Chapter 2 THE ART OF A COMEBACK
HART
––––––––
“YOU’RE LATE.” IF Jade Fox were any more smug, she’d float off her chair, orbiting on nothing but her own superiority.
And maybe her precious clipboard would break apart in the process.
“You didn’t say a damn word.” My growl is low and sharp.
She leans back with a smirk that looks custom-fit and tailored for this exact moment.
My pa taught me better than to call a woman names, but damn if a whole list of them don’t slam into my head.
Spitfire.
Feral.
Siren of the South.
I don’t notice her lips are shinier today. I definitely don’t see the silk peeking out from under that same old sweater she’s always wearing.
It’s not me paying attention; it’s just the curse of growing up in the same zip code.
And I shouldn’t be surprised she didn’t tell me about the meeting. She’s proven to be an expert at leaving me out of the loop, dropping half the details so she’s not exactly lying, but damn sure not telling the whole truth either.
This whole sponsorship has been a fucking nightmare wrapped in fake smiles and passive-aggressive Post-it notes bullshit.
“Isn’t this the perfect little family reunion?” Her sister offers a striped red and white bowl amid our charged tension. “Popcorn?”
I shake my head and fix my gaze straight ahead. It’s easier than dealing with Jade, easier than swallowing that family reunion shit. The thought of calling her my sister-in-law makes my skin crawl.
I can’t see her that way.
Never.
“Maybe I didn’t think you’d show up.” Jade’s gaze steadies in front of her, like she’s actually interested in the meeting—which we both know isn’t true. She hates town meetings as much as I hate the meetings.
And, fuck, I do hate town meetings. I hate every damn thing about them.
Town council.
Townsfolk.
The arguing.
The gossip.
Her.
How is it every time I attend a town meeting, she’s my adversary?
Except today.
Today, we’re supposed to be on the same side, but every step forward comes with a dozen steps back. Every word she throws feels like a jab, every glance a challenge. It’s like tryin’ to saddle a wild bronc who’s unpredictable, dangerous, and liable to throw you off at any second.
Jade Fox and I will never be on the same side, and I’d rather take on the wild bronc.
Jade slants me a blank stare, but her jaw is a little too tight to be casual. “Or maybe I just didn’t want you here.”
And there it is.
The god honest truth.
“What a coincidence. I didn’t want to be here.”
“You didn’t have to come.”
My jaw tightens so hard I can feel the muscles knot beneath my skin. “But I did. And we both know why. You’d feed my family to the gators with a grin on your face.”
A slow, snake-like grin spreads over her glossy lips—not that I notice her lips—all bite and no warmth. And she doesn’t say a damn word, ‘cause she knows I’m right.
“Not true.” Josie leans around her sister.
She’s the total opposite of Jade. She bursts into a room like fireworks on the Fourth of July, bright, loud, and impossible to ignore.
But Jade? She’s quiet as a graveyard at midnight, and cold enough to freeze the air between us.
“Our sister married your brother and the feud between our families has ended.” There’s that bubbly chirp in Josie’s tone. “Now Jade’s gotta rethink every decision when it comes to your family.”
Jade lets out a sharp sigh and faces the front like I’m not even here. “Hardly. The Wildes aren’t even on my radar.”
Lie. But no shock. She’d never admit that I live rent-free in that little head of hers. And I’d never admit she resides in mine.
She’s not clueless. She’s deliberate. She knows how to twist the story just right, whisperin’ bedroom lies about me, and dragging my name through the mud—and the sheets.
She’s got half the town thinkin’ I’m into kinky God-knows-what in bed, and the other half too polite to look me in the eye.
“That explains how you manage to claim all the credit.” I fold my arms over my chest and lean back in the rickety fold-up chair, threatening it to buckle under me.
“Believe me, the last thing I want is credit for anything that involves you.” She taps her pen against the clipboard, a nervous rhythm that doesn’t quite match her confident words.
“And yet, here we are.” I gesture around the meeting room, packed with folding chairs and judgmental stares. “You presenting our project while I show up late, lookin’ like an afterthought.”
She flips a page on her clipboard and starts jotting something down. I swear that thing is attached to her hip. She doesn’t do a damn thing without it. I’d bet it has her whole boring, workaholic life scribbled in there.
But who am I to talk? I work more than not and would never leave the ranch if it were my decision.
“You were an afterthought.” She says it so damn casually.
I sink my fingertips into the fabric of my button-down, my arms rigid. “Right. Because nothing says teamwork like strategic exclusion.”
