Page 2 of Shameless Cowboy
Brooks grunts as he tosses me a bale of hay from the pile on the trailer. I easily catch it at the top of the stack where we’re transferring the new load to. He doesn’t miss my smirk at his struggle and throws me a glare, to which my grin only gets wider.
He’s soft from being a rodeo cowboy for most of the year, and being the dutiful big brother I am, I won’t let him forget it. Though to be fair, his winnings help keep the ranch going when beef prices are down and feed costs are up. His riding skills keep him in the money more often than not, and for that I’m thankful.
Ranching is not an occupation which will make you rich, but for us country boys who have grown up knowing it as the only way of life, there’s nothing else we’d rather be doing. Caring for the animals and spending time outdoors every day, ending each one knowing you put in an honest day’s work can’t be beat.
When Brooks’ phone rings, my eyes roll at the interruption. I want to get this last load of hay finished. We’re normally done with hay long before now, but someone was trying to get rid ofthis load before winter, and we got it for a price we couldn’t afford to pass up.
I wipe my arm across my forehead as he pulls out his phone, smiling when he sees who’s calling.
He holds the phone to his ear but pauses before saying anything. “At the ranch helping Austin unload hay.”
Another pause, then, “Is everything okay?”
His eyebrows furrow and he frowns as he puts the phone back in his pocket.
“What was that all about?”
He shrugs. “It was Kayla. She was meeting with her gran’s lawyer today. She sounds upset and said no when I asked if everything was okay. Said she would explain when she gets here. We’d better get this finished before she does, or from the sounds of it you’ll be finishing by yourself.”
“Then you better get to tossing me bales, little brother, since you’re the one slacking,” I taunt.
Conversation ceases as we hustle to finish. My mind wanders to Kayla, as it so often does, while we work. She’s been best friends with Brooks for as long as I can remember. They’ve been classmates since kindergarten and forged a friendship that has stood the test of time.
With six years between us in age, I never paid much attention to the plump little brunette who was often attached at the hip with my brother, but something happened when they hit sixteen.
Suddenly the chubby little girl grew into a voluptuous woman practically overnight. She also started paying more attention to me than I was comfortable with. I couldn’t deny she was beautiful, but much too young for me when I was twenty-two. To curtail temptation, I did everything I could to put—and keep—distance between us. I’m sure she thought I was a world-class asshole, but it was for the best.
Over the years, the space grew as we got older. I have often wondered if there’s more than friendship between Brooks and Kayla, but they both date and have been in relationships with other people. Still, I didn’t want to come between them, so the distance continued.
We’re finishing our last few bales when the woman who takes up far too much of my headspace comes storming into the barn, clearly upset.
Brooks jumps off the trailer, pulling her into a hug that has me wishing it was me holding her. “Hey what’s wrong?”
“I can’t believe she did this to me. I poured my heart and soul, blood and sweat into that place, and now I could lose it all. Apparently, she thought I spent too much time working. I have six months to get married or I lose it.”
My heart stutters before beating so hard it feels as if it’s trying to break its way out of my chest.
“What?! You’re joking, right?” Brooks yelps, mirroring my thoughts.
What. The. Actual. Fuck?
Her head shakes as she scoffs. “If only I were.”
“Well, I’ll marry you then. You know I love you,” he declares.
I swear my heart stops in my chest. I always figured deep down it would come to this. Having to watch them together as friends is torture, but seeing them as husband and wife will be an agony like no other. I couldn’t be more gutted than if someone actually stabbed a knife into my stomach and split me open.
I stagger to a nearby bale, plopping on my ass as my knees collapse. I fight to draw a complete breath and keep from passing out.
Kayla gives a small smile through the tears streaming down her face and shakes her head. “You're sweet. I love you too, but we’re not in love, and I could never ask you to do that. Two, I have to stay married for five years, living with my spouse 90%of the time, which clearly takes you out of the running, unless you’re planning on retiring early from rodeoing.”
His shoulders slump at her explanation. “Well, shit, that does create a problem. I’m not ready to retire, and we really need the income to keep the ranch afloat.”
I see my chance and don’t waste a second seizing it. “I’ll do it.”
Chapter Three
Kayla
