First Kiss with a Cowboy: Includes a bonus novella by Sara Richardson

Author:Sara Richardson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: 2020-05-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

As soon as you get back on that bull, I’m gonna come cheer you on.” Andy slapped Toby on the back. Once they’d gotten him started talking about the circuit, he couldn’t seem to stop. He missed it more than he would let on and it felt good to relive some of his glory days while he was forced to take a time-out.

“We’ll all show up.” Patrick, another one of his high school football comrades brought over another bottle of wine.

Toby moved his glass out of the way. “I think I’m done here, fellas.” He’d already finished a glass and he had a date to get back to with Jane. He turned around to look for her, but she wasn’t there.

“Where’s Jane?” She’d been standing right there with them only a few minutes ago.

“Who’s Jane?” Andy asked, refilling his glass.

“Jane. The woman I introduced you to five minutes ago.” He turned a full circle searching for her.

“Oh right.” His old high school buddy laughed. “Maybe she ran out on you again.”

Toby ignored him and walked down the bar. Aubrey stepped up to him. “She went that way.” The woman pointed to the doors. “About five minutes ago.”

She left? Jane had walked out? “Did she seem okay?”

“Not really.” Aubrey shrugged. “It’s Jane though. This totally isn’t her scene. It never has been.”

But they were on a date. They were supposed to celebrate his good news. Why would she walk out on him? Toby rushed outside and scanned the parking lot. Jane was seated on a bench near the road.

“Hey.” He ran over to her. “Are you okay?” Something wasn’t right. Something hadn’t been right since he’d picked her up, but he hadn’t wanted to push.

Jane looked at him, her eyes red and watery.

“What’s wrong?” He reached for her, but she scooted away.

“I’m sorry.” She dried her cheeks with the backs of her hands. “I’m really sorry. I called Wes to come pick me up.”

“Are you sick? I can take you home if you want.” He settled his hand on her shoulder, and this time she didn’t move, but she tensed under his fingertips.

“No.” She stood and turned away from him. “I’m not sick. I wanted to be happy for you. I wanted to be happy that you get to go back to doing what you love. But then I heard you talking in there about how you almost died, and I can’t do this.” She turned to face him. “I can’t.”

“Do what?” He stood too, trying to get a good look at her face. He hadn’t asked her for anything yet. They could take it slow. He didn’t want to scare her away. He’d do whatever she needed.

“I can’t love you.” There was a force behind the words, almost an anger. “And I can’t keep spending time with you because it makes me want to love you.” The tears fell faster now, and there was nothing he could do to stop them.

“This has to be over,” she whispered. “Right now. I have to walk away, or I will lose myself.

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