Page 32 of Bad Cowboy, Tennessee

“Well, it’s his, now.”

“Who the hell buys a house when they’re onvacationsomewhere?”

Lily waved a hand through the air again, like that shouldn’t have even been a consideration. “Draven has family money. They buy and sell houses out in Montana like they’re trading cards. But I don’t think he wants to go back home right now.”

I looked out the big picture windows at the intersection of Laurel Ave and Second Street. I could see the outside of the Hard Spot from here. I could also see the candy shop I used to frequent as a kid, and the old computer parts store that had turned into a hair salon, and the Chinese restaurant that had once been a different Chinese restaurant.

Ilikedbeing friendly with everyone in town.

Knowing their names and caring about their lives.

And if some hotshot cowboy who thought he was a hardass was going to actuallylivehere, in my town, on these streets I knew better than my own hands?

I was going to fuckin’ kill him.

“Lily, we used to tell each other things,” I said. “Why didn’t you tell me you were having problems with Draven before you came to town?”

She shrugged one shoulder. “Because it’s embarrassing.”

“I don’t judge you.”

She raised her eyebrows. “I mean, you kind of do. Sometimes.”

“I don't judge you. I’m… envious of you. Traveling around the country, having such a high-impact job.”

She smiled softly. “You love being in Bestens, though. You love bartending, too.”

I let out a long sigh. “I know I do. But that doesn’t mean I judgeyou.”

“I know it’s old-fashioned, but I always thought I’d be married by 26,” she said. “It just seemed like a good number. I’m 27 now, and he’s 30, and… let’s just say marriage wasn’t really in the cards.”

I gave her a look, trying to hold back from rolling my eyes. “He’s not husband material. Don’t know what drew you to him in the first place.”

There was something hidden behind her eyes. Growing up, people had always said my eyes were blue like a pretty sky, and Lily’s were a little greyer.

Right now, her eyes just looked sad.

Like there was something she felt for Draven that she couldn’t say.

Fine.

If she couldn’t be open about it, then I’d make him tell me the truth.

I’d force it out of him.

Chapter 6

Draven

The back of the saddle was foreign, too fresh, not even close to broken in yet.

The curve of the leather pushed up against my thighs, an ache I slowly started to ignore as I took Ember out around the fresh path I’d finally carved out around the rim of the property.

It was different.

Tennessee wasn’t Montana.

Ember wasn’t Veil.

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