Easy girl. Think of Sterling.
Kessed wanted to roll her eyes. “Sounds fun.”
Jasper paused in front of a door, knocking once. Kessed heard a few squeals before the door opened, and several of their other friends enveloped Laken in hugs.
“That’s my exit cue.” Jasper chuckled. “But, Kessed, if you wouldn’t mind, I think Cyler wanted to speak with you.”
Kessed patted Laken on the back and walked off with Jasper, her tension slowly releasing. Why am I so uptight? It wasn’t her wedding, but Laken was closer than a sister and, well… she wanted it perfect.
“A vet, huh?” Kessed asked, making conversation as they strode down the hall and out into the sunshine.
“Yup. What do you do for a living?”
Kessed groaned inwardly. It wasn’t that she was ashamed of her job. She served coffee! She saved lives! It just didn’t sound grown-up, and twenty-four was plenty grown-up. “I’m a barista at Starbucks.”
“This is going to be the start of a beautiful friendship. I can feel it.” Jasper nudged her with his elbow, and she released a pent-up breath.
“Coffee?”
“It’s survival.”
“I know how you feel,” she answered as Cyler waved them down.
He was already in his tux, his light brown hair cut with a hard part that made him look like a cross between Scott Eastwood and David Beckham.
“Kess, so don’t tell Laken because she’ll kinda freak, and I don’t want her to deal with this today, all right?” Cyler held his hands up in defense as if he was expecting a blow.
“Shit, what is it?” Kessed asked, glaring at her best friend’s almost-husband.
Basically family.
Cyler sighed. “The livestock broker emailed me this morning, and I guess there’s an issue with the timeline of delivery.”
“Meaning?” Kessed prodded.
“Meaning that the steers might not be on schedule. They might be early,” Jasper clarified, tucking his hands in his suit pants.
Kessed sent him a wary glance. “I don’t know anything about cows.”
Cyler choked back a laugh then sobered when she glared. “Don’t worry, I’m well aware of that. Chances are I’ll get it all sorted out, and it won’t be an issue, but since you’re housesitting while we’re gone, I wanted you to be aware.”
“So, it won’t happen?” Kessed asked, nervous.
“Nope. But if it does, Jasper will be on deck to help you.” Cyler gestured to his friend, who smiled widely.
“It looks like we should probably get to know one another, just in case,” Jasper replied with a grin.
Kessed wanted to roll her eyes. Is that a line? If so, is that the best he can do?
“Let me get your number—”
“I don’t think that will be necessary. I mean, if the worst happens—”
“Kessed, a few steers are not the worst that can happen,” Cyler interrupted.
She glared. “For you. Be thankful I like your damn horse. Anything else is on its own.”
Cyler chuckled. “You’ll be fine. You’re tougher than you think.”
“Damn straight, I am,” Kessed replied.
“So, since that went so well…” Cyler sighed heavily, rocking back on his heels. “Jasper, how’s my almost-wife?”
“Say nothing.” Kessed pointed to Jasper, and he lifted his hands in surrender.
“I’m saying nothing.” Jasper arched a brow then turned to her. “Happy now?”
“Yes,” Kessed answered. “You? You I’m not so happy with.” She pointed to Cyler. “You get forever with her. You can wait an hour. It’s worth it.”
“Oh, I know it’s worth it. But it’s so entertaining to see you get all bent out of shape.”
“Pain in my ass,” Kessed replied.
“Ah, someone called my name?”
Kessed froze, her body tingling with awareness at the sound of the familiar tone of Laken’s brother, Sterling.
“Yup, Kessed was just complaining—”
“About Cyler.” Kessed finished, glaring at Cyler.
“Ah, and here I thought she reserved the sweet talk for me.” Sterling winked at her.
Kessed’s insides fluttered, and she took a silent breath. “What can I say? My heart beats for you, Sterling.” She spoke with sarcasm and added an eye-roll for good measure, even though the words were too close to the truth for comfort. But that was the way of it, the give and take, the teasing and banter that only danced around the truth…
But never actually landed on it.
