by Elle Thorpe
No, our plan had always been that if I didn’t make the pros, we’d move to the city so he could chase his dream.
I hadn’t made the pros.
So it was his turn. I owed him that. I’d promised. And I wasn’t about to start breaking promises now. I sat beside him, and he put his arm around my shoulder. “There’s no problem,” I confirmed to my mother. “I was just taken by surprise.”
“Well, good then. Because I already started planning a welcome party for Dominic. You’ll be there, right? Tonight, at the B&B. I already talked to Hallie about it.”
“A welcome party?” Austin scoffed. “Seriously? What for? It’s not like the guy has any friends here.”
I elbowed him sharply and tried to cover his rudeness. “That’s the point.” I nodded at my mother. “We’ll be there.”
It had been a few weeks since I’d last been to the B&B that Hallie and Nate were restoring. I stopped to admire the fresh coat of gleaming white paint on the front door, and the newly installed brass knocker. I didn’t dare use it, for fear of chipping the perfect paint, and anyway, this was my best friend’s house. I never knocked.
I led the way inside, my fingers clutched around Austin’s. “Hello?” I called out in the foyer, wondering where everyone was.
Austin gazed around at the polished floorboards and the gorgeous sweeping staircase that led up to the second story, where most of the guest rooms were. The bottom floor was a large open space that Hallie had filled with comfortable-looking couches, shelves full of books, and even a small bar in one corner.
“Oh wow,” I breathed, taking it all in. “I haven’t seen it furnished. I love it.”
Austin wrinkled his nose, tugging me in the direction of the bar. “They’re never going to make their money back on this place, you know. They’ve completely overcapitalized.”
“Thanks for your opinion, Austin,” Hallie said from behind us, voice dripping with sarcasm.
I cringed, hating she’d heard him say that.
He didn’t seem at all bothered, though. “What sort of alcohol do you have?” He disappeared behind the bar, searching for his drink of choice.
I linked my arm through Hallie’s and steered her away. “Sorry,” I mumbled. “Ignore him. He’s been in a mood all day. This place is amazing, and it’s going to make you a fortune once you open it to the public.”
Hallie shook off the storm cloud Austin’s comments had brought in and smiled brightly at me. “I really hope so. Because Austin is right. We have sunk a lot of money into this place. But we love it.”
“As do I. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
The thing was, Austin did know what he was talking about when it came to money and finances. He had a keen interest in real estate to boot, so he was qualified to have an opinion. Which was exactly why he felt no qualms over Hallie hearing him say they’d spent too much money on the place. To him, it was a fact. And facts weren’t something to get upset over. His brain was very analytical, with little room for emotion.
I needed to change the subject. “Thanks for hosting the party. It’s actually nice to be off the ranch for once.”
Hallie frowned at me. “You need to get out more. You work too hard.”
I did, but I loved it. Not as much as I’d once loved bull riding, but teaching was the next best thing. I’d miss it terribly once we moved to the city. I faked a smile for my best friend because I didn’t want her worrying about me. I’d given the people I loved enough to worry about over the past year, and I didn’t want to add more to it because I hated the idea of moving away from home. I was a grown woman. I couldn’t live on my parents’ ranch forever. “I won’t be working hard anymore, now that Dominic is here.”
“Speaking of…” Hallie darted a glance over my shoulder.
I followed her gaze.
Dominic stood in the doorway, blocking the last of the fading afternoon light outside. I’d never seen him dressed as smart casual as he was right now, with black denim jeans, ripped at the knees, white sneakers, and T-shirt. In fact, I was pretty sure this was the first time I’d ever seen the man without boots on his feet and a hat on his head. His dark hair was combed and styled, and my gaze fell to the tattoo that snaked its way an inch up the side of his neck, the rest hidden beneath his T-shirt. I strained to see it better but couldn’t make out the design.
