Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26917 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26917 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
“Oh, baby, I’m here for you.” Heather sets down her bag and rushes into the tack room to grab a blanket. “We can have a nice picnic here in the barn.”
I toss the saddle onto one of the stands and turn to my former classmate. “Last time you were here you said the barn smelled like manure and you didn’t know how anyone could stomach living out in the sticks. First thing you were going to do after graduation was find your own place in Dallas.”
“I wasn’t feeling well that day,” Heather complains. She plops down in the middle of the red and black tartan plaid wool blanket and pats an empty space beside her. “And whatever plans I may have talked about are in the past.” She smiles at me like she didn’t just call my ranch a manure pit a few weeks ago after I turned an invitation down to pop her cherry that she said she’d been keeping safe for me. I’d never asked for that and didn’t want it, which I told her. She then slapped me and told me that she didn’t want ranch life anyway.
“Seemed like we parted with an understanding where each of us stood. You get up now so I can put the blanket away.”
She crosses her arms. “No. Not until you hear me out.”
I tug my hat down. “Heather, I don’t have time for this.”
“Why? You chasing the tail of that little girl that ran away? She doesn’t look like she’d survive more than two minutes in this place.”
“You’d be wrong. She’s been here for over twenty-four hours.”
Heather rolls her eyes. “Wow. So long. Sterling, baby, you’ve not been around women most of your life, so you don’t know what goes on in their heads. That girl doesn’t want to be here. She’s delicate. She belongs in the city, surrounded by silks and velvet. She’s not a hardy Texas girl.”
It’s not like I don’t have those same concerns, but I’m not sharing that with Heather Murphy. “Thanks for your concern. I’ll let her know that you were thinking of her.” I pick up the phone. “Sully, can you come to the barn? Heather Murphy is here, and she’s going to eat lunch. I’ve got to get to the main house to see to our guest.”
“I’m out on Thunder right now but can be back at the barn in about fifteen,” he replies.
Fifteen? Every second more that I spend with Heather is taking a year off the end of my life span.
“Wait.” Heather scrambles to her feet, gathering up her soup and the blanket. “Here. It’s all picked up. Let’s go.”
“Go where?”
“To the main house, dummy. You can introduce me to your friend. Is that why you had to cancel the bonfire? Because she arrived? I’ll make her comfortable and then we can put the party back on.”
I don’t think putting Heather anywhere near Princess is a good idea, but I can’t leave Heather in the barn with the horses. Tucker and Blake would kill me, and Sully’s just taking too damn long. “Fine. Let’s go.” I hurriedly fold the blanket and stuff it on the shelf before hauling ass toward the main house. Heather trails behind, whining all the way.
I bang open the back door and yell, “Where’s everyone?”
Birdie appears in the entry. “Why are you yelling? Oh, hello, Heather. We were just about to call you. Why don’t you go to the work room and get undressed.”
“Of course. I’ll be happy to.” Heather hands over the chicken noodle soup. “My nana made this for y’all. I tried to give it to Sterling, but he wanted to throw it out.” She sniffs and flounces away toward Birdie’s work room.
“What’s that all about?” Birdie wonders.
“Nothing. Where’s Maria?”
“In the workroom helping Mrs. Murphy pick out embellishments for Heather’s dress for the Children’s Charity Ball.”
I grimace. The last thing I need is Heather talking up Birdie’s ear about how she’s in line to be the next Mrs. Justice. I spring forward, chasing Heather down. “Hold up, Heather,” I call, trying to buy some time.
She grinds to a halt, a smile stretching across her face. When I reach her, she slips an arm around mine. “I didn’t know you were interested in my dress, Sterling,” she coos.
“I’m not.” I try to extricate myself, but at that precise moment, Maria appears. Her eyes grow wide at the sight of Heather and me looking like we’re holding hands. “It’s not what you think,” I say, but Heather plasters herself to my side and presses a kiss on my cheek.
“Sterling’s here to help me pick out a dress! He’s so interested in everything I’m doing. Baby, you’ll have to turn around, though. I can’t have you peeking at me while I’m in my undies.” She giggles. Maria turns ghost white. I curse.