“That’s what I love about you, Kess—your sarcasm. Like the sister I never had.”
“Your sister is the one getting married,” Kessed reminded him dryly.
“The other sister, the one I didn’t like,” Sterling articulated with a joking grin.
Yet even as he said it, Kessed died a little inside, because it reminded her of the truth.
He didn’t see her romantically.
At all.
“I’m off to go check out the other bridesmaids. I’m in town for two more days on leave, then I’m gone. Let’s see what trouble I can get into.” He winked at the group, then left.
A cricket chirped in the distance.
Cyler cleared this throat. “Well, that was awkward.”
Jasper whistled lowly.
Kessed glared at them both then groaned. “Tell me it wasn’t that obvious.”
Cyler glanced to the ground.
But Jasper met her gaze with a direct one of his own. “He’s as dense as concrete. You can do better.” He shrugged then patted Cyler on the shoulder. “I’m going to go and check on the dance floor setup.”
Cyler nodded, and Jasper turned to Kessed. “In case you’re interested in someone who doesn’t have their head up their ass, you know where to get my number.” With that, he strode away.
“You could do worse,” Cyler spoke softly. “He’s a good guy, Kess. And you should have seen the way he looked at you when you weren’t paying attention.”
Kessed turned to him. “Sterling will come around,” she said mostly to convince herself.
“But what if you can do better?”
“What if I don’t want to?” Kessed replied.
“Then I guess that’s your choice. Even if it’s a really bad one. I mean, Sterling’s going to be my brother-in-law, and I know I’m going to sound like a sap—blame Laken—but I know what it’s like to have your love shoved back in your face. It sucks. Don’t willingly subject yourself to that when it’s not necessary.”
Kessed glanced to the grass, a frown puckering her brow. Cyler spoke from experience. The rift between his deceased father and himself was because Cyler’s fiancée had made a successful play for his dad. It had taken years before Cyler would even talk with his father, and that was largely due to Laken. So Kessed didn’t doubt that Cyler knew what he was talking about, but that didn’t change anything—for her.
Because how do I let go of the one thing I’ve always wanted?
“Just think about it.” Cyler placed his hand on Kessed’s shoulder.
With a single nod, she walked back to the dressing room, forcing a happy face.
It was Laken’s day, and come hell or high water, she was going to do everything in her power to make it perfect for her.
A short time later, Kessed waited for the music to sound then took measured steps down the white runner toward the bridal arch. The gentle breeze swept through the pines, accenting the string quartet perfectly. Her gaze shifted to the groom’s party, but she averted her gaze before she made eye contact and focused on each step till she held her position as maid of honor.
Kessed’s eyes watered as Laken walked down the white, rose petal–lined aisle. Laken’s gaze was locked with her almost-husband. The intensity be
tween the two of them made the fall air even warmer, and Kessed glanced away, feeling intrusive for even watching. Her eyes scanned the audience for a new target then shifted to the lineup behind Cyler before landing on Sterling. The dove-gray suit brought out the steel color of his eyes, giving her a shiver of attraction that she tried to cover with a deep breath.
Sterling met her gaze, grinning kindly—the sort of grin he’d give his kid sister. Kessed groaned inwardly, both irritated and disappointed at once.
Seriously. Her dress fit like a glove, her hair cascaded down her back like a thick waterfall, and she’d worked out for a month to get toned for this occasion! The least he can do is notice, dammit!
But that was always the case with him. He noticed but never really noticed.
Irritated with Sterling, she glanced past him. Startling green eyes met hers, and she suppressed a groan.
Of course, he’d notice. It wasn’t that she wasn’t attracted to Jasper. It was just that he wasn’t Sterling.
Kessed brought her attention back to Laken and Cyler, watching as they repeated their vows after the minister. Cyler’s blue eyes never left Laken’s, his words tight with emotion, and Kessed was overwhelmed with the thrill of joy for her best friend.