Nate, Hallie’s boyfriend, walked over to greet him, slapping him on the shoulder, the two of them launching straight into easy conversation, even though they’d only met a couple of times last year.
“Holy hell,” Hallie whispered, her grip tightening on me. “I’d forgotten how insanely hot he is.”
I laughed, “Don’t let Nate hear you say that.”
She shrugged. “Nate isn’t the jealous type. He knows who I’m going home with at the end of the night. Austin, however, is looking like he wants to throw a drink in Dom’s face right about now.”
I glanced over to the bar and did a double take at Austin’s expression. Hallie was right. There was pure hate in the curl of his lips and the narrowing of his already small eyes.
I shifted uncomfortably. “I better go see what his problem is. He’s upset.”
But Hallie dug her fingernails into my arm. “If he’s upset because Dom walked into the room, that’s on him. How are you going to work with Dominic if Austin is going to be throwing shade like that?”
“Austin will be at work most of the time. He has nothing to worry about.”
Hallie huffed out a sigh that lifted her bangs. “I know that. You’re the most reliable, steadfast, trustworthy woman on the face of the planet. Much to your own detriment.”
I blinked. “What does that mean?”
She sighed. “Nothing. Your loyalty is a beautiful thing. I just worry that sometimes some people take advantage of it.” She tugged my arm. “Let’s go say hello to Dom. We’re being rude.”
I swallowed thickly. Standing over here eyeballing him wasn’t half as rude as I’d been earlier. I trailed Hallie over to her boyfriend’s side, who immediately wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
Dom glanced my way. “Hey, again.”
I peeped up at him. “Hi.”
The awkward silence between us was tangible.
Hallie cleared her throat. “Wow, well, this is uncomfortable. I’m going to pretend there’s something I need to do in the kitchen now.”
Nate grimaced. “Yeah, I’m going to pretend to help.”
I shot both of them a dirty look as they took off in the direction of the kitchen. Great friends they were.
Dominic touched my arm, and I jerked back as if he’d electrocuted me.
“Whoa. Listen, I just wanted to say I’m sorry about before.”
I gaped at him. “You’re sorry?”
He grabbed the back of his neck. “I didn’t mean to steal your job. I wouldn’t have just waltzed in the way I did if your dad had told me you didn’t know I was coming.”
My dad entering through the front door behind Dom’s back caught my attention. He raised an eyebrow, noticing me with Dominic, and a small smile lifted the corner of his mouth.
Irritation spiked in my blood. I clutched Dom’s arm and pulled him away around a corner, not needing to see my father’s smirk at that very moment.
Dom followed, until we were alone in the hall.
“It’s not you who needs to apologize,” I explained. “I was totally out of line. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
He shrugged. “I don’t want you to feel like I blindsided you. I would have let you know I was coming, but we haven’t really talked since last year.”
I bit my lip. That was my fault. I’d just been so lost to my own misery, I’d completely shut myself off from everyone apart from my immediate family. And Austin. Shit. He was going to be having a conniption about me disappearing into a quiet hallway, alone with another guy. “Let’s just call it even, okay? The ranch isn’t really that big a place when you’re working there every
day. And training you will be a whole lot easier if we aren’t pissed off with each other.”
He tilted his head. “So, we’re friends again?”
“Sure.”
Someone cleared their throat. “Summer.”
I spun on my heel.
Austin watched from the other end of the hall, his expression unreadable. “Everyone is wondering where the guest of honor is. It’s getting pretty full out there, and your mother said something about making a speech.”
Guilt punched me in the gut, even though I hadn’t been doing anything wrong. I plastered on a bright smile and went to his side, tucking an arm around his waist. His responses since Dominic’s return had me a little uneasy. I didn’t want him to feel like I was hiding anything.
Without looking back, I followed Austin out to the main room. He was right. In the space of minutes, it seemed like half the town had arrived. It didn’t matter that this had been a last-minute event. Parties were the lifeblood of this town, and nobody was going to miss a chance to ogle the new guy and check out the brand-new B&B while they were at it.
