Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Carson scampers off, leaving me alone with Cal. The room feels too small, the silence pressing in on me like a weight. I turn to face him, bracing for his reaction.
“I didn’t tell him to say that,” I start, my voice defensive. “It just—”
“He’s a kid,” Cal interrupts, his tone low, almost gruff. “He doesn’t understand what he’s saying.”
“I know that…” I fold my arms. “But maybe–”
“What?” Cal’s frown deepens. But then I see a flicker of vulnerability, a crack in his tough exterior.
“Maybe he’s looking for someone to fill a role he’s missing,” I say softly. “Someone who loves him, who’s here for him.”
Cal looks away, his jaw tightening. “I’ve been here. I’ve always been here.”
“I know,” I say, stepping closer. “It’s just been a long time since he had a mother figure…”
The words hang in the air between us, charged with a truth neither of us wants to face. Cal’s eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see past the gruff cowboy to the man beneath—the man who’s done everything to protect Carson but is terrified of letting anyone else in.
“You think you can give him that?” he finally asks.
I swallow hard, meeting his gaze head-on. “I don’t know. But I want to try.”
The vulnerability in my voice seems to catch him off guard. His shoulders drop slightly, the tension in his stance easing. He scrubs a hand over his face, letting out a heavy sigh. “I’m terrified if I let someone in and they leave…well, it would break him.”
“I know, and after everything he’s been through I would never just leave him,” I place a hand on Cal’s forearm.
“You’re a complication I didn’t ask for,” he finally mutters, but there’s no bite in his words.
“I know,” I say, a small smile tugging at my lips. “And you’re the grumpiest cowboy I’ve ever met.”
He smirks, shaking his head. “You drive me crazy, you know that?”
I step closer, the space between us shrinking. “Likewise.”
For a moment, the air shifts, the banter giving way to something deeper. His eyes drop to my lips, and my breath catches. The tension between us is almost unbearable, the unspoken pull stronger than ever.
But then Carson bursts back into the room, his hands still wet from washing. “Are the cookies ready?”
The spell is broken, and Cal steps back, clearing his throat. “They’ll be ready soon, kiddo.”
I turn to the oven, blinking back the heat in my eyes that has nothing to do with the cookies. I can feel Cal watching me, his presence as solid and unyielding as the mountains surrounding us.
Later that afternoon, I find myself at the barn, leaning against the fence as Carson helps Cal feed the horses. He’s chattering away, his little voice full of excitement as Cal listens with a small smile. Watching them together, my heart aches in a way I don’t fully understand.
“Got a minute?” Cal’s voice pulls me from my thoughts.
I look up to find him standing a few feet away, his expression unreadable. Carson is busy petting one of the horses, completely engrossed.
“Sure,” I say, following him to a quieter corner of the barn.
He turns to face me, his hands resting on his hips. “About earlier…”
“You don’t have to explain,” I say quickly. “Kids say things.”
“No,” he interrupts, his voice firm. “I need to say this.”
I stay quiet, my heart pounding as he takes a step closer.
“Carson’s been through a lot,” he begins, his tone softer now. “Losing his mom, me trying to figure out how to be enough for him… it’s not easy.”
“I know,” I say gently. “And you’ve done an amazing job, Cal.”
He shakes his head, his gaze dropping to the ground. “I don’t know about that. But seeing the way he looks at you, the way he’s bonded with you so quickly… it scares the hell out of me.”
“Why?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
“I just…I don’t want him to get hurt again,” he admits, his eyes meeting mine. “You’ve only been here a week and already he’s…attached. We both are.”
The vulnerability in his voice takes my breath away. I step closer, placing a hand on his arm. “I’m not here to hurt either of you.”
“I know,” he says, his voice rough. “But that doesn’t mean it’s not a risk.”
“Sometimes risks are worth taking,” I say softly, my heart pounding as I hold his gaze.
For a moment, neither of us speaks, the air between us thick with unspoken words. Then, slowly, he reaches up and brushes a strand of hair from my face, his touch sending a shiver down my spine.
“Layla,” he murmurs, his voice a low growl that makes my knees weak.
“Yes?” I breathe, my heart racing.
But before he can say anything more, Carson’s voice echoes through the barn. “Daddy! Come see this!”
Cal steps back, the moment shattered. He clears his throat, glancing over his shoulder. “Coming, kiddo.”