I shoved the remaining carrots around on my plate with a sigh. “I know.” It was no secret that I was a homebody. I loved my job and my family, so I kept my focus on those two things. Was that such a problem? I was content.

“Maybe you’ll think she’s cute,” Lennon said, jumping back to the new client he roped in for me.

“She is pretty cute. Her daughter is adorable, too,” Oakley agreed.

I looked at the two of them. “Another lovestruck mom?”

Lennon’s eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms, somewhat defensively. Interesting. “No.”

Oakley looked between the two of us, sensing Lennon was getting umbrageous. “She’s really sweet. I think you’ll like her.”

“Look, guys, I’m not really looking to date, but thanks for thinking of me.” I hadn’t dated since my ex, and I wasn’t planning on changing that. Being given an ultimatum to choose between your girlfriend or your family will make you lay off dating for a while, that’s for sure. 

We finished our dinner and chatted for a bit before I stood, gathering the dishes from the table and bringing them to the kitchen. I turned the faucet to hot and began scrubbing. 

“You don’t have to clean up,” Lennon said, coming into the kitchen with the empty beer bottles to toss them in the recycling.

“It’s alright.” I liked cleaning. It helped keep my mind occupied when all it wanted to do was wander.

Lennon leaned back against the counter beside the sink, crossing his arms. After I scrubbed the remaining dishes clean, I turned off the water and faced him while I dried my hands on a rag. 

“What?” I could tell he had something on his mind.

“Go easy on her,” he said.

“Oakley?”

He frowned. We both knew he wasn’t talking about Oakley. “The client I set you up with. She’ll be by sometime this week. She’s nice, so I expect you to treat her the same.”

“I’m always nice.” It was true—I was. I got it from our mom. Where my other brothers had their reasons for being the way they were, I was always the nice one, offering to help the moment I saw someone needed it. We all would. That’s how we were raised. But my brothers thought of me as soft for how I went about it.

“I’m going to head home,” I told him. I had an early lesson tomorrow and was already tired from the shit show of the day I’d had.

“Text me when you get home.”

“I will.” Grabbing my cowboy hat off the counter, I slipped it on, heading for the front door. I peeked in the living room on my way, seeing Oakley on the couch with her wine. “Goodnight, Oakley.”

She twisted on the cushion, looking over the back at me. “Goodnight, Cal. Drive safe.”

“Will do.” I headed out the door, the summer air warming my arms from the AC inside their house. Sliding behind the wheel of my 2018 Ram 3500, I headed home. The backroads were dark, as usual, the moon and stars lighting up the fields that stretched for miles in every direction.

I would always take more clients, even if my schedule was already packed, but the way Lennon got almost protective over this woman made me think he was recruiting her for all the wrong reasons. I didn’t need to be set up with anyone, let alone a mother. There were enough single, and married, moms that flirted with me while I instructed their children how to ride. Sure, she could be different, but I knew what came with the territory, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready.

Not after what happened all those years ago.

But maybe this woman would be different.

I doubted it.

5

Sage

My SUV bumped along the dirt road as it trudged up the driveway to Bottom of the Buckle Ranch. Avery couldn’t sit still in the back seat, going on and on about how she hoped one of the horses here looked like Boots, the one in her drawing.

I wasn’t sure what Callan looked like, but I recognized Bailey, Lettie’s fiance, right away as I came to a stop in front of the white barn.

Avery was already unbuckled and out the door by the time I had my seat belt halfway off. To say she was excited was an understatement.

“Bailey! I get to ride a horse today!” she exclaimed to him as she ran in his direction.

I got out, not bothering to lock my car behind me. 

Bailey offered me a smile as he turned his attention to Avery, who came skidding to a stop in front of him in her pink cowgirl boots. “A horse, huh?”

She nodded quickly. “Yeah. Do you think I can ride your horse?”

He took the piece of straw out of his mouth, flicking it to the ground. “Nova’s a little too advanced for you, Aves, but I’m sure Callan has the perfect horse just for you.”

“Just for me?” Avery asked as I came to a stop a few feet behind her, taking in the ranch. It was beautiful out here, with three barns, multiple arenas, and pastures that stretched for miles. The bright green grass swayed in the slight wind like waves in an ocean. The sound filled the air, the pine trees swaying at the tips where they towered over the land.

Where was this when I was having a terrible day? One breath of this air and I’d forget all about the stress. It smelled like pine and oak mixed with the scent of the various animals around the ranch. The Idaho breeze was calming, relaxing my stiff body instantly.

“Hmm, it might be. Can you keep a secret?” Bailey asked Avery, crouching to her height.

She nodded again, and he leaned closer. “I think he might put you on Lettie’s horse.”

Avery’s face lit up. “Really?”

Bailey nodded with a wink, then stood, ruffling her hair as he faced me. “Callan will be out in a minute, he’s just finishing up with a student.”

“Thanks, Bailey,” I said.

I glanced behind me at the white farmhouse, then heard boots scuffling on the dirt. I turned to find Avery running toward the fence lining one of the pastures.

“Avery!” I called out, hurrying after her.

“Yes, Mama?” she asked like she hadn’t just run away from me.

“You can’t run off like that. We don’t know this place.”

“We don’t bite,” a male voice said to my right.

I turned to find a man wearing a tan cowboy hat, light wash jeans, and a gray t-shirt that hugged his body. The same man that I spilled coffee all over in the cafe. If he recognized me, he didn’t give any indication.

He stood about five feet away with a hand casually slung over the fence. His eyes moved to Avery. “You ready for your lesson?”

Avery spun so fast that her hair whipped out behind her. She beamed up at him from where she stood next to me. “Yes! I’m so excited.”