Cowboy Up (Coming Home #3)

I grouse under my breath, but don’t argue with what she said. Not because I don’t want to—oddly, I do—but because she isn’t wrong. Not only am I out-of-my-mind frustrated with the lack of progress with my insurance settlement, I’m a whole different kind of frustrated because of a certain tall, handsome, and dark cowboy of mine. And that’s just what he is . . . mine. In the week since our awkward run-in at Quinn and Leighton’s baby shower, he’s made it impossible to doubt that.

I take another bite of my burger and think about Clayton. We haven’t been able to find time to actually go on a date, but it hasn’t stopped him from calling me whenever he has a chance, texting me when he doesn’t, and making it known I’m not far from his thoughts. Every time his name pops up on my phone, I get a rush of happiness. I’m quickly becoming obsessed with those calls, but I miss the rush of being near him. I’m a giant mix of depressed happiness because I miss the man who is quickly ingraining himself in my life, but is too busy to do more than talk through a phone.

“She doesn’t have anything to say to that, Luce, because she knows she’s been bein’ a little shit lately.” He takes a bite of his burger before pointing it at me. “I figured she was just bein’ pissy now that she found out how much work fixin’ all my accounting was gonna be, but nope, she’s flyin’ through that mess like I didn’t have two years’ worth of shit in piles all around my office, so I’ve got no answers for you unless it’s y’all’s lady time.”

“I’m right here, you know, you can stop talkin’ about me like I’m not,” I tell him with a frown.

Lucy thumps him over the head. “How many times do I have to tell you, Luke. Women don’t all menstruate at the same time, so just because you can’t miss when I’m on mine seein’ as I live in the same house as you doesn’t mean Caroline’s cycle is at the same time.”

He stops eating and looks deep in thought, like the mystery of a woman’s uterus is some big secret he’s just figuring out. His bad mood lightens up a little when he starts volleying his stare between Lucy and me before looking down in the general direction of our bellies and doing the same.

“So it’s not your lady time then?” he finally questions, looking adorably confused now.

I glance around the tables closest to ours quickly, making sure no one heard him. “Would you shut your trap, Luke? I don’t need all of Wire Creek knowin’ about my time of the month. For your information, I’m in a bad mood because I got some bad news about the rebuild and I’m havin’ a hard time shakin’ myself from the funk that delay is puttin’ me in.” Not a lie. Also, not the whole truth.

“You’re so on your lady time,” he jests.

“I’m goin’ to kill you slowly if you don’t stop talkin’ about me bein’ on my period!” I hiss in a harsh whisper.

His face splits into a smug grin the same time someone clears their throat behind me. I glance over at Lucy in horror, hoping she’ll help me disappear into thin air, but she’s not paying me any attention. Just like her brother, she’s now looking past me. Except, where Luke looks more curious than anything, Lucy is giving her best impression of that Snapchat filter that has the huge mouth—smiling so big and weird you’d swear she’s in pain because of it.

“Linney.”

My shoulders hunch and I close my eyes. I’ve never in my life liked my name shortened. However, the affection that I hear in the nickname Clayton gave me does nothing but fill me with happiness. It’s something no one but him has ever called me—a short version of my middle name—and maybe because it’s all his, I love it. But even with the rush of hearing him call out to me, his timing sucks. This cannot be happening. Clayton’s voice sounds behind me again, repeating the nickname he hasn’t stopped calling me since last weekend. Even with the rush of pleasure I get from a nickname when it’s coming from his lips, humiliation still chokes me at his embarrassing timing.

“Hey!” Luke exclaims, oblivious to the fact that I’m dying right in front of him, causing me to open my eyes to find him pointing at me. I see Clayton move to stand next to my side of the booth out of the corner of my eye, effectively blocking any chance I have at bolting. “How come he gets to call you something other than Caroline and we can’t? You just met him and you’ve known me and Luce for close to a damn decade but won’t let us.”

I don’t correct him. It wouldn’t matter if I tried, because Luke wouldn’t understand something I can hardly put my own thumb on. I haven’t even told Lucy about the stupid brief crush I had on Clayton in high school, before I met my last boyfriend years ago. Having something special with Clayton Davis is beyond words. Never, not once, has anyone shortened my name and it not been like nails on a chalkboard, but the man who was my first crush many years ago lights something inside of me when I hear him rumble that nickname, and I’m in no hurry to lose this feeling. I’ll be dammed if I’m going to explain that to Luke and Lucy, though. The secret is mine and Clayton’s, no one else’s.

Lucy elbows her brother and I decide now would be a good time to escape, but since I can’t leave with the hulking cowboy blocking my way, I do the next best thing. I close my eyes and go with the good ol’ theory that if I can’t see them, they can’t see me.

“What is she doing?” Luke questions.

I hear Lucy chuckle but keep my eyes closed. That is, until my body is moved by the solid weight of another person pushing his body into the booth next to me. I jolt, sucking in a shocked breath that does nothing but fill my lungs with a scent that is all man—outdoors, fresh air, and just a hint of soap. Before he pushes all the way into the booth, my eyes open and all I see is Clayton’s smirking face, one side of his mouth tipped up and his eyes amused.

“Now what is she doing?” Luke stage-whispers to his sister.

“Reckon she’s figuratively shittin’ her britches, big brother,” Lucy jokes, not even attempting to keep her voice low.

“Better than literally doin’ it, but if that’s the face she makes when she’s takin’ care of business, I think she needs to go get checked up at the doc. Somethin’ ain’t workin’ right.”

I whip my head around and gape at them. “Would you two shut up,” I express venomously.

Luke holds up his hands in surrender. “What? All this could’ve been avoided if you’d just let the whole nickname thing go earlier. We wouldn’t even be talkin’ about your shit right now. It was you who started down this path, little one, don’t get mad that I’m just tellin’ you the truth.”

“This did not start because of me. It started because of your sick enjoyment of embarrassing me because, for whatever reason, you find the fact that I’m shy to be some sort of freak-show act for your entertainment purposes, Lucas Hazel.”

“I do not,” he defends instantly.

“Yeah, Luke, you really do,” Lucy confirms with a nod.

“Hey!”

She shrugs. “Not maliciously, I know you’re just tryin’ to get her to come out of her shell. Caroline knows that too, but you take it too far sometimes.”