Page 43 of October’s Cowboy Beau

The wind moved through the staging area and rattled one of the signs against the fence.

“That’s a big question,” she said.

“Yeah.”

“We’ve only known each other a couple of weeks.”

“I know.”

Her fingers tightened around the edge of her tablet.

Something was wrong. I’d known it on and off all day. She’d smiled and kissed me and done everything she normally did. But there had been moments when her attention disappeared somewhere else.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

Her gaze dropped.

That answered enough. “Caroline.”

“I got offered a contract.”

I waited.

“It’s a year. Lead coordinator for a regional company. Festivals, corporate events, destination work. Mostly western states.”

“When did you get it?”

“Last week.”

I looked at her.

She didn’t try to make an excuse for why she hadn’t told me yet.

“When would you start?”

“Monday.”

I stepped back from the wagon. “Are you taking it?”

“I haven’t committed yet.”

That should’ve made me feel better, but it didn’t. She’d known about the offer for days. She’d slept in my bed and worked from my kitchen. And the whole time she hadn’t said a word.

“Are you going to?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

I had to look away. Lifting my head, I focused on the empty grounds. There it was again. I was useful until the job ended. Good enough for right now but not someone’s long-term choice. I didn’t want to make that Caroline’s fault if it wasn’t. But I also wasn’t going to pretend it didn’t matter.

“Is that what you want?”

She took a breath. “It should be.”

I looked down at her again. “That’s not what I asked.”

“It’s what I’ve been working toward.” Her voice cracked. “It’s not like there’s anything in Mustang Mountain for me.”

I stared at my boots, wishing those words didn’t sting like hell.