Tyler
“Walk the fuck away, man,” I mutter to myself as I return to my truck.
Nothing good can come from one night of what I know would probably be absolute fucking heaven. It’s not only that I’m too old for her—yeah, that’s part of it—but I won’t be the reason she runs away from Colorado.
I’ve done this song and dance before. I fell hard for a woman who came to town on the fringes of a divorce. Wanted a fresh start in someplace new and exciting and all that. She was looking for validation and an escape from reality, and I was looking for forever. Clearly, it didn’t work out.
I won’t be someone else’s cowboy fantasy again. The romantic novelty of it all wears off pretty quickly when one harsh winter settles in and you realize there’s no Amazon Prime.
“What doyou mean you’re not interested? It was written all over your face when you saw her again at the board meeting—the way you flew out of that room like a fox with his tail on fire.” Trent laughs as he helps me unload the two new horses I bought at auction.
“‘Saw her again’?” I pause and look at him.
“Yeah, she told me she met you at the Fall Fest the night before.”
I shake my head. “You guys have a sleepover and paint each other’s nails too?” I don’t love the idea that Brooklyn is telling my brother stuff about us.
“Us”? What us?
“Oh, come on, man, don’t be childish. She just doesn’t know anyone here yet. She and I are friends is all. She didn’t spill your secrets . . . don’t worry.” He slaps my arm before waving to Decker and Ranger as they approach. “Mornin’, boys!”
“Mornin’, Trent. Tyler, heard you got yourself a mare you’re eyeballin’.” All three of them burst into laughter at Decker’s comment.
“Seriously? You too?” I roll my eyes and place the horses in the barn in their new stalls. “You guys are like a bunch of high schoolers, you know that?”
“Hey, man, we’re just looking out for you. We think you should ask her out. What’s the harm?”
I glare at Ranger. “I don’t need you guys trying to set me up or whatever. Pretty sure I could handle gettin’ myself a date if I wanted one.”
“That’s the problem, brother. You haven’t been on a real date in what? A year?”
“A woman like that doesn’t want to settle down in a small mountain town, trust me.”
I motion for Ranger and Decker to help me toss a few bales of hay into the horse stalls, and Trent trails behind us.
“Doesn’t have to be forever. Nobody is saying propose to her.”
“You know I’m 10 years older than her, right?” I take off my gloves and shove them into my back pocket. “Besides, she works for our company, Trent. Don’t you think that’s a conflict of interest or whatever?”
He laughs. “Oh, come on. You think us Slades adhere to any of that shit? Dad married his lawyer, Uncle Colton married his nanny, and Uncle Clay was Aunt Autumn’s contractor. Besides, you’re both smart enough that if after a couple dates you realize you don’t want anything serious, you won’t let it get in the way of the business.”
“Funny how you forgot to mention that Uncle Colton’s future father-in-law showed up to his house with a shotgun and Aunt Autumn’s ex-husband showed up ready to kill Clay. I ain’t looking to have a hole in my chest over something casual.”
The guys finish up helping me get the new horses situated before Ranger and Decker head out to go check the first pasture.
“Back in an hour or so, boss.”
I turn back to Trent, who’s leaning against the door of his fancy SUV.
“Why don’t you go focus on your own personal life? Y’all always act like I’m the only single one in this family when none of you are even close to getting married.”
“I’m busy with the company,” he replies, “and besides, as the oldest in the family, it’s our right to razz you about still being single.” He opens the door and rolls down the window. “Besides, I’m not technically single.”
“Banging Claire Wells every time she breaks up with that tool, Brent, isn’t exactly a committed relationship, bro.”
“At least I’m gettin’ some!” he shouts at me through the open window as he drives away.
I spend the next hour or so going over inventory, checking maintenance on a few machines, and sorting a few of the cowboys.