He’s an awful lot of work some days, and the rush of annoyance at him has me shaking my head in disbelief.

It has me feeling reckless. A little spiteful. I’m not necessarily proud of this facet of my personality, but it’s here all the same. I get mad and I get even.

“Thanks for the permission, Cade,” I snip, watching Jasper fidget with the brim of his hat again while Rhett stares back with wide eyes. I turn to Lance. “Since the boss gives it his stamp of approval, yes. Let’s go out.”

He smiles back, giving off sweet, boy-next-door vibes. “Alright, cowgirl. Off we go.” He points one lanky arm in the direction of the trailers parked in the back.

I swallow a big gulp of dry prairie air and observe the way his body moves in the tack. Not my type at all.

Because apparently my type is a broody asshole cowboy whose handsome face I would currently like to stomp with the heel of my boot.

But then I’d want to kiss it better too.

It’s only when I walk toward Lance that I glance over my shoulder. Cade is still sitting on Blueberry and his eyes are laser-focused on me.

I wait for a beat. Hoping he’ll say something. Tell me to stay. Ask me to go home with him instead. I love it when he says home like it’s our home.

But he doesn’t.

So I go.

20

Cade

Cade: Be a gentleman.

Lance: Lol. Cade. Relax. You know I’ll take care of your nanny.

Cade: One hair out of place and I’ll kill you.

Lance: What about multiple hairs?

Cade: Are you fucking kidding me right now? You got a death wish?

Lance: You’re the idiot who let her go.

* * *

I hate myself. I want to take it back and throw Willa over my shoulder and drag her home with me.

Where she belongs.

But I pushed her off on a perfectly nice guy because I’ve convinced myself that fucking the nanny is out of bounds.

It doesn’t take a psychologist to know I’m the issue. My insecurities are the issue. If I couldn’t make a small-town woman—who was my age and desperately wanted me—happy, how the hell can I make a woman like Willa happy?

When Talia left, it was a blow to my ego. I wish I could say I missed her, but it was more about the fact she chose other men over me. That I lost somehow. That I didn’t measure up. My heart wasn’t in it, but I tried my ass off anyway.

But with Willa, my heart is in it. I don’t want it to be, but it is.