Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
“Any time, Brooke.” He winced as he corrected himself. “I mean except for when we’re in school or if it’s too late or when we’re in church. I told Mom I thought God would want us to save money for college, but she said if God wanted us to go to college, there would be one in Bliss. She’s in denial.”
Brooke leaned forward. “Bobby, you know you have to go. You and Will…you’re too smart to stay here. It doesn’t mean you can’t come back. It doesn’t mean you don’t love your parents and your home. It simply means that there’s a big world out there, and you owe it to yourself to chase your dreams. I know that your parents might not want you to leave.”
Bobby put the car in park and turned in his seat. “They think we should stay and help with the house. Maybe get jobs at one of the ranches or in town. But I want to study physics. So does Will. We want to know what makes the stars work. My mom said I should leave everything to God, but why can’t she see that science is just a way to understand God?”
She reached out and took his hand. “Sweetie, you can love your parents and follow your own road. I know it’s going to be hard to leave them, and they might be angry, but you owe yourself more. If you need help with money…”
“Miss Leal helped us sign up for the SAT last year and we scored almost perfect. She doesn’t think we’ll have problems with scholarships, and she’s helping us apply for them. My mom doesn’t even know we’re National Merit Scholars.”
She felt so much for him. How many of her friends had been weighed down by guilt for wanting to leave their small towns? Some parents viewed it as a betrayal. “You stick with Miss Leal and know if anything goes wrong, we’ll bully Seth Stark into paying for all of it. We won’t even have to. I’ll go to Georgia, and she’ll be happy to start a scholarship fund. You’re going to do great things, Bobby Farley.”
He gave her a watery smile. “Thanks, Brooke. That means a lot coming from you. Everyone’s real proud of you.”
She had to force that smile to stay on her face. She sniffled and gave him one last squeeze. “Thanks. Now let’s talk about what a real limo driver should do.”
He gasped. “Shit…I mean, uh, shoot. I’m supposed to open your door.” He unhooked his seat belt and then glanced back. “Oh, I think he’s got it.”
She turned and the door was opening, and there was a big cowboy standing there. Bay Kent. He looked down at her with seriously gorgeous eyes and held out a hand.
“Miss Brooke,” he said in that low, slow drawl that seemed to have a direct line to all her pink parts.
They were here. Right here.
Dark hair that peeked out from under his Stetson, and emerald eyes that seemed to glow in the low light. Shane stood behind him, and in the shadows. She wondered which one was older. She didn’t know how they’d grown up or what got them into ranching. Or how Bay discovered art and what moved Shane, but she suddenly wanted to, and that was so dangerous.
It was right there on the tip of her tongue to yell at Bobby to drive and fast.
Why was it dangerous? It wasn’t like she was going to fall in love. She’d never been in love before. She’d kind of given up on the idea.
So why was her heart racing? Oh, yeah, it had been a while. They were gorgeous men, and hadn’t she kind of always wanted to know what it would feel like to have two men pleasuring her?
She took Bay’s hand and let him help her out. Bay stepped back and glanced inside, with its pillows and LED lights and snack trays.
He leaned over and gave Bobby a thumbs-up. “Looks good in here, Bobby. I like the lights. Very cosmopolitan.”
It wasn’t, but it didn’t have to be.
Shane tipped his hat. “Miss Brooke.”
“Just Brooke.” His stare practically singed her. “I should go inside. I’m meeting some friends. Thanks for the chivalry.”
She turned and walked inside and felt their eyes on her every step of the way.
It was going to be a long night.
* * * *
Bay watched her from across the bar. She was in the back by the new pool table where they now had what the barkeep called a party room.
He’d been coming to Hell on Wheels off and on for years. It was a place he felt comfortable in because it was an old-school, no-frills bar where at any moment a fight could break out. Not that he wanted to fight. If he broke a few fingers he wouldn’t be able to draw or sculpt, and then where would he be?