Page 79 of Head Over Spurs

“You want to stay here?”

“I do.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. You and Maddie always were attached at the hip.” Crossing his arms, the corner of his lip tipped up. “And maybe you decided this guy is worth taking the chance?”

Her face flushed. “Yes. He’s the best guy.”

“Then don’t make the same mistakes I did. A job means nothing when you have no one to share it with.”

Her heart raced; she knew he was right. “Thank you, Dad.”

“Sure, kid.” Nudging the corner of the box with his boot, he added, “I’m still curious about what’s in here though.”

She hadn’t kept the promise to meet at the ranch in an hour. After they opened the box and discovered a state-of-the-art camera with multiple lenses, a tripod, and leather harness, she found that she wasn’t swayed a bit. And she didn’t want to loseher momentum, so she promptly called Michelle to decline the project.

As she showered, dressed, and jumped in the car, she waited to feel any type of regret. The urge to run was familiar when she was second guessing a decision. But it didn’t come.

Instead, she found herself singing along to one song after another on the drive. The tethers that had been holding her were gone. The deeds done.

She felt free.

Of course, she still had to secure her job at the ranch. And there was a long road ahead of her and her parents in terms of repairing their relationships. But she had started to untangle things and was finally on a path of running towards something rather than away.

Actually, she was running towardssomeonetoo.

Parking beside the truck that belonged to the very someone on her mind, she jumped out and started towards the stables. But maybe—she paused. Maybe she should go up to the house and find Brett first. Secure the job to show that she planned on sticking around.

Her boots pivoted in the dirt, and she pointed herself towards the farmhouse instead. With Laurel on bed rest, the ranch’s owner barely left her side. It was a safe bet that she would find him there.

Climbing the hill with purpose, she reached the back porch and walked up the wooden steps. Through the glass doors she could see Brett, Laurel, and Cooper together. Laurel spotted Jules first, a knowing smile stretching across her face.

“You’re here,” the petite, very pregnant woman greeted her as she stepped inside.

Jules tipped her head to the side, confused by the surprise in Laurel’s voice. “Should I not be?”

“Maddie told me about the changed date for your trip,” sheexplained. “And then Riley seemed worried that you weren’t here when you said you would be. I hoped you’d return though.”

“That’s actually what I came to talk to you about.” Jules looked from Laurel over to her husband at her side.

“Because you’re leaving or because you’re staying?” Cooper asked from the armchair by the fireplace. He lifted his coffee mug to his mouth and slurped loudly, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

“Either way,” Brett started, scowling in the direction of his surrogate brother. “I’m not the person to talk to about it anymore.”

Jules’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “You’re not?” Her heart sank as her body dropped down onto a barstool at the island. Was she too late? Had they found someone else to help with the role vacated by Laurel?

“I’m not. As of this morning, equine decisions are going to make more sense going through the head of our wild horse program.” Brett flashed an amused grin as Jules gaped at him.

With another obnoxiously loud slurp, Cooper said, “Might want to go find your boyfriend.”

36

JULES

Finding Riley was harder than she expected. He wasn’t in the stables—she checked the tack room, feed room, and wash stalls. He wasn’t at the corral or in the other barns. But she also couldn’t find Lucky. And it was a safe bet that one was with the other.

She traveled over the rolling hills of the pasture to the shady tree that hung over the lull in the river: Riley’s favorite spot. And there they were. Riley sat on the ground, his taupe-colored Stetson standing out against the lush green field and robin egg blue sky. Lucky stood over him, his gangly legs looping around the cowboy.

Circling out wide, he gave a little hop before gaining speed on his reapproach to Riley. Then he lowered his head and slammed right into the cowboy’s shoulder. A booming laugh escaped Riley at the head butt.

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