Page 34 of Hello Trouble

But once the door was closed, my smile quickly fell.

Here I’d thought Bennett had finally noticed me of his own accord. But he had to be nudged toward me. Even though I knew Liv was determined to find me a man, I didn’t want one who had to be prodded in my direction.

Was it too much to hope that someone would notice me, chase me, love me?

I heard the roar of an engine in the distance and sighed.

Maybe it had been silly to hope.

17

HAYES

Why had I agreed to check cattle with Dad this early on a Saturday morning? Maybe I hadn’t known I’d be in such a pissy mood when I’d agreed, but damn. Between my balls crunching on the saddle, the horse farting underneath me, and my mind constantly replaying Della driving away with fucking Bennett, I was beginning to regret my choice.

But Dad rode along easily on Blister, his roan quarter horse. A slight smile tilted his lips as he gazed out over the herd of mama cows and their calves. This pasture was full of hills and ruts. It could be driven, which Dad did most days, but you could see more when you got on horseback. He did that more often while the calves were young. Losing one could cost the ranch hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

“Looking forward to the spring festival?” Dad asked. “It’s just a couple weeks away.”

“Fuck no,” I huffed. “Maybe I’ll break a leg and get out of dancing.”

Dad gave me a look. “I thought you liked dancing.”

“I do when it’s my own idea,” I admitted. “So about that broken leg...”

Dad shook his head at me. “Keep talking that way and you’ll jinx yourself.”

I rolled my eyes. Dad was superstitious like that. Always giving things a deeper meaning, like God was listening in ready to contradict us.

After a beat, Dad said, “Liv had an ultrasound. Baby’s doing well.”

“That’s good.” I managed to smile for a second before it fell.

Our horses walked us into a valley, steep hills dotted with yucca plants on both sides of us. The sun was still low enough in the sky that we were cast in shadows, making it about fifteen degrees colder. I shivered, glad I’d kept my hoodie on.

“Emily won student of the week,” Dad added. “They’re having an assembly next Friday where they’ll tell everyone how nice she is.”

“I never won any of those.”

Dad smirked. “Wonder why... Oh, and Maya’s on the dean’s honor roll.”

“Stupid—the high school doesn’t have a dean.”

Dad gave me side-eye. “Did a rattlesnake crawl up your pants?”

I raised my eyebrows. “No?”

“Then why are you so full of piss and vinegar today?”

I had half a mind to ride my horse away from Dad and back to the house. But even though he had more gray hair and wrinkles than he used to, he could still out-maneuver me on a horse. So I was stuck here under his inquisitive stare. “Can you let it go?”

“I let it go the other day at the diner when you were acting off. This is me bringing it back up.”

Now I gave him the side-eye. Sometimes I wish he wasn’t so damn involved. “Can’t you be a deadbeat like Aggie’s ex?”

He responded with an exasperated look. “I’m sorry my love and care for my sons is an inconvenience to you.”

We reached the end of the valley where a pair of cattle were grazing. They were off to the side, apart from the others, which wasn’t a good sign. “Let’s get a closer look,” Dad said, the interrogation paused for the moment.

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