by Kennedy Fox
I look at Grayson, who’s wiping sweat from his brow. “I’m gonna drive around to the other side of the property and check on the cattle we moved last week. If you need anything, call me.”
He nods before going back to digging, and I make my way across the pasture on the four-wheeler. Though I run the cattle operation, we have to do backbreaking tasks at times so the cows will survive the intense heat waves. Making sure they get water is the number one priority in the hotter months.
It takes me nearly thirty minutes to drive to the far pasture. I go down a large hill and start counting the herd to make sure none are lost. There’s a lot of land fenced off, so it takes me a while, but each one is accounted for. It’s easy for them to get lost, and I’ve heard rumors of thieves cutting barbed wire and stealing entire herds at dark. It’s one reason we spend weeks branding in the summer. If I ever catch anyone stealing from the Bishops, my fists would have a long conversation with their face.
By the time I make it back, it’s well after lunch. They took a break to eat, but since I ate a large breakfast, I decided to skip. For the rest of the afternoon, I help lay the pipe and am sweaty and starving by the time our shift is over. Grayson and I decide to stop at the B&B to see what Maize cooked for dinner before going to get my truck from the bar.
As soon as I walk up the steps to the porch, Rowan, Maize, and Kenzie walk out dressed in short skirts that leave absolutely nothing to the imagination. My jaw hits the floor as my eyes trail up Rowan’s long legs until I meet her gaze.
“Take a picture, why dontcha?” she barks, and her cousins laugh.
“Where the hell are you goin’? I ask. “Especially looking like that.”
“We’re going out,” Maize says.
“For Rowan’s birthday,” Kenzie adds. The two of them look at me before walking down the steps in their high heels, but Rowan lingers for just a moment, and I notice she’s wearing cowboy boots with her skirt.
“Damn. You look really nice,” I tell her, smiling.
“Thanks, Adam. That was the goal,” she gloats.
If she only knew what I really want to say to her right now, but instead, I keep my feelings for her tucked deep inside. I suck in a deep breath. “Stay out of trouble tonight. You need a real man to save you, call me.”
She laughs. “Trouble’s my middle name, and I’m more than capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much.”
And I don’t doubt her one bit. All I want to do right now is pull her into my arms and kiss the fire out of her, but the way she’s looking at me tells me I’d only get burned.
“You got a designated driver?” I ask.
“Shit, you’re worse than my parents.”
“Rowan,” I warn, crossing my arms over my chest.
“We’re staying at a hotel all weekend. We don’t need a DD. Any more questions? ” She runs her fingers through her dark brown hair, and I watch her tongue dart out and lick her ruby red lips.
If asking her questions would keep her here all night, I’d keep going.
“Come on!” Kenzie yells from her Jeep.
Rowan looks at her, then back at me but doesn’t say a word.
“Hope you have a happy birthday,” I say, lowering my voice. She looks as if she wants to say something but doesn’t. Instead, she walks away.
“And be careful,” I say even louder. She glances at me over her shoulder and smirks.
“We’ll see,” she says. I swear Rowan’s shaking her hips just to drive me fucking crazy. She climbs into the Jeep and mumbles something to Maize before Kenzie backs out of the driveway. The dust kicks up in the air, and I watch until they’re out of view.
I’m half-tempted to go home, take a shower, and follow them, but I didn’t ask enough questions. They could be going to San Angelo, or hell, knowing them, they might’ve even gone to the River Walk in San Antonio. The Bishop girls are unpredictable.
Though I’m full of disappointment because Rowan won’t be here for her birthday, and I left her gift at my house, I push it away and go into the B&B with Grayson trailing me.
“What?” I look at him.
“Nothing,” he says. “Just seems you’ve met your match.”
“With who?” I ask and notice John’s sitting behind the counter reading a magazine. Instead of giving me shit, he just throws us a head nod and a grin.
“Rowan. I saw the way she was lookin’ at you.”