I caught Hallie’s eye from across the room, and she mouthed, “Wow” at me.
I gave her an excited thumbs-up. Even though the B&B wasn’t quite ready for guests, this was kind of a trial run for Hallie and Nate, and a chance to show off all their hard work.
There was a tinny clinking of a fork against a wine glass, and Austin pulled me to the front of the crowd, where my parents stood.
The room quieted, everybody turning their attention in Mom’s direction.
She smiled widely. “A big thank you to all of you for coming out tonight to welcome Dominic back to town. Or to have a gander at Hallie and Nate’s beautiful restoration. I’m sure you all know which camp you fall into.”
There was a titter of laughter.
“Dominic, come up here.”
I craned over my shoulder and immediately spotted Dom towering above the rest of the crowd. He was several inches taller than most, so he wasn’t hard to pick out. He smiled his way around people, who patted him on the arm as he passed, until he stood by my mother’s side.
“Kai and I have been taking steps back from the ranch over the last few months. And since our beautiful eldest daughter has decided to run off to the bright lights of the city, Dominic will be replacing her as our general manager.”
I stiffened involuntarily and quickly untangled my fingers from Austin’s, not wanting him to notice my reaction to the reminder I was leaving.
He clapped politely, but I just couldn’t. I stared down at my palms, trying to force them to come together like everybody else’s were, but my body refused to obey. I didn’t want to applaud the fact I was leaving. Or that my parents had found someone to replace me so easily.
Subconsciously, I’d been relying on the fact there weren’t many people as qualified as I was to run Hunts’ Bull Riding School and Ranch.
I hadn’t counted on Dominic West walking back into our lives and making it all too easy for me to pack my bags and go. I’d been delaying for months, claiming the ranch as my reason for avoiding the house hunting trips to the city that Austin kept going on.
I already knew Dominic practically ran his dad’s place. I had no idea why he’d decided to give that up, but that wasn’t my business. And the man knew how to ride a bull. His dad had toured on the WBRA circuit right beside my dad. Anything I’d learned from my old man, Dominic would have also learned from his.
When I looked up, Dominic was watching me curiously. My gaze collided with his, and for the tiniest of moments, his expression stole my breath.
“Excuse me,” Austin called, stepping forward. “There’s something I’d like to say, too.”
I widened my eyes. “Austin,” I hissed quietly, but he didn’t stop.
Dad eyed him, a frown on his face.
“It’s true, Summer and I have been planning this move to the city for years. But as most of you know, her tragic accident last summer put a halt to that plan. And instead we stayed here, in our hometown, so Summer could complete her physical therapy. I’m not going to deny, it’s been a difficult time for us.” He held a hand out to me, and when I took it, he pulled me around to face the crowd with him.
Heat flooded my cheeks. This was awkward, standing between Dom and Austin, with my parents behind me, and a roomful of people watching us. This was not my idea of a good time. If I was on the back of a bull in front of a crowd of thousands, I had no problems. But up here, with a group of people I knew staring at me, I felt incredibly exposed. I shifted in my sling, a stab of pain spearing through my shoulder.
Austin turned to me, stealing my attention. He took a piece of paper from his pocket and glanced down at it. “Your injuries were bad. They made you so sad. But together we walked the storm. And now your smile makes me warm.”
I squinted at him in confusion and whispered, “Are you deliberately talking in rhyme?”
He ignored me like I hadn’t said anything.
There was a snort of laughter from somewhere behind me, and I suspected it came from my father. I shot him a filthy look.
Austin didn’t seem to notice. He just kept reading his weird poetry. “We’re starting a new life. One that will be rife. With things that you love. Like little gray doves.”
Doves? What the fuck? I hated birds, didn’t he know that? Ever since a rooster had attacked me when I was seven, I’d refused to even collect the eggs from the chickens Mom kept at the ranch. By association, I hated all feathered creatures.
