Page 22 of She's My Kind Of Rain

“Hey, now, you’re the one with the talent, I’m just the good lookin’ one with the ideas,” he jokes. “Better get our asses back to work. What do ya think about breakin’ some more hearts this weekend?”

I think of the girl at The Red Fern. The likelihood of running into her is so small, I’d consider it impossible, but a guy can dream, right? “Maybe this time around, I could mend some.”

15

DAISY - JUNE 25, 2024

Kayleeand I approach Southern Sip, which has wildly taken off in the last few weeks, after a magazine noted it as Dolly Parton’s favorite coffee shop—which wasn’t even true. She now has a manager to help run her cute little coffee shop for the days she chooses not to. I won’t lie, I love the new change. It gives us more time to hangout on the weekends, and less worry for her to be in the shop at the crack of dawn for opening tasks. Kaylee being Kaylee, though, loves control and to know things are running well, hence our surprise visit during this morning’s rush hour to make sure things are going smoothly.

We sit down at one of the high-top tables placed off to the side of the checkout counter and I begin telling her about my phone call earlier this week with Sawyer.

“Wait, you think you might be interested in the singer from the other night? Why didn’t you mention this sooner?” Kaylee’s eyes fill with interest, a smirk forming on her lips.

My cheeks flush, Great, now I have to say out loud what I said on the phone, while I was plenty content just pretending it had never happened.

“So, he called Telluride Records right before lunch Monday.” I hesitate, mostly because saying what happened only solidifiesthat it was real and can’t be taken back. “The moment I heard his voice, I felt, I don’t know…a crush? He had such a soothing tone and how he said even simple things made me smile. And…well…you saw him.”

I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear, struggling to meet her gaze. Blushing, embarrassed for admitting a huge part of my attraction is physical. I’ve never really had much of anything to point out about my first interactions with the guys I liked, nor were any of them as good looking as he is.

“Well, I got in my head, and it’s been a while since I’ve flirted with anyone honestly, and I felt a little starstruck. Like, how could a guy like that like a girl like me...ya know?” I look down, starting to feel a little self-conscious.Oh God, I really didn’t want to make this awkward. I’d been trying to avoid that.. “So, I ran through the business spiel and then I was gonna shoot my shot, but I panicked and decided a compliment might be my best option.” I roll my eyes, reliving the moment once more. “I told him I really liked the song he sang, but then I full on panicked, thinking that it could lead to a conversation I didn’t really want to have with literally the best looking guy I’ve ever seen, so, I told him to tell Rhett I said hi and then hung up the phone.”

Kaylee’s eyes bug out of her head, not a single ounce of composure to her thoughts that are written all over her face. “For real? You didnotseriously do that, did you?” Kaylee looks as mortified as I feel. “Daisy, what the hell?”

“Yeah, I so did, and now all I can think about is how sketchy that sounds. He’s going to think I’m either crazy for telling him to say hi to someone he doesn’t know, or, if hedoesknow him, that I’m interested in Rhett, isn’t he? He’s never gonna like me now. Heck, I don’t even know if that’s who Rhett wanted us to see, so I could have just told him to say hi to some random guy he doesn’t even know.”

“Take a chill pill, girl. You’re right, we don’t even know for sure that they are friends, but let’s be honest, we have heard a lot of people play and we have had zero people stick their neck out for someone besides Rhett. No one else has been at the level of Sawyer, that has to be who the cocky cowboy wanted us to see. So, theyhaveto be friends.” Consideration shows in her eyes. “Even if Sawyer does think that you were trying to get Rhett’s attention, you have plenty of time to clarify. And if that cowboy is half the man he pretends to be, he could solve the issue before you even have to.” Contemplation flickers to life in her eyes. “Wait, can you even date Sawyer? I mean, like, with Telluride being a huge factor in your currentrelationship, for lack of a better way to describe it. Like, isn’t that some huge human resources issue? You’d be his boss if he chooses to sign.”

And if my embarrassment hadn’t already been bad enough, I never even considered the factor of my job affecting any potential relationships I had moving forward.

“Well, shit.” I drop my head into my palms. Muffled by my hands, I let out an exaggerated whine. “That was such a noob mistake. Like, clearly I shouldn’t have tried to sign someone without thinking it over for a day or two. Now I just made it impossible to be anything other than hisboss.”

Ding.The sound of the coffee house door drags our attention away from the conversation and straight toward whoever created it. There, at the end of the customer line, stands the handsome cowboy that we were just talking about—Rhett.

Kaylee’s gaze darkens as she lets out an evil little laugh at the obvious coincidental timing. “Looks like the answer to our problem just walked through the door.”

I furrow my brow in question, looking from the cowboy, to her, and back again.

“Well, it’s not his fault I’m stupid, so you better retract those talons if you’ve got them out.” I laugh to lighten the mood,but I’m truly a little worried that my best friend’s distaste for cowboys might lead her to just tell Rhett how to act on my behalf, which could make things even worse.

Rhett looks around the room and his eyes land on us.

No way to hide now. I hope Sawyer just didn’t say anything.

The cowboy’s face, now covered in an ear-to-ear grin, nods a gentle hello in our direction. We both smile in response, but another worry hits me like a ton of bricks.

“Oh no, Kaylee, what ifhethinks I like him? I never even considered the fact that he might take that hello differently as well.”

Kaylee rolls her eyes so far back into her head that, for a moment, I’m afraid they’ll get stuck. I don’t know why she hates cowboys so much, but, boy, do I know what to bring up if I ever want to get her going. “Girl, he’s a cowboy, they all think everyone likes them. Something about wearing a stupid ass hat makes them feel like everyone is a buckle bunny. He probably didn’t give it a second thought.”

A buckle bunny?

Who hurt my best friend. Clearly a cowboy, but a boyfriend? Someone else? No matter who it was, it’s definitely something greatly affecting the one solid friend I’ve had since moving here, and since she’s done nothing but have my back I want her to know I have hers, too. I table the thought because of our location and proximity to a cowboy, but make a mental note to ask her the moment we aren’t surrounded by people.

Good thing I did, because just like that, Rhett is already through the line and right at our table.

“Mornin’, Miss Daisy.” He nods to me, then looks at Kaylee. “Angel,” he nods a second time.

“My name isn’t Angel, dumbshit.” She rolls her eyes, her lips pulling into a frown.

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