She’d found her soul mate, her one and only.
Her lobster. She grinned, thinking of all the Friends reruns they’d watched together over the years.
Soon the ceremony was over, and as Cyler pulled Laken in for a less-than-PG kiss, Kessed’s eyes brimmed with warm tears of joy. When Cyler finally let Laken come up for air, she turned to face the guests with her husband to the sound of enthusiastic applause as the minister announced them as Mr. and Mrs. Myer.
After Laken and Cyler walked down the aisle, she held her breath, waiting for Sterling to offer his arm. Heart pounding, she bit her lip as she wrapped her arm around his, hazarding a glance at him as they exited the front.
The rest of the evening flew by in a blur of activity that was peppered with highs and lows; regrettably, the lows being about just one thing.
Sterling still hadn’t noticed her.
Or if he had, it wasn’t the kind of notice that she’d wanted. He’d taken his turn twirling her around the dance floor, his grin as devastating as ever, set against his tanned skin and bleach-blond hair. But his gaze kept straying, as if he was never fully comfortable in a crowd, but always aware, always vigilant.
It was both comforting and annoying. But old habits died hard, and well, he was a marine after all.
When their dance ended, he took her to the edge of the floor and tossed a quick smile over his shoulder as he walked off to find another partner.
“You want to dance?”
Kessed turned to Jasper, not for the first time noticing the brilliant green of his eyes and single dimple on his left cheek as he smiled. But there was no spark. “Thanks, but I think I’ll go and check on the getaway car.”
“Need help?” he asked.
“Persistent, aren’t you?” Kessed asked, grinning in spite of herself.
Jasper shrugged slightly. “I’ve been called worse.”
Kessed nodded. “Thanks for the offer, but no thanks. I’ll let you know if I’m interested.” A twinge of guilt twisted her gut, but she held fast. The last thing she needed was a guy who wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Jasper shook his head once. “I understand. You know where to find me if you change your mind.” He gave a shy smile and walked away.
Why can’t I be attracted to someone like him?
Why does it have to be Sterling?
Leaving Kessed to wonder…
Maybe it wasn’t Jasper.
Maybe it wasn’t Sterling.
Maybe it was her.
And maybe that needed to change.
CHAPTER THREE
Jasper wiped his hand down his face. “Shit.” Well, life was about to get really interesting. He narrowed his eyes at his phone, re-reading the text. The apology, really. To think he’d actually volunteered for this.
Ha. That was a mistake.
One he was paying for dearly.
He unlocked his phone and quickly replied…
Sure thing.
…when it was anything but. Oh, he could handle the cattle. In fact, give him a raging bull or a pissed-off stallion any day. It was she who had him concerned. Ever since the wedding, he’d steered clear, trying to keep his distance, and that wasn’t exactly easy when they lived in a small town like Ellensburg, Washington. She’d been clear she wasn’t interested, and he hadn’t pushed it. But navigating around her wasn’t easy when she worked at the only Starbucks in town. He’d always been unapologetic about going after what he wanted in life, but he wasn’t the type to force the issue either. Kessed struck him as the kind of person who knew her mind, and if she wasn’t interested, she was exactly that. He could respect that, was trying to respect that….
But all his efforts to avoid her had been in vain.
Cyler and Laken had decided to reestablish the ranch, which meant they needed cattle. They’d arranged for their new herd to arrive shortly after they finished their honeymoon.
Except there had been a mix-up, and the cattle were being delivered almost a month early. The only person on the ranch was Kessed—beautiful, stubborn, and animal ignorant. He could only imagine what she’d do when two stock trailers arrived.
He sighed a deep breath and slid his phone in his pocket. After reaching for his keys, he shut the door behind him, not bothering to lock it. If someone wanted to break in, they were welcome to his old laptop and microwave. That was about all they’d get. Plus, living so far out in the sagebrush meant that the biggest threats were snakes and cougars, not thieves.