“Austin,” I murmured, growing increasingly uncomfortable. “What are you doing?”
He held his finger up to shush me. “We’ve been together a long time. Now it’s our turn to hear the bells chime.”
A ripple of excitement rolled through the crowd. I’m pretty sure one of my sisters squealed.
A cold sweat broke out across the back of my neck.
Then Austin dropped down on one knee. “Summer, you’re my life. Now be my wife.”
The oohs and aahs from the crowd turned into a cheer as Austin retrieved a little square box from his pocket and held it up to me.
On a bed of white satin sat an impressively sized diamond, imbedded in a band of white gold.
I stared at it for the longest moment while I tried to process his words. Sure, we’d talked about moving to the city. And we had been together for five years. But we’d never talked about marriage. I had no idea he’d even been thinking about it.
I blinked and lifted my head to see a roomful of people staring at me. My sisters. Some friends from school. I spotted Austin’s parents in the middle of the crowd, happy tears rolling down his mom’s cheeks.
Beside me, Dom’s entire body had gone stiff.
Austin cleared his throat. “Summer?”
I gazed down at the strained look on his face. He raised one eyebrow, and I realized I still hadn’t said anything. I was just standing there like some sort of fish out of water with my mouth hanging open, gulping for air.
I let out a strangled laugh. “Oh, this is where I’m supposed to answer, right?”
The room tittered, but my palms were sweaty. Austin shot a panicked glance at the rest of the room and then back at me. His eyes widened, urging me on.
I had to answer him.
“Yes?” My voice came out tiny and squeaky and as more of a question than a statement.
But then Austin was on his feet, swooping me into a spinning hug that nearly took out Dominic and my parents, while he pumped one fist in the air. The cheers that filled the room were earsplitting.
When he finally put me down, he took up my hand, sliding the ring on to my finger.
Over his shoulder I caught sight of Dom watching us, his expression unreadable. But that was better than the expressions on my parents’ faces, who appeared downright disappointed.
I swallowed hard. This was what I wanted, right? This was the natural progression of things. This shouldn’t have been as surprising and out of the blu
e as it felt. I shouldn’t have felt like a bull caged into a corner, with no way out except to charge right though.
So when Austin kissed me, I put all those doubts aside and kissed my fiancé back.
The party became a whirlwind of congratulations and people grabbing my hand to look at my ring. Austin grinned through it all, his arm tight around my shoulder as he towed me around the room, accepting everyone’s well-wishes.
The minute we got in the car, though, alone for the first time all night, his fingers clenched around the steering wheel. “What the fuck was that?”
The smile fell off my face at the acid in his tone. “What do you mean?”
He glared at me as he started the engine and jerked the gearshift into drive. He planted his foot on the accelerator, and we flew out onto the main road at an alarming pace that set off warning sirens in my head.
“You know exactly what I mean,” he hissed. “I asked you to marry me in front of everyone we know, and you humiliated me!”
I blinked. “Humiliated you?” I narrowed my eyes and shifted forward in my seat, the belt yanking at my shoulder.
It was only then that I realized his eyes were slightly unfocused. “How much have you had to drink?”
I frantically tried to do the math in my head. I’d seen him with a glass in his hand for most of the night, but it had never been full. Austin always drove when we went out because he hated me driving his car. And it suited me since I didn’t like his car anyway. I didn’t want to be constantly worried I was going to get a scratch on his paint. That car had cost him more money than he could really afford, despite the fact it was secondhand, and he acted like it was plated in gold. But he never had more than one drink, so the fact he always wanted to drive had never been a problem between the two of us.
But it was a problem right now. Because although I might not have seen him refilling his glass, he definitely wasn’t sober. “Pull over.”
He acted like he hadn’t even heard me. Just stared straight out through the windshield into the dark night beyond. “I got down on my knee and asked you to be my wife. It took you too long to answer. So yeah, Summer. You humiliated me.”
