Page 31 of Never Left You

“I was just about to ask him his name.” She smiled at Sylas, and her face lit up. Damn—she was stunning. And also very—very—taken. “He thought I was a buckle bunny.”

Sylas let out a deep laugh. “You’re joking. Abi is the furthest thing from a buckle bunny.”

She shook her head and made eye contact with me. “The words buckle and bunny are being said way too much for my liking. Hi, Cash.” She held out her left hand, and all I saw was that ring on her finger. “I’m Abi Hartwell.”

“My fiancée,” Sylas added, kissing her temple once more.

Blush spread across her cheeks.

Well…fuck.

Abi Hartwell. Not only was I checking out and trying to pick up Lachlan’s cousin that he had told me about numerous times, but I told Sylas’s fiancé she looked like a buckle bunny. And she told him.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a split second before grasping her hand, knowing that as long as Sylas was my friend, Abi would be. This moment would hopefully be forgotten.

“Hi, I’m Cash Callahan.”

Present Day

Stetson stomped on the tile a few times with his boot before taking a step back, looking down to admire his work at placing the shingle.

“Looks great, Stet.” I gave him a hard pat on the back, just like my dad would do to me, his entire body flew forward. “Just wait until your mom sees.”

“Can I fix another one?” The smile spread against Stetson’s lips, spreading from ear to ear.This kid…

Taking a quick glance around the roof and noticing Lachlan and Rhett had finished the west side, I looked over at Stetson. “Tell ya what, tomorrow we’re gonna paint the side of the barn. I need help convincing your cousin that it needs to be red.”

“All barns are red.” Stetson nodded. “But let me guess, he bought brown?”

“A deep brown,” I confirmed. “Wanna head to town with me and get some red paint?”

“Sure!” Stetson shouted. “I’ll go ask mom.”

“Great, meet me by my truck.”

Abi—surprisingly—had no issues with Stetson coming into town with me. What was more of an issue was getting the almost-eight-year-old to pick a shade of red. There was even one called ‘Barn,’ and he passed it up for a bright, more vibrant red I knew would drive Lachlan absolutely up the wall. I convinced him to get one can of the bright red, white for the trim and a few more of the deeper shades I knew Lachlan would approve of.

One cart full of paint, and a sucker in the kid’s hand, we were heading back to Hartwell Hills. Stetson sat in the front seat, watching the world move in the window. He looked so much like Sylas, I doubted I would ever get used to it.

Meeting Sylas was a pivotal moment—for me and my rodeo career. At first it was just Lachlan and me, two cowboys jumping on a bucking horse. Then Lachlan brought in a newbie bull rider who was more eccentric than anyone I had ever met. With both Lachlan and me being cowboys with one goal in mind, he balanced us. Helped us remember the fun of the sport, that it was more than just money and girls. And when Abi began to join in the adventures, traveling with him when she could—that is before she got pregnant—it was a hell of time. She had four different events to cheer for, and we all took in her shouts.

You could hear her from the chutes, no matter how far away she was. At least, I could.

I could always see and hear her.

Ever since I first met her.

“You think I’m a buckle bunny.”

Her words were still ingrained in my mind, that first meeting would always be ingrained in my mind.

Abi was a breath of fresh air when we first met. Her smiles, her laughs, the pure joy she brought to the room. I always loved it when she was around. Even if she was attached to Sylas’s hip, I loved the friendship she and I formed. I loved the friendship we all formed.

Then…that pivotal piece was gone.

Stetson jumped from the cab of the truck the moment I popped it in park.

“Hey, you gotta help with the paint!” I called after him, even though he was already halfway to his aunt and uncle.

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