The cowboy’s eyes cut from Brielle to James and back. He nodded, touching the brim of his hat before slipping into the pen.
“The goats are pretty popular today,” James said.
“I’m not here for small talk.” Her voice wasn’t harsh or overly mean, but the direct statement seemed to sting just a little.
“Then what are you here for?”
“Did you tell her we dated?”
James’s brows furrowed. “Tell who?”
Brielle rolled her eyes. “I’m not in the mood for games.”
“Who’s playing games?”
“James. I asked you a question. Did you or didn’t you tell Constance that we dated?”
“That’s a weird question.”
She let out a groan. “Just make sure you don’t tell her, okay?”
There was a twinge of concern threaded through her tone.
“Please?” she added.
James nodded. “Sure. I won’t tell her.”
“I mean it. I don’t want her knowing.”
He frowned. “Why? Does this have something to do with your father’s rules?”
Brielle pushed past him and entered the goat pen. “Sure, let’s go with that. Just don’t tell her and we’ll be golden.”
As much as he would have liked to extend their conversation, he knew deep down that was impossible. She was no longer available to him.
Constance materialized as if from nowhere. She had her purse and it looked like she’d put on some makeup.
But to be honest, she didn’t need makeup. He thought she was prettier without it.
And just like that, the thought occurred to him. Constanceispretty. Not to mention she loves caring for the horses, just like he does. Maybe this coffee date wouldn’t be so bad.
6
Constance
He asked her out. This was really happening! Her high school crush asked her out!
Constance’s hands trembled slightly in her lap. She stared out the truck’s front window, unable to quell the nerves that refused to leave. Acting like this was ridiculous.
She was probably overthinking this. He hadn’t shown any real interest in her. It’s like he said. He wanted to discuss her interest in being a vet.
Okay, she wasdefinitelyoverthinking. This wasn’t a date. James didn’t like her. But she’d take whatever she could get. It wasn’t like she could date anyone officially anyway—not with Brielle in her way.
Constance chewed on the inside of her cheek and glanced at James out of the corner of her eye. He kept his hands firmly on the wheel and his focus on the road. He was clean-shaven, unlike a lot of the cowboys out in this part of the state. And with his chiseled bone structure, he could totally pull it off without having too much of a baby face.
Just looking at him gave her stomach a fresh wave of tangled knots.
Brielle was right. Constance had a crush on the doctor and there was nothing that would fix it. Why did her crush have to be so interested in Brielle?