Page 46 of Will to Run
Looking around, I track the rest of my family; Molly and Hazel are moving together, sizing people up, I’m sure. Cayson is with his kids by the stage, laughing uncontrollably. Though he is the type of father I hope to be one day, he has been so stressed out lately that seeing him get this moment with them brings me joy. Everest and my parents are behind the bar, serving people like they do every year at this party.
Nodding my head to myself, I wouldn’t trade this for anything. I know the group I’ve assembled is going to be remarkable. Plus, I can’t wait to add that social media manager. I wish she could’ve come out to capture this before the storm stuff, but she’ll be here next weekend.
Starting to get a little antsy for Della to arrive, I check my watch a few times. It must have been noticeable because Molly appears out of nowhere to give me shit.
“I’m not exactly sure what’s happening, but you’re looking like a desperate hoe right now,” she announces as she ambles up.
The randomness of the comment has me burst out laughing. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” I smirk.
“I’m sure,” she says. “It’s not like you’re waiting for some bombshell brunette to come strolling through the door. The one you’ve snuck out with every morning for sunrise.”
“Hey,” I say, trying to defend myself. “I’m showing our guest the best Amberheart has to offer. Could you imagine if she were here in December? Not so nice. Besides, we are at a ninety percent return rate this year, with only a handful of new faces. I want to make sure she’s comfortable getting into the mix when she arrives.”
“Ha,” Molly replies, “Comfortable? Jax, the barn crew already knows her, and other people arriving are seeking her out. Do you know how many people I’ve watched introduce themselves to her this week? There is a buzz about the hottie from Chicago who is here on a six-week contract. I’m shocked you haven’t gotten wind of anything.”
“I mean, I heard a little, but I didn’t pay any mind to it. No one is being obnoxious or anything, right?”
“Obnoxious? No. People are interested because how could they not be? So I’m telling you, if you have any interest, and you’d be an idiot if you don’t because I see you in the morning, the competition has officially arrived.”
“Stop it.”
“Look around. I can point out five dudes right now who have murmured about meeting her, and three who have set their sights.”
My eyes lift to canvas the room. Yeah, I mean, I could see it. She’s new, she’s hot, she’s funny. And in that moment, regardless of what I say, I feel the jealousy coiling in my at the thought of someone else kissing her… touching her… getting what I can’t stop wanting.
“What’s your hesitation, Jax?” It’s like she’s reading my mind.
“What’s it matter to you, Mol? It’s stupid to get involved with someone who has a timeline.” I keep to myself that I pulled her in to kiss her last night before I got cock-blocked by my father.
“Has that ever, and I mean ever, stopped you before? We literally run a BINGO game every year on the kinds of tourists you’ll hook up with, and a box I’ve never missed on is only here for a night.”
“You know you all are the fucking worst for that.”
She just shrugs at me with a shit-eating grin.
“But she’s not like the others. She’s here for a terrible reason. She’s different,” I try to defend myself again.
“All the more reason to show her a good time,” she pushes.
“Do you think she wants her heart broken again?”
“You think pretty highly of yourself that you’re going to break her heart.”
“Fine, try this on then. I’m not lying when I say something feels different about her. And so right now, I’m damned if I do, and I’m damned if I don’t. Let’s say I want to explore something more for the first time in who knows how long… it doesn’t matter because she’s gone. And why would I set myself up for that? On the other hand, I do nothing, I’ll never know what I was missing in the first place, and she’s gone anyway. There isn’t a scenario where she’s not gone. Plus, she’s throwing out serious mixed signals,” I admit.
I’m not sure why I’m pretending with Molly; she has eyes and can watch our interactions.
“Unless there’s a lot of shit happening behind the scenes, the signals are not mixed. Honestly, if I had to guess, I bet it feels very weird for her to be navigating whatever the hell is happening between you two. She hasn’t talked too much about her past, but it sounds like the only person she’s dated in five years is the guy she stood up at the altar. And he blows. So I say help her out and make the time that she’s here fun. I’m sure she’s not looking to settle down here, champ. Not even the illustrious Jaxon Wills can derail someone’s entire plan.”
“Shut up,” I playfully nudge her. But Molly brought up a point I hadn’t even considered yet; the fact that this probably feels foreign to her. I’ll have to be the one to try to reach across again, literally and figuratively.
“Seriously, Jax. Have you thought about the fact that a stupid fling might be exactly what she needs? Your sister would never suggest that to you, Cayson’s too caught up in his shit right now, and Everest’s head is down in full prep mode, so it’s up to me to tell you. And you better decide fast, because she’s walking this way, and the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker are all checking her out,” she nods in the direction of the door.
My head whips around, and though she’s still thirty paces away, she's passing people who have stopped in the hall to catch up with each other. Sure enough, the chef, the head baker, and one of our trail riders have essentially halted whatever conversation they were having to track Della as she walks past them. I can’t blame them.
How dare she look this good?
She is wearing a cream-colored halter sundress that makes her look like a dream, and a pair of cowboy boots that she didn’t have a week ago. Maybe they are yet another pair my sister lent her. But what sends me is her face. Those brown locks cascade down, and she’s wearing the same cowboy hat from the other night. Her makeup is minimal, doing nothing but enhancing her natural beauty.