I smile as I help myself to the beef tips and mashed potatoes they’re serving tonight. Maybe I wasn’t imagining the look in her eye, after all, or maybe Grayson is just fucking with me, but either way, I’ll take it.
As I sit down and eat, Rowan’s long legs fill my mind. After I get my truck, I’ll be taking a cold shower with hopes of pushing the thoughts of her away. But I’ll fail miserably because I always do when it comes to Rowan Bishop and what she does to me even if she doesn’t realize it.
Chapter Four
ROWAN
Kenzie turns the volume up on the radio, and we blare Garth Brooks. We sing along about friends in low places like stupid teenagers as we make our way to San Angelo for the weekend. I thought it would be more difficult to get off work since I’ve only been back for two weeks, but Uncle John wasn’t too much of a hard-ass about it. As Kenzie said, the four of us haven’t been together in ages and deserve a girls’ night out.
When we make it to town, I can’t stop thinking about how Diesel looked at me. Not often do I catch the seriousness in his eye that says I’m more than his best friend’s little sister. The reality is that line can’t be crossed, even if Diesel was the first man I ever kissed. Not even my cousins know that secret.
“What’s on your mind?” Maize asks me as we park and walk toward the entrance of the hotel.
I hurry and smile. “My eighth grade winter formal.”
Maize laughs her ass off.
“Why?” Kenzie chuckles as she opens the door, allowing us past her.
“I dunno, just a random thought.”
She looks at me as though I’ve lost my mind, and a part of me thinks I have. Eighth grade wasn’t that important. It’s not like it was high school prom or senior formal. It was a stupid dance where the boys were too embarrassed to be close to the girls.
After we check into the hotel, the three of us wait for Elle to arrive. She’s been super busy with work and assisting Dr. Wallen but said she could use some fun and decided to join us after her shift. I’m so damn excited to get to hang out with my cousins this weekend. The four of us used to get into so much trouble growing up.
A light knock on the door grabs our attention, and Maize gets up to answer it. Elle walks inside, looking pretty as ever with her dirty blond hair pulled up and bright green eyes behind black-rimmed glasses. She’s all smiles as she gives us hugs.
“Look at you, birthday girl!” she says, noticing my outfit. “You’re gorgeous as ever!”
I willingly take the compliment. It’s the first time I’ve seen her since I moved back.
“We look like trouble.” I giggle. We grab our purses and head to the Honkey Tonk bar down the road. Kenzie doesn’t turn twenty-one for a few more weeks, so she’s our designated driver, which is a good thing because honestly, getting drunk is the only thing on my to-do list tonight.
We immediately walk up to the bar, and I order a soda for Kenzie and three shots.
“To Rowan turning the big two-three and all of us celebrating together!” Maize says, and we all clink our glasses together. I smile wide, then shoot the tequila down. It’s smooth and goes down like water, which is dangerous as hell. Moments later, Maize orders another round.
“I’m not going to have any more,” Elle tells us after the second one. She’s always been the responsible one and follows the rules. “I don’t want to drive back home tomorrow with a hangover.” She winks.
Once the liquor is flowing through my veins, we sashay onto the dance floor and shake our asses. Martina McBride blares through the room, and we sing along to a
n oldie but a goodie as loud as we can. The music fades, and a slow song comes on, and I’m brought back to being that girl who isn’t asked to dance as Maize and Kenzie go off with two guys. Instead of letting it get to me, I go back to the bar with Elle and order a cocktail as I get lost in my thoughts on being single forever.
“How’s work going?” I ask her.
She groans. “Busy, as usual. I work nonstop.”
I chuckle. “Well, your boss is drop-dead gorgeous, so it can’t be that bad to be around him all the time.”
“True. He’s a walking, talking wet dream. I think people feed their dogs chocolate just so they can get an emergency home visit from him. It’s pathetic. I mean, I get the allure, but he’s kinda an asshole, which is a total turn-off.” She smiles, but there’s something more behind her tone.
“Who’s an asshole?” Kenzie walks up and asks as Maize continues dancing with this tall, good-looking fellow.
