Page 25 of Taming the Billionaire Cowboy
“His camp was canceled today,” I explain. “A burst water pipe.”
“Oh,” Oliver says, standing back up. He looks from me to Bradley, then back to me. “Well, welcome to the ranch, Bradley.”
Bradley peeks at him from behind my leg, giving Oliver a shy wave with one hand as he clings to me with the other.
“You like animals?” Oliver asks.
Bradley nods, peeking out from behind me and rummaging in his pocket for his folded drawing. Wordlessly, he hands out the picture he so carefully decorated last night.
There’s something irresistibly adorable about the way he says, “I drew Rusty.”
Oliver gingerly takes the drawing between thumb and forefinger. “This is great work! Rusty would be proud. Want to come show him?”
I can almost see Bradley’s heart leap as Oliver reaches out his hand. Bradley grabs onto it, beaming up at the city boy turned farmer, his shyness momentarily forgotten.
“All right, let’s go,” Oliver says, leading Bradley in the direction of where Rusty is grazing.
Their voices fade into the distance as I’m left standing there, watching them walk away. Admittedly, seeing Oliver with Bradley makes my heart flutter, but I quickly shake off the feeling.
They’re only at the fence for a few seconds before Bradley takes off, running for the house.
“Where’s he going?” I ask Oliver, the two of us meeting in the grass.
“I told him there are popsicles in the freezer. Hope that’s okay.”
“Sure. Thanks.” I bite back my smile. “You like popsicles?”
“Hey, they’re not just for kids!”
“I know.” I laugh. “We’ll see if you’re still smiling when he eats them all and leaves none for you.”
His face grows serious. “You have, uh, one kid or?—”
He clears his throat.
“Just one.” I tuck my hands into my jeans’ pockets. “He’ll be seven this month.”
His eyelashes flutter as he stares at the house, and I can tell he’s processing something. Is he wondering where Bradley’s dad is?
Well… join the club.
We hear Bradley thundering back from the house, a rainbow popsicle clutched in his small hand, the other arm behind his back.
“Only one?” Oliver asks him.
Bradley shakes his head, grinning as he reveals the two other popsicles from behind his back. “I brought one for you… and for Mom.”
Oliver chuckles, ruffling Bradley’s hair in gratitude as he takes the offered treat. After Bradley runs off to where Rusty grazes, we’re left standing side by side, both trying to avoid getting any drips on ourselves.
“Bradley seems like a good kid,” Oliver says.
“He is,” I say, casting my gaze fondly towards Bradley, where he’s sitting on the ground drawing again with the colors from his pocket. “He’s been asking me about the horses almost non-stop since his last time here. I, uh, I’m sorry about springing him on you like this. There really was nowhere else for him to go, and he knows to stay close, and he even helps out some?—”
“Hey, it’s fine.” That probing gaze is back on me again, and heat rushes through me.
I clear my throat, desperately looking for a joke to break the mood that shouldn’t be here. “Also, he can probably teach you a thing or two about riding horses.”
Oliver chuckles, running his free hand through his hair. “What, me?”
