Page 164 of Colt

“Everything’s great.” She glances at Cash, who’s checking out a bottle of reposado tequila Tallulah is holding. “Busy—sometimes too busy—but great overall.”

“Can I ask how you’ve made it work? Like, how you kept doing what you loved but also⁠—”

“How I kept doing the man I loved?” She grins, tipping back her cocktail. “Of course you can ask me that. It’s a good question. An important one. Because I think you’re a lot like me—you’re very much a city girl, but you also fell hard for this little spot in the country.”

I feel a sense of relief so acute I have to close my eyes because I feel like I’m going to cry all over again. “Exactly. And I think I’m finally figuring out what I want to do career-wise, which is exciting, but I don’t want to shortchange myself by not being in the ‘center’ of things. Like, if I were back in Austin, I imagine I’d be doing a lot more networking there. Just by, you know, being physically in the city. I’d run into people. Get new clients that way. I can’t imagine that happening in Hartsville.”

“Yes and no. I get what you’re saying. But you’ve already got an established business. I imagine you get a lot of referrals?”

“Yes.”

“And you know Colt’s gonna be taking over as principal for Dale. He’ll be traveling a lot more, and you get to travel with him. What if—I mean, what if you’ve found your niche by doing the branding project for the Wallaces? Sounds like you’re enjoying the work. You’re learning the ranching business. You’re meeting people in that business, and you’re making connections locally. Beck did mention hiring you.”

I nod. “He did, yeah.”

“So what if we figure out a way to make that snowball? It’s already happening, Lainey. You’re clearly too good at what you do to ignore.”

My heart marks a strong, steady beat in my chest. “We?”

“It’s one of the perks of living in a small town. Well, at least this small town. Not only does everyone root for you, they show up for you too.” She grabs my hand. “Please take me up on my offer to help. I promise it’s real. We really do need some marketing help with our men’s boots.”

I think about her words as I meander to the dance floor, a fresh margarita in hand. I didn’t even need to ask for it—all of a sudden, I looked up and Tallulah was handing a frosty glass to me, complete with Tajín rim.

Yeah, a girl could get used to this version of small-town life.

I find Colt laughing with Billie and Ryder on the dance floor. The second Colt sees me, he’s crossing the floor and looping an arm around my middle. He pulls me in close, burying his face in my neck.

“Thank you,” he says. We’re far enough from the band that I’m able to hear him.

I pull back. “Thank you?”

“For being you.” He lifts his head, and his eyes search mine as he starts to sway to the beat. “There’s no one I’d rather hammer my nails than you, Lainey Brown.”

It takes me a minute, but once I get the reference, I throw back my head and laugh. “You have a shockingly great memory,” I reply, feathering my lips over his.

He pulls me tighter against him, our bodies moving in tandem now. “You do know what I’m saying, right?”

My stomach dips. Heart stops beating.

“I’m saying I wanna ride with you every day. I wanna ride you every day.”

Joy grips my windpipe and squeezes. “I’m on board with that.”

“I wanna dance with you every Friday night, and I want to build random-ass things out of LEGO bricks with you because it’s a hell of a lot less tedious when you’re around. I wanna have sex in every barn in Hart County with you. Although it’d be cool if no one overheard us again.”

I groan. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get over that.”

“What I’m trying to say is⁠—”

“I love you too.” God, I can’t stop blurting things out today. “My God, Colt, I’m so in love with you I can’t—I just can’t.”

Then I’m yanking him in for a kiss, and he’s kissing me back, and the dance floor erupts in hoots and hollers.

We kiss for an embarrassing amount of time. Tongue and everything, the two of us just really going at it like it’s our last night on earth.

When we finally come up for air, I see that we’re surrounded by his family.

Our people. His siblings and Mollie and Cash. Even Tallulah is holding up that bottle of tequila again, which I take as a sign that she’ll be pouring us all celebratory shots.