Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 115683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Mack gives him a look. “Okay, Dr. Phil.”
“I’m more of an Oprah,” Nash replies. “Deep thoughts, great hair.”
“Love me some Oprah,” Ryder says with a sigh.
I laugh. “I love y’all.”
It hits me that I’m able to be honest this way at this table because these people are my friends. Good friends. Friends who clearly give a fuck about me and want the best for me.
Billie meets eyes with me across the table. There’s a knowing gleam in hers, one that has my pulse skipping several beats.
She’s a smart cookie. I admire her tenacity and her appetite for risk. She’s taken a lot of big swings recently. The barrel racing, the whole dating-her-older-brother’s-best-friend thing. And how she’s building an animal therapy program from the ground up.
She’s risked everything, but now she has everything. There’s a lesson to be learned there.
Beck raises his beer. “Whatever you decide, Lainey, it’s been an absolute pleasure getting to know you. You’re truly something special, and I know that you’re gonna soar no matter where you end up.”
I feel Colt’s eyes on me as he raises his beer too. “He’s right, you know. I just hope you’ll let me be along for the ride.”
Christ in heaven, I’m a goner.
I raise my cocktail and quietly burst into tears when everyone clinks my glass.
I feel loved.
I feel seen.
I feel so happy I want to yell.
Who cares if my parents don’t get it? Who cares what Mom thinks? What if the only thing that matters is what I know about myself?
I know I’m happy in Hartsville.
I know I’m happy doing creative work that’s project-oriented.
I know I’m happy being part of Colt’s little family. Well, not so little, considering there’s nine of them. Ten if you count Ryder.
We drink and we laugh, and when the band comes on, we all head to the dance floor. On the way, I make a pit stop at the bar to say hi to Cash and Mollie.
“Lainey!” She throws up her arms and wraps me in a tight hug. “You still gotta come by the studio to get your boots! How are things, honey?”
It’s a simple pleasure, seeing a familiar face. But it’s a potent one too, because I’m smiling like an idiot as I pull back. “Things are good. Really good.”
“I heard through the grapevine you’re crushing your assignment.”
Sipping the watery dregs of my margarita, I set the empty glass on the bar. “Word travels fast around here.”
“Get used to it,” she replies with a smile.
“And you? Everything’s good?”
“Everything’s great.” She glances at Cash, who’s checking out a bottle of reposado tequila Tallulah is holding. “Busy—sometimes too busy—but great overall.”
“Can I ask how you’ve made it work? Like, how you kept doing what you loved but also—”
“How I kept doing the man I loved?” She grins, tipping back her cocktail. “Of course you can ask me that. It’s a good question. An important one. Because I think you’re a lot like me—you’re very much a city girl, but you also fell hard for this little spot in the country.”
I feel a sense of relief so acute I have to close my eyes because I feel like I’m going to cry all over again. “Exactly. And I think I’m finally figuring out what I want to do career-wise, which is exciting, but I don’t want to shortchange myself by not being in the ‘center’ of things. Like, if I were back in Austin, I imagine I’d be doing a lot more networking there. Just by, you know, being physically in the city. I’d run into people. Get new clients that way. I can’t imagine that happening in Hartsville.”
“Yes and no. I get what you’re saying. But you’ve already got an established business. I imagine you get a lot of referrals?”
“Yes.”
“And you know Colt’s gonna be taking over as principal for Dale. He’ll be traveling a lot more, and you get to travel with him. What if—I mean, what if you’ve found your niche by doing the branding project for the Wallaces? Sounds like you’re enjoying the work. You’re learning the ranching business. You’re meeting people in that business, and you’re making connections locally. Beck did mention hiring you.”
I nod. “He did, yeah.”
“So what if we figure out a way to make that snowball? It’s already happening, Lainey. You’re clearly too good at what you do to ignore.”
My heart marks a strong, steady beat in my chest. “We?”
“It’s one of the perks of living in a small town. Well, at least this small town. Not only does everyone root for you, they show up for you too.” She grabs my hand. “Please take me up on my offer to help. I promise it’s real. We really do need some marketing help with our men’s boots.”
I think about her words as I meander to the dance floor, a fresh margarita in hand. I didn’t even need to ask for it—all of a sudden, I looked up and Tallulah was handing a frosty glass to me, complete with Tajín rim.