“November, I think,” is her soft reply, eyes darting back to where Jasper is still seated on his mount.
“This November?” he asks from beside me.
“Yeah.” She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear, now keeping her eyes focused on me.
“Who is the guy? I’ve never even met this person.” I cross my arms over my chest, feeling Blueberry nudge me from behind.
“Jesus, you guys.” Violet waves a hand in front of us. “Overbearing much? And you all wonder why I moved away so I could date? She’s in her twenties. She doesn’t need y’all to play bodyguard.”
Jasper and I scoff in unison.
Violet’s nose tips up and she ignores us. “I’m having dinner with them when Sloane takes me back to the airport on Monday, so I’ll be the one to pass judgment on him.”
It’s Sloane who laughs now, smiling and shaking her head a little. “You mean the one to meet him? Because you’re the one who isn’t overbearing? Right?”
Rhett butts in now. “Ooh. Called out. Looks like you aren’t so different from us after all, Fancypants.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Violet waves us all off with a grin. “Just show everyone that massive rock and stop picking on me. It’s making Cade smile and that’s just weird.”
Sloane lips tip up but her cheeks wobble. It’s not the way I’d be smiling if I were set to marry Willa in a few short months. She holds her hand out demurely, and sure enough, the stone is massive. Her family wouldn’t have it any other way.
A chorus of congratulations ring out around us. Everyone oohs and ahhs over the ring, and Jasper hops off his horse, giving the girls a soft smile. He ruffles Violet’s hair before congratulating Sloane.
She reaches for him, and he wraps her in a bear hug, resting the palm of his hand against the back of her head as she presses her forehead to his chest.
It reminds me of running my fingers through Willa’s hair, and I instantly search for her in the group of people. I find her easily, standing there smiling, wearing skin-tight jeans and holding our boy’s hand.
And fuck, it looks good.
“Vi, come meet Willa.” I don’t specify her role. I don’t call her my nanny because that’s not true. And I don’t call her my friend because that’s sure as shit not true either.
“Ooh! Yes! Willa.” Violet turns, and a genuine smile breaks out across her face when her eyes land on Willa and Luke. “I have heard so much about you,” is what she says as she strides toward them.
“Likewise.” Willa grins back at her, and I just know these two will get along famously.
I don’t miss the little wink Violet gives me over Willa’s shoulder as they hug.
Harvey and his big fucking mouth. Telling everyone and their dog about Willa and me ever since that day I carried Willa off over my shoulder. Like if he tells enough people he’ll make it happen or something.
“Okay, we good?” I shout, wanting to get this show on the road so I can kick back with a cold brew. Probably lay my girl out and have a midnight snack too, find out if she followed my instructions.
She probably didn’t. And I love that about her.
Shit, I love her, period.
You should tell her. Summer’s words pop up in my head often. I should tell her but I’m fucking terrified, so I push it aside and get my ass in gear. It’s a problem for another day.
Within the hour, everyone is saddled up and we get to work. Vaccinating. Tagging. Shit-talking.
And wouldn’t you know it, my baby sister still throws a better rope than me.
I feel the snap when I get slammed into the metal panel. “Fuck!”
“Cade?” Jasper jumps off his mount at the same time as Rhett, and they race toward me.
“Fucking, fuck!” I clutch my hand to my chest and searing pain shoots through it.
Both guys are climbing the fence to get to me.
“Jasper, don’t you dare come in this fucking shoot, you crazy motherfucker. If you get hurt, this entire country will hate me.” It’s an Olympic year. I can’t injure our nation’s number one goalie.
“Too late, asshole,” he murmurs before hopping down while Rhett adjusts the gates to keep the cows away from me.
I hold my hand protectively, hoping if I just breathe through my nose for a minute the pain will pass.
I’ve been at this long enough to know better.
“Is it broken?” Rhett hollers while Jasper gives me an unimpressed glare that says I need to show him my hand.
“You’re a fucking hockey player. Not a doctor.”