And her father was nothing if not a strong member of the community due to his business sense.
She flung herself onto her bed, then grabbed her pillow and rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling. James still left her feeling weak in the knees and wishing there was a chance for something more between the two of them. But this opportunity was a close second on the scale of dreams coming true, and he would be the one to help her make it happen.
A quiet rap on her door drew Constance’s attention. She sat up, still hugging the pillow to her chest to find Brielle standing in the doorway with a concerned look on her face. “Where did you go with James?”
“He took me to coffee.”
“Coffee.” Her tone made it clear she wasn’t convinced.
“Yes. Coffee. And it’s none of your business, but he was sweet and helpful and he’s going to help me become a vet.”
Brielle’s features softened a little. “That’s very sweet of him to say those things, but you can’t get your hopes up.” She settled onto a rocking chair just a few feet from Constance. The wood creaked as she rocked back and forth.
“Why are you saying that like you think it’s not going to happen? I am going to take some classes, and he’s going to help me become a vet just like him.”
Brielle’s patronizing smile was like scratching Constance’s fingernails on a chalk board. It set her teeth on edge and all she wanted to do was wipe it from her sister’s face. Brielle ran a hand through her perfect locks. “I know you like him and all, but just because he says he’ll do something doesn’t mean he’ll follow through.”
“What do you even know? You used to be friends with him when you guys were in high school. People change, Bri. And you might not know him as well as you used to.”
“I know him better than you think,” she shot back. Then she closed her eyes briefly before standing up. “Besides, you’re forgetting one thing.” She waited for a few minutes before finishing her statement. “Dad.”
“James said—”
“James isn’t part of this family. He doesn’t know the rules as well as we do. What do you expect him to do? Talk to our father about letting you participate in whatever this thing you’re trying to do is called?”
That was the one thing Brielle could have said that burst Constance’s happy bubble. Somehow hearing it out loud was just enough to make Constance realize just how ridiculous she’d been. James wasn’t part of their family. He might be a charmer, but Constance had yet to see any sign that her father would succumb to anything when it had to do with his daughters.
She frowned and fell back on her bed. Maybe she wasn’t going to have her dream after all.
Brielle’s movement shuffled through the room. She sat on the edge of the bed and patted Constance’s knee. “It will be fine. You can still learn some stuff from him. But it’s probably best to tuck that dream away for the time being.”
She was right.
Of course she was right.
Maybe Constance didn’t really deserve to have anything that she wanted.
Not her dream job.
And definitely not James.
7
James
After coffee, James had promised Constance that he’d speak with her father when he got a chance sometime over the next several days. Vet tech courses weren’t due to start for a few weeks and there was still time to register.
As much as he’d like to say he fully believed Zeke would be on board, he wasn’t quite sure. He didn’t want to let Constance down after their conversation, which only added to the feeling of being on edge as he strode toward the house.
In the evening, most cowboys still finished up their work for the day. Zeke should be on the property and available to visit. Now, all James needed to worry about was how to approach the subject.
Constance knew her father better than James ever would. If she didn’t think this was possible, then James had his work cut out for himself. He just needed to do what he said he would and bring up the important points.
James rapped his knuckles on the door and waited as the sound of heavy boots hitting a wood floor echoed through the entryway. The door swung open and he started, stepping backward for a moment as he stared into Brielle’s eyes.
Those eyes were the ones that had kept him up at night. They were the ones he saw when he regretted his decision to let her go. They didn’t belong to him anymore.
Brielle glanced behind her as she pulled the door shut so quietly that it only clicked. The surprise left her gaze and her eyes narrowed as she folded her arms. “What are you doing?” Her even voice was strong and sharper than he expected.