‘Huh.’ Colt’s eyes don’t move from mine for a minute. They narrow just slightly in amusement, flecks of brown in his irises glittering in the ruthless sun. ‘Hot cowboy. That’s a new one.’

My aunt, under the total assumption that this man is certainly my boyfriend, just titters satisfactorily. ‘You got yourself a good one, May. Why don’t the both of you feel free to get to some more tea in the house? I have a couple of rounds to finish up here.’

Tía Juana struts off, chuckling to herself, leaving me, Colt, and my dumb, big-mouth comment.

‘So, May.’ Colt leans against the side of the truck, the smirk returning to his face. ‘My buckle, huh?’

I could literally hide under the pickup in embarrassment right now. I groan and bury my face in my hands instead: next best thing. ‘Let’s go home, hot cowboy. Terrorize me later.’

‘O-kay,’ hums Colt, taking the lead on our walk back to the driveway. My head is still in my hands the entire time. If the way he stood up for me at the rodeo and the moment on the homemade backyard field weren’t enough to make me question every limitation I’d set for myself, this might just be my shove over the edge. Granted, CJ Bradley is a handsome angel of a man, but more than that, it’s how well he fits right in with this life, my life.

He’s tempting me in every way. And Jordan’s probably right. He’s trying, and he’s certainly starting to succeed.

Chapter Thirty-Five

’Bama Rush

Colt

‘I can sing the entire thing.’

‘No, you can’t,’ chides Maddie. ‘I don’t believe it. We learned that in elementary school. Have you been rehearsing?’

Jordan nods vigorously. ‘Yes, ma’am. And I know the whole song.’

As we walk down the hall of the ridiculously nice hotel, Jordan takes a deep breath, and suddenly, she’s belting the entire ‘Fifty States’ song at opera-singer volume.

‘ALABAMA, ALASKA, ARIZONA, ARKANSAS …’

‘Oh my god.’ Coach Dillon looks terrified. ‘I had no idea we’d let a ten-year-old on the team.’

‘CONNECTICUT! BA-BA-BA,’ chants Jordan, with a little wiggle on the last three beats.

‘This is why you never challenge her,’ May says, her tone that of a tired mom. ‘She does this.’

‘Has she had multiple coffees on the way out?’ I ask her in disbelief.

‘Nothing. Just a bottle of water and a grilled cheese sandwich before we got on the plane.’ She purses her lips. ‘Trust me. This is what I’ve been dealing with for years.’

‘UTAH, VERMONT, VIRGINIA—’

‘Okay, okay! OH. KAY.’ Maddie extends her arms, fully stopping Jordan on her walk. ‘I believe you. I concede. All right?’

Jordan grins proudly. ‘Good.’