West of Forever (Heartstone Ranch #1)(7)

All seemed well in the world thanks to a lot of omissions.

“No, I asked him not to.”

“Please tell me you finally see that he’s a fucking asshat and you’re done with him.”

I think I am, but…maybe I’m being stupid. Maybe Tristan put this stupid idea in my head and I’m reading it wrong. Jeremy isn’t that kind of a guy, but maybe that’s a good thing? I’ve dated the cowboys in this town, and I know what they bring. It’s not all sunshine and unicorns with that type of a man either.

It’s why I was attracted to Jeremy. He didn’t care about broncs and trucks. He didn’t want me to come to the rodeo, where he could relive his failed youth as he dreamed of winning a buckle.

He’s kind and funny and cares about economic impacts of trade and all the other things that I really don’t care about, but being with him is easy.

“I’m not sure.”

“After you told me that shit about how he said you should want more than just being a horse trainer, I wanted to kill him then, but you made me stop.”

“Yes, that was just once, though,” I lie. Jeremy brings it up randomly. How I could join his family’s company and make more money, do something other than what everyone before me has done.

“He almost redeemed himself since he had your car towed here.”

I blink, staring at him. “What?”

“Your truck. It showed up here about two hours ago.”

“It did?” I ask, completely confused.

“I mean, unless that’s someone else’s truck that looks like yours.”

Jeremy had my car towed here? I don’t…that doesn’t make sense. He didn’t even know where the truck was, let alone know how to get it here. I mean, sure, it’s not like it’s a deserted road, and I’m sure if he drove past it, then he might’ve known it was mine, but still, that doesn’t sound right.

“Right. No. I’m just…confused.”

“Well, if he didn’t do it, who did?”

Yeah, that’s the million-dollar question, and my gut tells me that there’s only one person who could’ve done it, and I’m sure as hell not saying his name aloud.

Tristan Stone knew where my truck was, and he definitely knows how to tow a truck.

But he wouldn’t, right? He wouldn’t go out of his way for…me, would he?

All I know is that it wasn’t Jeremy.

“Yeah, no clue,” I say, feeling even more confused and needing someone to talk my emotions through with. “Deac?” I call my brother’s name carefully.

He leans against the barn wall, eyes assessing. “Yes?”

“Can I ask you something?”

My brother’s brows furrow, and I can see him gearing up for this. “A woman asking that question almost always leads to trouble.”

I huff and put my hands on my hips, staring into his green eyes that are at least a little contrite. “Maybe it’s because men can’t help but say stupid things.”

“Could be, but I’m betting you’re about to ask me something that’s going to trigger a response you really don’t want to hear.”

“Probably a bit of both,” I concede.

Truly, he’s not going to like it, but I need a male perspective that does not come from the enemy who might have towed my truck to me.

“Ask your question.”

This is a mistake, but I’m in too deep now. “If you were dating someone and she called you needing help, would you go?”

“Of course I would.”

“Even if you didn’t know how to help?”

Jeremy knows nothing about trucks or mud or pulling cars out with a winch. He’s more of a “call the local farmers to get them to do it” type of guy.

At that he laughs. “I know how to help.”

“Oh my God,” I grumble. “Seriously, like, let’s say she’s stuck at a party for work, and she needs someone to get her out without a scene.”

There, my brother has never attended a work party.

Deacon grins. “If the woman I was dating said she needed me, I wouldn’t fucking care what was going on, I’d go to her. If she needed out of the party, I’d stroll in, tuck her to my side, and walk her out. There’s no situation that I wouldn’t at least try to fix. I’m sure I’d fuck it up, but that’s what you do for the person you’re with.”

I close my eyes, hating everything he said, but also knowing he’s right. I know that if Jeremy had called me for help, I would’ve gone or at least tried. Deacon and Ryan would’ve tried to stop me, because it probably wasn’t the safest thing, but I would’ve fought and basically told them to fuck off.

Jeremy didn’t.

“I’m going to tell you something, and I swear to God, you’d better react like a normal human and listen completely.” I do my best to forewarn my brother that he isn’t going to like what I have to say, but I need him to behave—or try to.

His jaw sets and his shoulders look broader.

Great.

“Tell me.”

“I told you and Ryan that I broke down last night and the tire was flat after you idiots removed the spare.”

“Yes, thanks to you, we had to listen to a lecture from Dad for an hour this morning.”