“Dr. Connor Wallen.” Elle says his full name with an eye roll. “He’s good with animals and turns on the charm with their owners, but behind closed doors, he’s brooding and snappy,” she explains. “And that’s after he’s had his morning coffee.”
“Oh damn.” I chuckle, thinking how it sounds like Dr. Wallen needs to get laid and how long it’s been since Elle’s been in a relationship. She could probably help turn his attitude around.
“The things I’d let him do to me.” Kenzie releases a dreamy sigh, elbowing Elle in the arm.
“Before I forget, who’s that guy who works with Diesel again?” Elle asks, noticeably changing the subject away from her boss. I glance out on the dance floor and notice Maize still’s shaking her ass with a guy who seems super interested in her.
“You’re probably talking about Grayson. A little shorter than Diesel, sandy brown hair,” I describe him and watch as Kenzie tenses. We make eye contact, but she tucks her bleach blond hair behind her ear and pretends it’s nothing, but I saw her reaction.
“Yeah, that sounds like him. Is he new? I saw Diesel with him the other day when I was dropping something off for Uncle John.” Elle glances at Kenzie.
“What? I don’t know anything about Grayson.” Kenzie sucks on her straw, checking out of the conversation, which causes me to laugh. I’ve noticed she snaps at him any chance they’re in the same room together, though she’s never given us a reason. She only says he’s annoying and leaves it at that.
“He’s been around for five or six months. I think he’s Kenzie’s age,” I tell Elle, glancing at Kenzie.
She shrugs with a look of indifference. “So? Doesn’t mean I know anything about him.”
I laugh at her expression, but I see something in her eyes. She’s not telling us something, but I don’t push her on it.
A few minutes later, Maize joins us and orders a drink too. We all turn and look at her.
“Please tell me you got his number,” I say, looking past her at the sexy guy across the room she was grinding against the last few songs.
She shakes her head. “He didn’t ask me for mine, and I wasn’t gonna dare to make the first move. It’s all the validation I need to know I’ll end up a nun or single forever with forty-seven cats. There are no good-looking, single men around here.”
I stand, lifting my hand, and Maize gives me a high-five. “Same, sis. Same.”
A few more slow songs play, and eventually, the mood in the room changes as Shania Twain blasts out about men not impressing her very much. I’m pretty sure this is my theme song. One reason this country bar stands out above the others is they always play old-school country songs. It brings me back to being a kid and the music my grandparents always have playing in their house.
I know I need to stop drinking, or I’ll be trashed before midnight. I order a glass of water and chug it so I don’t have a hangover tomorrow. When I’d go out with my friends in college, it was the only way I wouldn’t be sick the next day.
As soon as Rednex comes on, the entire room starts line dancing. I’m honestly having an amazing time with my cousins. The four of us can’t stop laughing as we nearly trip on each other to “Cotton Eye Joe.” Drunk people were not taken into consideration when this dance was invented, but it’s another reason I love to wear my cowboy boots. Heels are just too dangerous. Kenzie and I stumble around and nearly take Maize and Elle down with us. We are those basic girls wearing skirts and being obnoxious at the bar, but I don’t care what anyone thinks. Maize encourages me to take more shots with her and to keep dancing. She’s the life of the party right now, and I’m living for it.
After we’ve nearly tired ourselves out, we find a table in the corner, then sit and catch our breaths. My face hurts from laughing so much, and I honestly can’t remember the last time I had this much fun. Damn, I love being home. These girls are my best friends and practically like my sisters.
While I’m at the table, I pull my phone from my purse and ask the waitress to snap a picture of us. We smile wide, wrapping our arms around each other. Once we check the photo, I post it to Facebook with a sappy post about being out with my cousins. Grateful these three are in my life. Happy Birthday to me!
After it’s live, I scroll through my feed, and that’s when I see a picture of Nick and the skank he cheated on me with. She has a big diamond ring on her finger and looking at it makes me want to puke. The ring, the man, the future—all of it was supposed to be mine, but it was stolen from me in a blink from a man who never deserved me in the first place.
