Page 5 of Knocked up By the Mountain Man

“Silver Ridge,” I answer, keeping my tone neutral. I’d move on, but I can already see that Wyatt is in his element with her friend. He’ll kill me if I don’t play along for his benefit.

“Silver Ridge? Never heard of it. Must be pretty small, huh?” She giggles, trying to keep the conversation light and playful.

“Yeah, pretty small.”

“So, what brings you to Billington?” she asks, leaning in a bit closer. “Business or pleasure?”

“Business, we’re leaving tomorrow.”

“Well if you’re only here for this one night, I hope you find some time for pleasure too,” she says, her fingers lightly brushing my arm. “What do you do for work?”

“Ranching,” I reply, my voice flat.

I know I usually relish this sort of thing. Iloveit when I don’t even have to do the chasing, but tonight my head is miles away, at home. I can’t help it.

“Ranching? That sounds... interesting,” she says, clearly searching for something to latch onto. “Like a cowboy?”

“Something like that,” I say, offering a half hearted smile.

Her enthusiasm is almost contagious, but not quite.

“Wow, a real life cowboy,” she says, leaning in even closer. “I didn’t know they still existed.”

“Yeah, we’re still around,” I reply, trying to sound a bit more engaged, but the effort feels forced.

She giggles again, a high, tinkling sound that grates on my nerves. “Well, I think that’s pretty cool. Do you do the whole rodeo thing too?”

“No, just the ranch,” I say, my patience wearing thin. “Mostly cattle.”

“That sounds tough,” she says, her eyes wide with feigned admiration. “But also kind of sexy, don’t you think?”

“Depends on who you ask,” I say, my smile tightening.

I glance over at Wyatt, who is now fully immersed in the party, his laughter echoing through the room. He catches my eye and gives me a thumbs up, clearly enjoying himself.

The brunette leans so close, her hot breath tickles my ear. “So, how about we get out of here and you can tell me all about it, somewhere quieter?”

The implication behind her words is clear. I could… I suppose. But I just couldn’t be bothered.

“I can’t. Early morning, traveling home.”

“You have no time at all?”

I shake my head. “Nah, sorry.”

She pouts, clearly disappointed. “Your loss, cowboy.”

I can’t do this anymore. I need to get out of here.

I down the rest of my drink before I tap Wyatt on the shoulder. “I’m gonna head back to the hotel, man.”

He looks at me, concern flashing in his eyes. “You sure? We can leave together.”

“Nah, you stay. Enjoy yourself,” I say, forcing another smile. “I’ll see you in the morning. Then back to Silver Ridge it is.”

Wyatt hesitates but finally nods. “Alright, take it easy. And don’t worry too much about the ranch. We’ll handle everything.”

I leave the party and step out into the cool night air, the noise of the bar fading behind me. My heart feels heavy as I walk through the bustling streets, the city’s vibrant energy contrasting sharply with the emptiness I feel inside. The liveliness is fine, but I have to admit, I miss what I’m used to as well.

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