Page 36 of His North Star
CHAPTER 10
“Whatdoyoumean,you can’t come?” I moaned into the phone. My shoulders sagged as I sank to the couch. Every time we’d made plans the past two weeks, James canceled.
James replied in a sad voice, “I’m so sorry, Maren. Work just called. Maybe Ty can go with you?”
I always had fun with Ty, but being with my best friend was completely different from someone I was dating. Although, our only date was at his hot tub. At this point, I didn’t even know what we were.
“Can we reschedule?” I whined.
“I called them before you,” he said. “They don’t do refunds or exchanges.”
I hugged a throw pillow against my chest. James had to talk me into going on this date to begin with. It was such a kitschy tourist trap, and I avoided those like orange juice after toothpaste. James was so excited when he told me about it, I only agreed because of him.
“How should I get the tickets from you?” I asked, dejected.
“You don’t need tickets. Tell them my name when you arrive. I booked the trail ride and cowboy dinner.”
“Okay,” I mumbled.
“I really am sorry. You have no idea how much I wanted to dance with you tonight.”
My brows creased. “Canyou dance?”
A small chuckle carried across the line. “You can’t grow up on a ranch and not learn how. It’s tradition.”
Great, one more thing I would miss out on with James. A crushing weight filled my stomach. “Sometimes I really don’t like your job.”
“I know.” He breathed loudly. “Call Ty. And as soon as I can make it up to you, I will.”
Where had I heard that before? Oh yeah, withevery date James canceled. I looked forward to all this “making up” he promised.
I told James I’d fill him in on what he missed and said goodbye. Dialing Ty with every intention of offering him and Lys the tickets, I tapped my thumb against my knee. They wouldn’t mind a free date. If they were still together. Ty hadn’t said one way or another about his relationship status.
“Hey,” Ty said on the second ring.
Oh man, I missed his voice. We hadn’t spoken in a week. We were both busy with work and life. “Hey. What are you doing tonight?”
“Watching the Nationals game. Want to come over?”
I was shocked he didn’t have a showing, but it worked in my favor. “Actually…” I cleared my throat. Would Ty laugh at me? He knew I hated these places. “I have a better offer if you’re interested.”
“What do you have in mind?”
I picked at a string on the couch cushion. “Would you and Lys like free tickets to trail riding, dinner, and dancing?” Please say yes. Surrounding myself with happy couples was not an option tonight.
“Uhh. . .” He hesitated. “Lys is busy.”
Dang it. “Okay,” I drawled. “Do you want to go together then?”
“Where’d you get these tickets from?”
I sighed. “James and I were supposed to go, but now he can’t. They’re nonrefundable, and it would be a shame to let them go to waste.”
He laughed. “How did he convince you to do that? You hate being surrounded by a bunch of strangers going ‘slow as molasses on a trail’.”
“I was eleven when I said that!” Ty and I went on a field trip in the seventh grade to a horse ranch. He and I had taken riding lessons since we were six, so the slow, careful pace was torture. We longed to give our horses the freedom to soar across the expansive land.
“Doesn’t change the fact that you still mean it,” Ty said.
