Roping the Cowboy Billionaire - Emmy Eugene Page 0,65

a meaningful, open, honest relationship with Tam.

“You think Tam and I are a couple, right?”

Trey looked up, surprise in his eyes. “What?”

Instant embarrassment shot through Blaine. “Nothing,” he said.

“It’s something.”

Blaine turned away and bent to pick up some errant reins. He ran his hands along the length of them, feeling the dust and dirt, and it grounded him. “Tam asked me to be her fake boyfriend for when Hayes came into town,” he said, looking out the open barn door. The sun seemed dimmer today, as there had been a big fire a bit up the road, and the smoke was hanging in the air today.

“I didn’t really want to, but I started thinking about her in a new way, and we started dating.”

“For real?” Trey asked.

“Yes,” Blaine said, ducking his head. He started rolling up the reins. “For real. Hayes didn’t believe it. We ran into Alex last weekend, and she didn’t believe it either. Now, I’m so deep inside my own head, and…” He exhaled heavily. “It’s been a hard week. She’s just working a lot.”

“You still disappear at night,” Trey said. “You’re not going to see her?”

“I’ve been spending a couple of hours with Featherweight.” He handed the reins to Trey, their eyes meeting. “I’m pathetic, just like Alex always said.”

“No, you’re not.” Trey yanked the reins from Blaine, his eyes flashing with anger. “Don’t say that. She doesn’t get to have any influence over you anymore.”

“Yeah, but she still does sometimes,” Blaine said. “I hate that she does.”

“Then do something about it,” Trey said.

“I will, when you do something about Beth.”

Trey glared, and Blaine gave his attitude right back to him. “It’s different,” Trey finally said. “You’re already dating Tam, and you guys are extremely good together. I never doubted once that you were having a real relationship with her.” He clapped Blaine on his shoulder and went to retrieve another saddle from outside.

When he came back inside the barn, he added, “I knew you two were dating before you even went out. She showed up at the house all perfumed and curled, and she asked for you, and…I knew.”

Blaine nodded, reaching for the leather cleaner. “I’ll do this one.”

“Great,” Trey said as he pulled his ringing phone out of his pocket. “Because this is Beth.”

“Really?” Blaine asked.

Trey turned the phone toward Blaine, and it was Beth.

“Answer it before it goes to voicemail.” Blaine took the soft cloth out of the warm water in the sink and got to work, Trey taking his phone call outside.

When he finished, and the saddle gleamed like it was brand new, Blaine took out his phone and called Tam.

“Hey, stranger,” she said, her voice set on super-flirt.

Blaine chuckled, pieces of himself flying back into the right place with the simple sound of her voice. “It’s been a long week, hasn’t it?”

“Yes,” she said with a sigh.

“Where are you in your work?” he asked. “Could I take you to dinner?”

“You know what? Dinner sounds amazing.” She let out another long breath, and said, “I need an hour. Will that be too late?”

“Nope.” Blaine said he’d come by after he showered, and he was just going in from the barn now.

“See you soon,” Tam said, and Blaine hung up. His step had more bounce as he made the walk back to the house, and he took several long minutes to clean up, shave the outer edges of his beard so he looked neat and trim, and get out the bottle of cologne Spur had given him.

He put on his best jeans, a black polo and put his brown leather jacket over that. He opted for his brown cowboy hat and his brown boots to tie himself together from head to toe.

As he looked at himself in the mirror, he sighed. It didn’t get any better, and he hoped his efforts to look good for her would be noticed by Tam. He’d seen the spark of attraction in her eyes plenty of times over the past few months, and he really needed to see it again tonight.

Out in the kitchen, Trey sat at the counter with a bowl of cereal in front of him. “You’re going out,” he said.

“Yeah. Why aren’t you?”

“I didn’t ask,” he said. “Before you say anything, she asked me to help her with the horses tomorrow, which is a huge step for her. Huge.” He grinned at Blaine, who smiled on back at his brother.

“Good luck tomorrow,” Blaine said. “If I don’t see you in the morning.” He nodded