“What the fuck!” I shout and show Maize my screen. Immediately, her reaction changes, and she shakes her head.
“He’s a bastard,” Maize says.
Elle adds, “A cheating bastard, at that.”
“I guess we’ll join the convent together,” Maize continues. “Won’t be so bad if we’re both there, right?”
I snicker, regardless of how frustrated I am. “You know what I want right now?”
All eyes are on me, waiting for me to continue.
“I want revenge.”
Kenzie rubs her hands together. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
By the evil look on her face, I’m not sure I am. “I’m scared to know what’s going through your mind right now.”
“Bishop women don’t get back, they get even.” Maize has always been Team Rowan, and even from the very beginning, she didn’t like Nick that much. She said there was a vibe about him. I never saw it, but should have. I was blinded by his good looks and made excuses for his arrogance.
Never again.
Elle looks back and forth between us. “Oh lord. You’re gonna make me be an accomplice, aren’t you?”
“I just need you to drive by his place for me.”
“He’s back in town?” Kenzie asks.
I suck in a deep breath, then blow it out. “Yes, he moved back with his ho in tow last week. Trust me, I wasn’t thrilled about it. Out of all the men in the entire state of Texas going to the University of Houston, I had to date some asshole who only lived an hour away from home.”
“You were happy about that when you thought it was going to work out,” Elle reminds me.
“Yeah, I honestly thought it’d be great because I always planned to come back after graduation. No man was going to keep me away from home. I don’t care how sexy or rich he was. It was a compromise. Have a handful of kids. I’d work on the ranch and help with the bar, and he’d continue running his family’s business. We’d had our entire future planned out,” I explain with a frown. “Until he fucking ruined it. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to forgive him for what he did to me.”
“I might become a nun with y’all,” Elle says, causing the three of us to laugh.
“Are you sure about this?” Elle hesitates.
“Abso-fucking-lutely,” I tell her and walk toward the exit, leading the way.
We hop in the Jeep. I sit in the front while Maize and Kenzie sit in the back. Elle starts the engine, and we turn out of the parking lot, then I give her directio
ns to Nick’s house. A part of me feels like a loser for keeping tabs on him, but we dated for a little over a year. I can’t just snap my fingers and make my heart forget the way he made me feel when things between us were good. We shared some happy memories, but he was so willing to throw it all away.
Elle turns down his street, and my heart races a million miles per hour. My throat goes dry, and I’m unsure of what I’ll see when we pass. Thanks to Facebook and his willingness to brag about everything, I knew exactly what house he’d bought. We’d looked at it together online once, but when I said we’d need to compromise and live between San Angelo and Eldorado so it’d be convenient for us both, he closed out of the webpage, then told me to forget about it and changed the subject.
She slows in front of the house, and that’s when I see his Mercedes parked next to a Corvette. I bite my bottom lip so hard, I’m shocked I’m not bleeding.
“Stop,” I tell her, my blood pressure rising as I think about everything that’s happened over the past couple of months. I get out of the Jeep and open the back door to the hatch and find a tire iron. Before I even know what I’m doing, I’m marching down the driveway on a mission and take all of my frustrations out on his beautiful bright yellow Corvette. With every bit of strength I have, I swing the cool iron against the windshield. Watching it shatter gives me so much fucking satisfaction that I don’t stop. I go to every side window and even the back before I take my anger out on the hood of the car.
Maize whisper-shouts my name. “Rowan, come on!”
Looking up at her, I make one final blow to the taillight. I’m sure if she wouldn’t have stopped me, I’d have kept going too. Before walking back to the Jeep, I look at all the damage I’ve caused and don’t feel an ounce of regret. Actually, I feel better. Though I’m still not over being cheated on, I’ll sleep great tonight knowing tomorrow morning when that prick gets up to go to work, his prized possession won’t be so immaculate.
I climb inside the Jeep, setting the tire iron in the back seat between Maize and Kenzie. They look at me with wide eyes and their jaws dropped.