drive over.
“You nervous or something?” I ask when I see Elle in her truck. “You’re sweating.”
“It’s hot.”
“Mm-hmm.” I snicker, hopping into the passenger’s seat. “Maize coming?”
Before she can answer, we see her walking down the steps of the B&B porch looking like she got hit by a bus.
“Oh my God…” I laugh when she opens the back door. Turning, I raise my brows at the dark circles under her eyes and the messy bun on top of her head. “What the hell happened to you?”
Elle starts driving, and Maize groans at the bumpy road.
“I went to the bar last night to keep Kenzie company, and well…” She sighs. “Do either of you know a Gavin?”
I purse my lips, thinking about all the regulars and townies who come into the bar. “No, doesn’t ring a bell,” I tell her.
“Thank God. I hope he was just passing through.”
“Maize…” The corner of my lips tilts up. “What’d you do?”
“I think the question is who did you do?” Elle mocks.
“You hooked up with a stranger!” I laugh, shocked and kinda impressed. Maize doesn’t do hookups.
“Don’t talk so loud!” she scolds. “My head’s still pounding.”
“Go figure, the one night I’m not working you find a hottie to bang. What’d he look like?”
“Like all the other cowboys in this damn state. Ugh, fuck my life. I’m gonna be so embarrassed if I run into him again after being a sloppy drunk and probably a horrible lay.” She hangs her head in shame. Elle and I try to hide our laughter, but it doesn’t work.
“Stop worrying. I doubt he’s from here.”
“So…how was it?” Elle asks.
“Yes, do tell.”
She rolls her eyes, but I see a half-smile on her face, which is enough for me to know she had a good night.
“Even drunk, he was good. Like really good.”
“Did you get his number?” I ask.
“No! I didn’t even get his last name. And to make matters worse, I left before he woke up.”
“What?” I screech. “You didn’t!”
She buries her head in her hands. “I was embarrassed! I didn’t want to be the one he bailed on, so I got dressed and got the fuck out.”
Her face is so red, I’m tempted to ask if she’s running a fever, but then I think better of it when she smacks her forehead against the window.
“I can’t believe you left…” I chuckle to myself.
“I wanna meet this guy,” Elle adds. “He’s got you all kinds of flustered.”
Maize turns and glares.
“Do you remember anything else about him?” I ask as Elle turns into a gravel driveway.
“I think he mentioned something about bull riding…like he used to or something.”
I snap my fingers. “I bet that’s why he’s just passing through town. Probably on the way to a competition or something.”
“Wait, where did y’all hook up?” Elle asks.
“At some apartment but he said it wasn’t his.”
“So he must be visiting a friend,” I say, trying to put the pieces together. “Did you see anyone else there?”
“No, but it was like two in the morning, and I was on the tipsy side,” she states dryly. “This is humiliating. What was I thinking?”
“You were thinking you needed some dick.” I snort.
“I hate you. If you’d been working, you could’ve stopped me from making a fool out of myself.”
“Oh, this is my fault?” I ask, amused.
“Yes,” she states firmly. “Where were you anyway?”
“Visiting my friend, Camila,” I tell her, the guilt immediately creeping in as I lie right to her face.
“Alright, we’re here. Think you two can manage to help me so I don’t fuck this up?”
“You’ve done this dozens of times. Why are you so nervous now?” I ask as we all get out of the truck, and she grabs her bag of supplies.
“Connor made it very clear these were very close friends of his and to treat them well.” She shrugs when I pop a brow at her, not buying it. “I don’t want to disappoint him, okay?”
“Because you love him,” Maize teases. “I wouldn’t mind having one night with him.”
“Alright, drunky, you stay in the truck,” Elle orders.
“Oh c’mon, I’m fine! I just know you have a thing for your boss, and you’re too chicken to tell him.”
“How could you not, though? He’s ridiculously sexy!” I fan my face when Elle glowers at me.
“You two are hopeless.” Elle starts walking toward the barn, and Maize and I follow. “Y’all gonna get me fired.”
Chapter Thirteen
DIESEL
I’ve had a permanent smile on my face ever since I got back from San Angelo with Rowan. Being with her has