Cowboy Up (Coming Home #3)

Quinn turns her narrowed eyes at Leighton. “You aren’t the one stuck talkin’ to herself while her husband is off playin’ inside other women’s vaginas.”

My eyes widen and I feel my cheeks heat as heads start turning in our direction. Maverick has his fork frozen halfway to his mouth, staring at his sister in shock. Leigh is hooting even harder now. Tate, having clearly heard this many times, just looks down at his plate with a smirk. When I look up at Clayton, he’s wearing the same expression as his brother.

I try to ignore the stares as Quinn continues to grumble about her vagina-poking husband, but it’s almost impossible when it feels like the whole place can’t take their eyes off our table. I’m used to the curious looks when I’m out with Clayton or even the girls, but they’re never as bad as when all six of us are together. When you factor in Quinn’s shameless way of saying whatever is on her mind, it really does feel like we’re on display.

“You get used to it,” Maverick grumbles, and I look to my right to see him studying me with understanding. “Took me a while when I got back to Pine Oak. I forgot what it was like to live in a town where everyone treated other people’s lives like a soap opera.”

“How do you ignore the stares?”

He shrugs. “You just stop carin’ what they think. Only person whose opinion matters to me is my wife’s. They’re gonna think what they want regardless of the truth, so you might as well just pretend they don’t exist.”

“But doesn’t it bother you when you hear them talkin’ about you and it’s not true?”

His mouth moves, not into a full smile, but it’s not a hard line anymore. “They’re not ever gonna spread the truth when they can stretch it and fill in the less interestin’ parts with lies. You just live your life and make sure you keep yourself happy. The rest of that shit can go to hell.”

I lean back in my chair and look around. Just like Maverick, everyone eating with us is oblivious to the stares from the tables surrounding us in the packed restaurant. Just like when we’re at the PieHole or even grabbing groceries, people have no qualms about gawking.

The Davis family is Pine Oak royalty, so it shouldn’t be a shock, but for someone like me, who isn’t used to it, it’s a struggle. I never did look at the attention with such an untroubled and relaxed mind-set as Maverick does, though. In my mind, I’m still afraid of what they think, but in reality, what does it matter? I’ve got a great man, his family welcomes me with open arms, and other than the uncertainty of where I’ll reopen The Sequel, life is perfect.

I turn to see Clayton regarding me in silence and feel the last tiny part of unease fall to the wayside. A wide smile forms on my face, and I direct all the newfound freedom I feel at him. It’s his affections, after all, that have shown me how to complete the puzzle inside of me—that have allowed me to finally shed the past and start living.

The chatter at our table fades away when I see his eyes flash. I know we haven’t said those three special words, but when he gives me this unguarded focus, I have no doubts that they’re there.

I never stood a chance at keeping my heart from him. Not when he makes me feel like nothing is impossible.

“Hey! Earth to the lovebirds,” Quinn yells across the table, breaking the moment with her snapping fingers. “Did you tell her yet?”

“Shut up, Quinnie,” Clayton scolds, frowning at his sister.

“What?” she glances around, taking a bite of her husband’s sandwich. “You didn’t say it was some big secret.”

“What are you talkin’ about?” I ask.

Clayton sighs, glaring at her a second longer before turning to look at me. “I planned to surprise you later, but since my sister has a mouth the size of Texas, might as well do it now.”

“Oh, come on! You didn’t tell me not to say anything. How was I supposed to know?”

“I don’t know, Quinn, maybe because I said don’t tell Linney so I can make sure it’s what she wants before you get excited?”

She waves a hand in the air. “Potato, potahto, big brother.”

Clayton sighs, but smiles at his sister.

“Well, now that you two got that out of the way, how about one of you spill the beans so everyone else—including Caroline—can know what’s goin’ on?” Leigh jokes.

“I have a place I think would be great for The Sequel,” Clayton tells me.

Of all the things I thought he’d say, that didn’t even cross my mind. My heart picks up as happiness fills me to the point of bursting with the knowledge that even with how busy he’s been, he’s been looking for something better than the Jordans’ place next to the salon.

“Really?” I gasp with excitement.

“The buildin’ next to Davis Auto Works went up for sale a few years back. We bought it with plans to either use it for storage or expand, but never really had time to deal with either. I think you’ll find it’s perfect, but I wanted to run it by Quinn before I said anything. The last time we talked about it, we’d decided that D.A.W. didn’t need anything bigger, and the setup we have now for storage works. I had every intention of listin’ it but never got around to it. Feels like one of those meant-to-be things, sweetness,” he explains with a shrug of his shoulders, downplaying just how huge this actually is.

“You want me to buy it from you?” I question, excitement bubbling through me even more. “I’d love to see the space, but I trust you. Given that it’s in my budget and all.”

His face gets soft and he gives me his knee-weakening grin. “Linney, you think I’m gonna take a single penny from you, you’ve lost your mind.” Clearly seeing the argument forming, he raises a hand and closes it over my mouth. “Another one of those things we’re buildin’, darlin’. The Sequel is a part of you, and you are a part of me. You get that fire bubblin’ over the teacup and I’m gonna have fun showin’ you another way to toss that sass around.”

My mouth moves, but he doesn’t take his hand away, so the words just come out garbled.

“You gonna let me do this if you like the space?”

I shake my head and narrow my eyes.

“You need me to love you bad and change your answer?” he smarts off with a low rumble of his voice, eyes dancing with amusement.

I pause long enough to show him that I’m not unaffected by that in the least. He throws back his head, a booming laugh rocking his body before he drops his hand.

“You are not givin’ me a buildin’,” I finally say when he quiets down. “You can’t just give someone somethin’ as big as a buildin’ and think that’s okay.”

He leans toward me till we’re nose-to-nose and effectively kills any chance I had at arguing logic with him. “Caroline Michaels, you gave me back a life worth livin’. The way I see it, a buildin’ isn’t even close to big enough to make us even.”