Page 21 of July’s Cowboy Dallas

Heat crawled up my neck. “Both.”

Her mouth curved. “Is it that bad?”

“Worse.”

“So Hollisters, Dallas, and you did something everyone knows about that you're pretending you didn't do.”

“Buy your safety pins, Addison, and enjoy the fact that you only have to be here through the weekend.”

She laughed, but her eyes told me she knew too much. “True, I'm only here through the Fourth, then I get three weeks to recover before Mustang Mountain drags me back for Rodeo Royalty Weekend.”

“You love it.”

“I love the girls. I tolerate the hairspray.” She added another pack of bobby pins to her pile. “But mentoring the younger contestants is worth the effort. Even if they do try to flat-iron their hair at five in the morning in a bathroom with one outlet.”

Ruby appeared behind the counter, her silver hair immaculate, her red frames sparkling in the light. “Sadie Hollister. I heard you pulled six head.”

I was surprised it had taken her this long to mention it. Usually, Ruby was the first one to fact check the news.

“The paperwork didn't match the stock.” I held her gaze.

“Smart call.” Ruby rang up a customer without breaking eye contact with me. “The town's talking, but you already know that.”

“I figured.”

“Tanner backed you.”

“He did.”

Ruby gave me a satisfied grin. “Hollisters choosing right over easy. That'll shake some folks up.”

The bell over the door chimed. Hades walked in, followed by Dallas who was carrying a box of bottled water like it didn’t weigh a thing. He set it near the counter, nodded to Ruby, then glanced at me.

My whole body noticed. One glance across a crowded store and my skin remembered everything.

The whole Merc went quiet. For a second, everyone waited… me, Ruby, Addison, and the handful of customers pretending not to stare.

Then Hades laid down by the door and dropped his head onto his paws with a soft huff.

Ruby's smile widened. “Well, there you go. That's as close to approval as anybody gets from him.”

Dallas looked vaguely uncomfortable. “Should I be honored or worried?”

“Only worry if he gets up.” Ruby started scanning a couple of bottles of sunscreen the customer in front of me set down on the counter.

Addison bit back a laugh. I focused very hard on a spot on the back wall and tried not to let it matter that Hades tolerated Dallas.

Animals trusted Dallas. They always had. One more piece of evidence I didn't want to examine too closely.

Ruby handed change to the out-of-town visitor, then leaned on the counter, eyeing me through those red frames.

“That boy's been looking at you like you hung the moon for longer than you've been pretending not to notice.”

My face went hot. “Ruby⁠—”

“Just saying.” She straightened, utterly unapologetic. “Some things are obvious to everyone except the two people living them.”

Addison caught my eye and grinned.