Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 110113 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 551(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110113 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 551(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
How the hell have you been?
Do you ever think about me?
I can’t breathe, but somehow I manage to laugh too. “Yeah. Wow. What are the chances?”
Sally’s brows snap together. “Wait, do y’all know each other?”
Sawyer’s hand moves to the back of his head. He gives his hair a hard ruffle. “Funny enough, we do.”
CHAPTER 12
Sawyer
HOTTER THAN A TWO-DOLLAR PISTOL
Well, fuck.
Ava in a Stetson—
Just.
Fuck.
I stand there, metaphorical dick in my hand, and stare at her like a deranged asshole. I’m vaguely aware of the sights and sounds around us—Ella’s hair flying when Wyatt picks her up and tosses her into the air, the hiss of a nail gun—but really, I only see her.
The girl I took home that night in Austin.
The one who took a piece of me with her when she left, refusing coffee, water, a last kiss.
How is it possible that Ava’s even prettier than I remember?
How could she have a kid and not tell me about it? Because she definitely has a kid. The little one tugging on her hand is a carbon copy of Ava, from the green eyes to the long blonde hair that hangs in a pair of braids down her back.
How did I not know? Or at least guess that she was a mom? My God, all these things we have in common—the things we could’ve talked about, commiserated over—
Is that why she ran? Because she had to get back to her baby?
“So what’s the story?” my idiot brother asks, setting Ella down. “You two run into each other in the produce aisle or something’?”
Ava lets out a threadbare laugh. “Um, no, actually. We met in Austin.”
“Austin?” Wyatt cocks a brow at me. “Bet that was fun. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to, ahem, witness it.”
My face is on fire. “I spilled a beer on her at a honky-tonk because I’m smooth like that.”
Ava laughs, but this time it’s for real. The rich sound sends a shot of warmth through my skin.
“Be honest,” she says with a smile, “I was the one who body-slammed you, which is why the beer got spilled in the first place.”
Wyatt’s eyes glimmer. “Body-slammed, huh?”
“Dude,” I say, trying very hard to ignore the way that warmth in my center has spread to every inch of my skin.
“It was an accident,” Ava continues, unfazed. “But we got it taken care of.”
“A happy accident, I hope?” Sally says.
Ava’s eyes search mine. “I’d say so, yeah.”
That mean she thinks about me too?
She feel the way the air is crackling too?
She’s being cute, confidently clever. But I notice Ava’s cheeks are pink. Same color they were when I had her bent over the couch in that ridiculous penthouse suite.
She’d look so hot riding my dick while wearing that hat.
Clearing my throat, I run my thumb and first finger over my mustache. It’s overgrown. But with Lizzie on the road—she is Ella’s mother—I’ve been on dad duty twenty-four/seven. I’ve barely had time to shower, much less shave.
“Small world,” I reply lamely. “Sally talks a lot about you. But I never would’ve guessed it was, well. You.”
Her eyes get this look in them. They’re soft, full. “Pretty wild, right?”
You got no idea how wild you make me. I wanna pull you aside right now, ask you out before one of these other dickheads makes a move. Because they will. Ava looks fucking good, all long legs and proud shoulders and perfect ass.
But I don’t go out. Like, ever. Where would I take her? Who would watch Ella? Wyatt took her while we were in Austin. He said he had fun, but I also know he barely slept thanks to Ella sneaking into his bed at all hours of the night. I call her the world’s cutest sleep terrorist for a reason.
“Totally wild, yeah.” I don’t know what to do with my hands, so I tug one through my hair again. “How’ve you been?”
Ava tilts her head to the side, making her hair fall over her shoulder. “We’re doing all right. You?”
“We’re doin’ just fine.” I nod at Ava and her little girl. “Y’all must be new to town.”
“Yep. Junie and I moved to Hartsville back in early November, and so far we’re really enjoying it. Right, June?”
My heart seizes. Ava lives in Hartsville now? How have we not run into each other yet?
Sounds like she’s here to stay. I know the Wallaces have been keen for years now to build out their training programs, and old man Wallace is a smart guy. He wouldn’t let someone as good as Ava slip through his fingers.
Because she is good at what she does. I’ve never seen her in action on a horse, granted. But judging by the ride she gave me?
Girl is top of her class.
Also, I love her daughter’s name. Makes me think of the Johnny Cash song that was playing when I spilled beer all over Ava.