His old Ford F-250 roared to life, the diesel engine growling as he accelerated down the dirt road, thankful for the twenty minutes or so that he’d have to think before he arrived at the Elk Heights Ranch. Hopefully, Kessed wouldn’t think he was being persistent, but rather, she’d understand that he was helping out an old friend.
She’d made it abundantly clear at the wedding that her heart belonged elsewhere. Fleetingly, he wondered why she held on so hard to someone who clearly didn’t feel the same way. Sterling. He remembered the name. He seemed like a good guy, but distracted, restless—bored. Cyler had said he was a marine, and that made sense. Even at the wedding, Jasper noted how the man’s eyes never stopped scanning the crowd, looking for threats. It was a way of life.
A coyote ran across the road ahead and then ducked over the ditch, pulling Jasper’s thoughts back in line. If Cyler was correct, the bull wagons should arrive in two days, and that gave him only forty-eight hours to finish all the repairs to the fencing Cyler had planned on taking two weeks to accomplish. Good Lord, this was going to suck.
At least his friend wasn’t just calling in a favor; he was paying him too. But Jasper knew he’d have done it anyway. Loyalty was loyalty; it didn’t require reimbursement, but in this case, it sure would be appreciated. This was going to take quite a bit of time out of his work schedule, and already the appointments were starting to line up. What he needed was an assistant.
The hills rolled in the distance as the late fall heat burned into an Indian summer. And soon he was pulling into the drive that led to the Elk Heights Ranch. Sure enough, there was a bright blue hatchback parked in the circular drive, and he could only assume that meant Kessed was home.
He threw his truck in park, half-thankful that his loud engine would at least give her a heads-up that he was there. As his boots hit the gravel of the drive, the front door opened. Kessed gave a small wave, her dark hair pulled back in a messy bun, and her dark eyes unreadable.
Damn, she was even prettier than he remembered. He put one boot in front of the other and walked to the porch. “Morning.”
Kessed opened her mouth, as if about to stay something, then
paused. She took a deep breath and opened the door wide. “Coffee?” she asked.
Jasper exhaled a sigh of relief. “Always.”
“I’m pretty sure we’re going to need it,” she replied, closing the door behind them.
Jasper studied the house. It had been a long time since he’d been inside. He and Cyler had been friends in junior high and high school, but they’d lost touch during college, as was easy to do. The house looked much the same, save a few different decorating touches that updated the cozy home.
“Kitchen’s this way.” Kessed stepped in front, leading down the hall.
He almost told her that he was more than aware where the kitchen was but held his tongue. Rather, he simply appreciated the view she presented, trailing his eyes down her slender shoulders to her rounded ass, which filled out her jeans in a way that made his blood surge to his lower regions. Clearing his throat, he glanced away, trying to keep his body in line.
“So, I’m assuming Cyler spoke to you?” Jasper asked, distracting himself from the sway of her hips.
“Yeah.” She glanced over her shoulder as they walked into the kitchen. She pulled out two mugs from the shelf above the coffeepot. “He called last night—rather, Laken did then handed the phone to him so he could explain. Seriously. As if I know what in the hell I’m doing.” She gave an exasperated sigh and filled the two cups.
“That’s where I come in.” Jasper gave her a polite smile, taking the mug as she offered it. “Cyler emailed me a list of the necessary repairs and preparations. I’m going to need a little help from you, but I’m pretty sure I can handle most of it on my own. I’ll just be in your hair a bit during the process.” He took a slow sip of coffee, its bitter and bold flavor a familiar taste that helped release some of the tension he held.
“Oh, so you don’t need me?” Kessed’s dark brows furrowed. “Cyler said that there was, well, in his words, ‘a shitload of work,’ and I needed to get my ass out there and do something productive. But really, it was just Laken telling him to say that. I didn’t take offense. I’ll just poison his coffee next time he stops in the shop.” She arched a brow wickedly, grinning.
The Courage of a Cowboy Page 2
