Catching the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch #2) - Kennedy Fox Page 0,23

validation I need to know I’ll end up a nun or single forever with forty-seven cats. There are no good-looking, single men around here.”

I stand, lifting my hand, and Maize gives me a high-five. “Same, sis. Same.”

A few more slow songs play, and eventually, the mood in the room changes as Shania Twain blasts out about men not impressing her very much. I’m pretty sure this is my theme song. One reason this country bar stands out above the others is they always play old-school country songs. It brings me back to being a kid and the music my grandparents always have playing in their house.

I know I need to stop drinking, or I’ll be trashed before midnight. I order a glass of water and chug it so I don’t have a hangover tomorrow. When I’d go out with my friends in college, it was the only way I wouldn’t be sick the next day.

As soon as Rednex comes on, the entire room starts line dancing. I’m honestly having an amazing time with my cousins. The four of us can’t stop laughing as we nearly trip on each other to “Cotton Eye Joe.” Drunk people were not taken into consideration when this dance was invented, but it’s another reason I love to wear my cowboy boots. Heels are just too dangerous. Kenzie and I stumble around and nearly take Maize and Elle down with us. We are those basic girls wearing skirts and being obnoxious at the bar, but I don’t care what anyone thinks. Maize encourages me to take more shots with her and to keep dancing. She’s the life of the party right now, and I’m living for it.

After we’ve nearly tired ourselves out, we find a table in the corner, then sit and catch our breaths. My face hurts from laughing so much, and I honestly can’t remember the last time I had this much fun. Damn, I love being home. These girls are my best friends and practically like my sisters.

While I’m at the table, I pull my phone from my purse and ask the waitress to snap a picture of us. We smile wide, wrapping our arms around each other. Once we check the photo, I post it to Facebook with a sappy post about being out with my cousins. Grateful these three are in my life. Happy Birthday to me!

After it’s live, I scroll through my feed, and that’s when I see a picture of Nick and the skank he cheated on me with. She has a big diamond ring on her finger and looking at it makes me want to puke. The ring, the man, the future—all of it was supposed to be mine, but it was stolen from me in a blink from a man who never deserved me in the first place.

“What the fuck!” I shout and show Maize my screen. Immediately, her reaction changes, and she shakes her head.

“He’s a bastard,” Maize says.

Elle adds, “A cheating bastard, at that.”

“I guess we’ll join the convent together,” Maize continues. “Won’t be so bad if we’re both there, right?”

I snicker, regardless of how frustrated I am. “You know what I want right now?”

All eyes are on me, waiting for me to continue.

“I want revenge.”

Kenzie rubs her hands together. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

By the evil look on her face, I’m not sure I am. “I’m scared to know what’s going through your mind right now.”

“Bishop women don’t get back, they get even.” Maize has always been Team Rowan, and even from the very beginning, she didn’t like Nick that much. She said there was a vibe about him. I never saw it, but should have. I was blinded by his good looks and made excuses for his arrogance.

Never again.

Elle looks back and forth between us. “Oh lord. You’re gonna make me be an accomplice, aren’t you?”

“I just need you to drive by his place for me.”

“He’s back in town?” Kenzie asks.

I suck in a deep breath, then blow it out. “Yes, he moved back with his ho in tow last week. Trust me, I wasn’t thrilled about it. Out of all the men in the entire state of Texas going to the University of Houston, I had to date some asshole who only lived an hour away from home.”

“You were happy about that when you thought it was going to work out,” Elle reminds me.

“Yeah, I honestly thought it’d be great because I always planned to come back after graduation. No man