Page 7 of A Rancher's Bride
Having a long-term, unsatisfied crush was something she was far too familiar with.
Kelli figured for the first years the emotion had been nothing more than puppy-love. She’d been way too young to do anything except keep her distance and hope Luke never got a clue that walking past him made her heart rate jump.
Instead she’d focused on the fact she was living her dream in so many other ways. Getting to do what she loved—working with horses, and living on a ranch—heck, it was the closest thing to paradise she could imagine.
When she finally hit twenty-one, though, she figured there was no reason not to make a move. Luke wasn’t the high-and-mighty type who would look down on getting involved with someone just because she was a ranch hand. Besides, they were already friends. She’d needed to convince him they should move the friendship into something more hands-on. Short-term would be fine.
Then he’d gone off and met Penny, and before Kelli could say “lost-opportunity,” Luke was engaged and off-limits.
Three damn years she’d been forced to put her cravings aside and behave. Three long years where she’d held her tongue—mostly—as a woman who was all wrong for Luke got to be in his life and his bed.
Kelli had shown amazing restraint, really. Three years, and not once had she accidentally shoved Penny into a dung heap.
She still felt the sense of relief that had struck when Luke suddenly called off the wedding and Penny was no more. Thank. God.
Kelli finished up in the shower house then marched double time back to her room, sliding into a well-worn pair of jeans and a soft cotton top. She braided her hair so it would stay out of the way, slipped on her dancing boots and was ready to roll.
Luke Stone might be back on the market, but she didn’t want to move too fast and be nothing more than a rebound fling. But she wasn’t going to move too slow either and lose out again.
Just like working with jittery horses, it was all about the timing. Right now, Luke wasn’t ready for her to show her hand.
Which meant tonight? She was going to have a rip-roaring good time, kicking up her heels and pretending the man she wanted more than anything didn’t exist.
Maybe she’d do Alex a solid and dance with him first.
* * *
“You’re shitting me.You got an invite where?” Josiah Ryder shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t know if I should be jealous or offer you high-test tranquilizers to deal with the stress.”
“I’m pumped,” Luke admitted, “but it’s not a done deal, so don’t go passing that information on yet. And that means not even to Caleb, because I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up if my attendance doesn’t get approved.”
Joshua raised a hand in understanding. “Smart move. I know about this in real time because someone in my circle at veterinarian school got an invite to one of these gigs then gotun-invited.”
Luke turned toward their local pub, the bright lights of the leftover holiday decorations reflecting onto the snowy main street of Heart Falls. “That’s harsh.”
“The guys who organized the event were serious about the family-positive focus of the event, and it turns out the invitee had a few too many skeletons in her closet.”
That sounded like a load of bullshit. “Right. Because your average farmer who decides to go into veterinarian training has links to the Mafia or some other nonsense.”
“Gang related—her dad was involved in moving pharmaceuticals. When they found out about his record, her invitation was rescinded.” Josiah shook his head even as he reached for the door of the truck.
“It’s not her fault what her dad was up to,” Luke pointed out.
“He paid for her training. She knew.”
Luke joined Josiah on the wooden steps leading to the entrance of Rough Cut. He’d been spending more time with the man in recent days even though it used to be Caleb who hung out with Josiah.
Caleb having the girls and Tamara to keep him busy had put a serious damper on his social life. And yet his big brother had never seemed happier. Luke was honestly thrilled for him.
And as Josiah pushed through the doors of the pub and was greeted cheerfully, Luke had to admit it wasn’t a bad situation, getting to spend time around the popular man.
They paused to the side of the door. Josiah glanced around, checking who was already on the floor. “Perfect. I see at least a half-dozen women who are craving my attention.”
Luke smacked him on the shoulder and sent Josiah rocking. “Hound dog.”
“That implies I’m following them around, sniffing for a chance. Nothing of the sort,” Josiah told him, raising his voice to be heard over the chaos.
“It implies that you keep sinking your teeth into a new bone every time, and at some point, they’re going to turn around and rattleyourbones.”
