Heartless (Chestnut Springs, #2)(59)

I watch Cade. He’s poetry in motion—smooth and balanced—as Blueberry heads off the cow and guides it straight into the pen with the others.

I don’t know how the scoring works, so I don’t know if it was good or not, but I’m impressed, and that’s good enough for me to shoot up and cheer with Luke. The little boy beams up at me, beyond excited for his dad.

“Wasn’t he good, Willa?”

“Luke, he was the best! And did you see Blueberry? She’s perfect! We did good.” We fist-bump, and I catch Rhett tossing a questioning look at me, but I ignore it. I don’t know how much Summer tells him, and I don’t need everyone and their dog knowing I’m head over heels for Luke and well on my way to being the same for his dad.

“Can we go back and see him?”

“Of course, we can. You guys coming?” I ask Rhett and Jasper.

“For sure,” Rhett says. “Let’s go give the old man some ass pats for putting on such a good show.”

“He’s probably going to need a massage tomorrow,” Jasper tosses back.

“Willa can do that for him,” Luke slides in casually.

And we all freeze.

Rhett looks like a goddamn dog with a bone. “Oh yeah? Have Willa and your dad been swapping massages?”

“No. Just beds.”

I make a choking sound, and Jasper holds a fist up over his mouth.

“I got a stomach bug and Cade gave me his room for one night so I’d be near a bathroom,” I explain.

“Yeah. But wasn’t he massaging you that night you guys danced in the kitchen?” Luke says it so innocently, but my eyes bug out all the same.

“It’s . . . that’s . . .” I stare down at Luke.

“What?”

I feel my chest flush as I wrap a hand around Luke’s shoulder and turn him away from his uncle, who is enjoying this far too much.

Moving my hand to cover Luke’s ear, I lean toward Rhett. “Watch it, Eaton. I know where you live.”

“Yeah? What are you going to do? Come over and drink a bottle of champagne on my back deck? Braid your hair and have a pillow fight with Summer?”

“I’ll braid your hair. Then I’ll cut the braid off and wear it as a necklace for you mocking me.”

He chuckles. “You’re vicious, Willa. I like that about you.”

I shake my head and turn away, trying and failing to restrain the smile on my lips.

We cut down the bleachers and follow the fence line to the staging area. The guys are still on their horses, but beers are cracked and they’re all chatting and chuckling.

The minute Luke catches sight of him, he surges forward. “Dad!”

Cade’s face breaks into the brightest smile as he reaches down and hauls his boy up into the tack in front of him. He gives him a tight squeeze, and my heart clenches in perfect synchronicity as my eyes fall to the swell of his biceps and the way they flex.

“Great work out there,” I say, offering a small wave to the other guys.

Rhett and Jasper stride in behind me, offering handshakes that clap with their force and back slaps that appear borderline painful.

“You all coming out tonight to celebrate our win?” Lance asks with a smile.

“Nah. Sorry, man,” Cade replies, with a brief nod toward the back of Luke’s head.

“I can take Luke,” Rhett offers. “I need a night in after traveling so much.”

Cade shakes his head, clearly not wanting to go out and using Luke as an excuse.

“How about you, Red?” Lance says, and I visibly flinch because I’ve come to associate that nickname with Cade. It somehow feels like that’s his name for me.

When I peek up at Cade, his jaw is set, teeth working with a grimace on his lips.

I wave the cowboy off. “Nah. I’m good.”

“It’s supposed to be your day off, Willa. You should go,” Cade bites out.

I rear back a little as I stare up at him. It feels like he just slapped me. Like he’s trying to pawn me off on someone else. But he doesn’t look pleased about it either.

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.