Page 61 of Taming the Billionaire Cowboy
Ferris hugs me before she leaves. “Think about what I said, okay? Talk to him.”
“I’ll think about it.”
After she’s gone, I check on Bradley, who’s sleeping soundly, his stuffed horse tucked under one arm. Then I get ready for bed, going through the motions mechanically, my mind still whirring.
In bed, I stare at the ceiling, listening to the distant sound of coyotes. My phone buzzes on the nightstand, and I reach for it automatically.
It’s a text from Oliver.Sorry about the rushed call. Crazy night.
No question about my day. No mention of missing me. Just an excuse.
I type back:It’s fine. Hope your celebration was fun.
It was. The team really pulled through on this one.
My heart twists a little. No mention of coming back, no mention of us.
Congrats again,I text back because what else can I say?
Three dots appear as he types, then disappear, then appear again. Finally:Got another early meeting tomorrow. Talk soon.
Not even a good night. No promise to call. Just ‘talk soon’, which could mean tomorrow or next week for all I know.
Goodnight, Oliver,I text anyway.
I wait five minutes, but there’s no response. He’s probably already moved on to something else, someone else demanding his attention.
I set the phone down and roll onto my side, staring out the window at the stars he once claimed to love so much. The same stars I’ve looked at my whole life, the same stars that have watched over every hope and heartbreak.
I wonder if he can even see them from his high-rise office in Houston. I wonder if he’s even looking.
CHAPTER 26
OLIVER
The skyline of Houston glitters beyond my office window, the lights blurring as I rub my tired eyes. It’s nearly midnight, but the stack of contracts on my desk isn’t getting any smaller. Marie left hours ago, after placing a sandwich on my desk that still sits untouched.
I check my phone again. No new messages from Carly. Our conversation yesterday was brief, stilted. I couldn’t focus properly with Dave hovering nearby, the celebration loud around me. I should have stepped outside and found a quiet corner. Should have given her my full attention.
But there’s always something urgent happening here. Always another deal, another meeting, another crisis to manage.
My phone buzzes with an incoming call from Dave, but I silence it without answering. He can wait until the morning.
Instead, I pull up Carly’s contact and stare at her picture. It’s one I snapped at the ranch when she wasn’t looking, her hair windblown as she leaned against the fence, watching Bradleywith one of the horses. The sun had caught in her hair, turning the light brown into spun gold.
God, I miss her. I miss both of them.
I hit the call button before I can talk myself out of it. It’s late, but I know she’s probably still up. She always reads before bed.
“Hey.” Her voice is guarded when she answers.
“Hey,” I say, leaning back in my chair. “I hope it’s not too late to call.”
“I was just reading.”
I smile. Some things are predictable. “How was your day? I’m sorry about yesterday. That call was a disaster.”
There’s a pause. “Bradley helped with the trail rides this morning. The Johnson kids were here, and he showed them how to feed the horses.”