Her pen stops moving. She turns her head and meets my gaze with that familiar fire lighting up behind her eyes.
“If you’d been half as committed during the actual work, maybe I’d have thought to include you for the finale.” She sounds like such a stuck-up, textbook, know-it-all.
And it grinds me to the bone.
“And if you weren’t so obsessed with control, maybe I wouldn’t have had to crash my own damn project meeting.” My voice is clipped.
Our knees bump.
Neither of us moves.
Neither of us breathes.
The mayor clears his throat into the microphone. “Thank you both for joining us.” His tone is sharp as he looks at Jade and me.
Yeah, I catch the dig. He saw me stroll in late. And I’m sure she’s loving every second of it.
“Let’s begin the final discussion on the Fox and Wilde shared sponsorship for the regional rodeo.”
Shared. Even he knows. Shame no one got through to her. Not that it would’ve made a difference.
Jade straightens the papers on her beloved clipboard and stands. “Thank you for having me. I’m proud to represent The Fox Lodge Dude Ranch, and we’re truly excited to be an event sponsor.”
She doesn’t even acknowledge me or my family. I stare forward, seething, but damn if we didn’t build the best damn sponsorship this town’s seen in years, together.
So I rise to my feet and lift off my Stetson. The brim is cool against my fingertips. I rake my hand through my hair, the strands still damp from my quick shower.
“I’d also like to extend a thank you,” I say. “I’m proud to represent the Wilde Ranch, which has been in my family for generations.”
My arm bumps her.
Our sizes rub.
She stiffens.
I tense.
We’re too close.
But neither of us backs off.
Not even an inch.
And everyone in this damn room knows that underneath our calm, we’re seconds from ripping into each other.
“Alright, folks.” The mayor reads from his notes.
“With the rodeo fast approaching, we gotta make sure everything’s locked down tight.
This rodeo sponsorship is a big deal not just for the event, but also for our reputation.
It’s a reflection on the whole town. We want to show up sharp, professional, and proud. ”
My family is all of the above. We don’t need a meeting to check off all the little boxes the town’s put in place. We’ve been sponsoring rodeos for as long as I can remember, and we know exactly what we’re doing.
Unfortunately for me, my family has always agreed to run this particular sponsorship by the town to keep them appeased.
It’s absurd if you ask me.
What’s even more infuriating is that the town decides which business gets this sponsorship. Then they had the nerve to pair two feuding families together.
And here we are.
But not feuding anymore. My brother’s marriage to Jade’s sister made sure of that. The reminder pisses me off as raw as it did the day they announced it.
Fucking Levi.
“First off.” The mayor leans forward, fingers steepled in front of him. “A quick confirmation that the signs are printed, transportation is arranged, and camping spots are booked. Give me a quick rundown.”
“The signs were finalized and printed last month.” Jade jumps straight into answers, as if she’s been rehearsing them all day and doesn’t plan to leave room for me.
I bet she’s got it all written on her trusty clipboard.
I clear my throat, nice and slow. Unlike her, I’m not in a hurry, and I like the way their eyes settle on me, waitin’.
Not true. I loathe attention.
But I like the way she doesn’t like my getting it.
“I noticed a few of the logos were off-center.” My words stretch out unhurried. “I had those last-minute adjustments made, and the corrected signs are finalized and ready for display.”
Jade’s eyes scorch through my layers—flannel, T-shirt, flesh—like she’s trying to burn me without a flame.
Good. And I’m just getting started.
“Thanks for clearing that up, Hart.” The mayor’s gaze slides back to his agenda, and he adjusts his glasses.
The tapping of Jade’s pen on the clipboard starts again. I wonder if she realizes that every time she gets nervous, that pen pays.
Every meeting we’ve had ended with that pen doing a speedy dance on her clipboard. Mind you, all those meetings were done on the phone, but I recognize the sound.
“How about the transportation?” The mayor rubs his rugged, yet tidy, short white beard, eyes narrowed on the agenda. “Have both RVs been checked by a mechanic? And are the routes mapped?”
“Yes, sir. We had Benny give both vehicles a once-over last week; brakes, engine, and tires are all good to go.” Jade’s voice is a little sharper this time, her words more carefully calculated.
Feels like we’re back in school, all fighting for the top spot. But let’s be real, she’s the one who got the A’s. I was busy with football and the prospect of playing in college and once that dream was shattered I card even less about top grades.
Story of my fucking life.
But I’m not too busy tonight to have a throwdown with her. And I came fully prepared.