he seemed to need someone to actually see him as the great guy he didn’t think he was.

His Sullivan cousins were nice enough. Tate was back from his week in Chicago and, though there’d been some drama surrounding the Gala of the Stars, he and Stephanie looked like they’d worked through it. Bryce was okay. He seemed a little too full of himself for Cadence’s taste. Since he hadn’t directed that attitude at her, she could ignore him. Maxwell was focused on the renovations on the cabins and didn’t even show up for meals half the time.

Weston and Jude seemed opposite each other. Weston had a chip on his shoulder, while Jude seemed quiet and unassuming. More like Graham in some ways.

Huh.

Graham’s voice came from behind her. “Ready?”

Cadence turned a bright smile in his direction. “So ready.”

“You’re sure you don’t need me along?” Weston looked between them.

“We’ll be fine.” Cadence led Mirage out past the guys and through the open doorway before swinging into the saddle. Ah, she’d missed this in the past few years. She glanced back to see Graham struggling to mount, but he made it up, so kudos to him.

She looked over at Weston. “We’ll be going up the south trail. The map says that’s about a two-hour ride?”

“About that. I’ll give you three before I come looking for you.” The surly cowboy smirked. “In case you meet a grizzly or something.”

They weren’t going to need rescuing, but Cadence bit her tongue and nodded. She squeezed her knees into Mirage’s flanks. “Let’s go, girl.”

Graham nudged Kennedy up beside her as soon as the trail was wide enough.

She glanced over. “You doing okay?” Because he looked ramrod stiff.

“Sure.”

“Relax a little and go with the flow.”

He shot her a glare. “I’m relaxed.”

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