Page 62 of The Cowboy Complication

“That’s what you’re focused on?” Griselda rolled her eyes. “Call that idiot of a man and tell him you’re going out with my granddaughter tonight because she needs a night out.” Her lips slowly pulled into a smile. “I doubt you’ll still be questioning his feelings for you in the morning.”

20

Cooper

“I’M SORRY, WHAT?” Cooper stared out the windshield of his cruiser, brain short circuiting as he pressed his cell tighter to his ear.

“I said, I’m going out with Evelyn tonight. She’s feeling a little cooped up and Griselda offered to watch Hudson, so I suggested we go to The Creekery and have a couple of drinks.” Isla again laid out her plan for the evening.

And it sounded even worse the second time.

“I thought you didn’t like going out?” The air inside the car had become fucking stifling. He rolled down the window, breathing deep as the chilly winter breeze wafted through. “You said it was too loud and hot and boring.” Did it sound like he was pleading?

It sounded like he was pleading.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine. I think most of the temporary ranch hands are gone, so that will make it less crazy.” Isla paused for a second and he hoped maybe it was to reconsider. “Plus I’ve got a cute lacy top to wear, so I’m sure I won’t get as overheated as I did in the sweater I had on last time.”

Speaking of overheated, he swiped at the sweat collecting on his upper lip then at the clamminess on his brow. “But…” What the fuck other reasons could he think of for her not to go out? “You could go to Billings and have dinner. That would be nice.”

And way fucking safer than Isla being alone at The Creekery. Evelyn was great, but not ‘hit an asshole ranch hand with a cane’ great. They wouldn’t even bat an eye at her. Before the girls had their first drinks, they’d be circling Isla like predators, intent on stealing her away from him.

Except…

It wouldn’t really be stealing her away since Isla wasn’t his in the first place. He’d been so afraid of losing her completely, he’d been too much of a coward to lay the claim he desperately wanted to make. Too scared of not having her at all to take her the way he wanted.

And now he might be about to lose everything anyway.

“Evelyn can’t be gone that long since she’s breastfeeding. She’d start to get uncomfortable.” Isla yawned. “Plus, I’m kinda tired, so we’ll just meet up, have a couple drinks, and then I’ll walk home and crash.”

Fucking fuck. She was going to walk home? He’d already witnessed one cowboy try to accost her on the street, what the fuck would happen if she didn’t have a car to escape to?

Or worse, what would happen if she didn’t go home alone on purpose?

“I’ll come pick you up and drive you home when you’re done.” It wasn’t an offer, but she took it as one.

“You don’t have to do that. It’s only a couple blocks away, and I used to walk all around the city in the winter when I lived in New York.” She sounded like she was smiling. Like she was actually looking forward to this horrible fucking night. “It’ll probably be good for me anyway. I think I’m going to try tequila. Gertrude said it’s her favorite, so I might as well see if she’s right.”

His brain stopped functioning. Just went offline for a second, unable to process the horror that was about to unfold.

“Enough about my night. What about yours?” Isla continued on like he could think of something besides the prospect of a barful of other men looking at her the way he did. “Has it been a boring shift so far?”

“No.” And it had nothing to do with the job. The only call he’d taken that was anything of a problem was the one he was on now. “It’s probably going to be a hell of a night.”

“I’m sorry.” Isla sounded truly apologetic. Of course she did. She was sweet and kind and empathetic and loving and?—

And he loved her. With every fucking fiber of his dumbass being.

“Hopefully it’s not as bad as you’re expecting.” Isla sighed. “I should probably get going. I need to take a shower and get ready so I’ll be there when my grandpa drops Evelyn off.”

So Evelyn had a designated driver and Isla could walk home. Awesome. Great. They’d be able to get as tipsy as they wanted.

Fucking fantastic.

“Call me if you needanything.” He stressed the last word. It didn’t matter if she had a fucking hangnail or wanted someone to scratch an itch at the tip of her nose. He’d fucking be there in a heartbeat. “I’m not assigned to that area, but I can make an exception.”

Of all the nights to be stuck at the other end of town, why the fuck did it have to be this one?

“I will. Thank you. You’re the best. I’ll see you later.” Isla’s soft voice was like a knife to the gut. It was like she was talking to a friend, and it was his own fucking fault.

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