Page 5 of The Cowgirl's Chosen Love
Confession time. Although Josiah wasn’t sure how much to admit. “Chatted with Lisa in the barn.”
“Ahh. She make a bet with you? Swear that woman gets more pleasure out of plotting mischief than anyone I’ve ever met.”
That wasnotwhat Josiah wanted to hear. He would love to be making mischief with Lisa. Hot, sweaty, dirty mischief.
Not a comment he should make to her brother-in-law, no matter that Caleb was his best friend.
He must have hesitated too long again because Caleb jumped in. “Dammit, Josiah. Something’s wrong. The weekend hit you harder than you’re saying,” Caleb guessed.
“No, I mean yes—it’s given me lots to think about,” Josiah admitted. “But I’m not upset. Why should I be? Both Darlene and I moved on with our lives and are perfectly happy. It’s good for people to grow and do the next thing.”
“I guess. Except sometimes people move on to the next thing because they don’t know how good they’ve already got it.”
That comment was way too cryptic for this time of night.
Josiah made the final turn into his driveway, shocked to discover two dually trucks with horse trailers behind them already parked outside his barn. “Looks as if my new roommates have shown up a day early.”
“Two more sets of pockets to win money from. Gotta like that.”
“Let’s hope they’re not ringers.”
“I’m glad they’re there. It’ll be good for you not to be rambling around that big house on your own. And next time, stop in. Jackass,” Caleb muttered with affection.
“I will,” Josiah promised before he hung up.
He parked in front of the ranch house, bundling up his coat tightly against the crisp night air as he marched across the snowy ground toward the barn.
The call from his friend had been a good distraction, but it didn’t change the annoyance in his belly.
He hadn’t lied to Caleb. The past weekend had hit him with some basic truths, and the trip home from Rosebud had been long enough to mull over an idea hard enough to make a decision.
It was time to stop messing around. He was ready to do the next thing. He was ready to settle down and put down roots, and all of the things that involved home and hearth.
He even had the perfect woman in mind. Lisa Coleman.
Josiah had spent the entire time he’d been trapped on the wall plotting how to convince Lisa to start dating him. Yet the first thing she’d shared was that she was going away.
Her comment had thrown him for a loop.
No more. No more was he playing fast and loose and just being with a woman for a good time—although Lisa had never been on the one-night-stand list for so many reasons.
Still, there nothing wrong with his past sex life—and he obviously hadn’t left a trail of broken hearts in his wake.
But what chance did he have at forever with someone who was already planning to leave?
Except…
Lisa hadn’t been positivewhatshe wanted to do, and he regretted racing away so quickly. He’d never been good at coming up with last-minute changes, and this time it had kicked him in the butt.
No more living from day-to-day for momentary pleasures. He wanted it all. He wanted a future with someone who considered him valuable enough to stick with, and he was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.
If he could figure out exactly why Lisa planned to leave Heart Falls, maybe he could offer convincing reasons for her to stay. Since it seemed she didn’t know what she was looking for, this could end up being a perfect opportunity for them to build a solid relationship.
It was a brilliant idea. It was an idea that was totally going to work.
Now he just had to convince Lisa to get on board.
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