Chapter Forty-One
Jovie
I swear, every group of students that comes through the academy gets a little crazier than the last.
By Friday morning, I’m running almost entirely on caffeine and sheer will.
The clinic has been absolute chaos all week.
As the summer progresses, the incoming riders seem determined to test the limits of both common sense and human anatomy.
We’ve treated everything from dislocated shoulders and ankle sprains to mild concussions and knocked-out teeth.
Not just on students either. Several instructors have ended up on exam tables this week too.
Dr. Seth keeps joking that we should install revolving doors.
The marketing team certainly isn’t complaining.
They showed up again this week after the first round of promotional videos went viral online. Every time someone gets launched off a bull or crashes spectacularly into a fence panel, somebody with a camera magically appears.
Apparently, near-death experiences make excellent advertising to potential cowboys and cowgirls.
Who knew?
Between patients, paperwork, filming, and late-night video calls with Axle, I’ve barely had time to think.
He flew to Dallas on Tuesday morning after Shawn rescheduled his fall meetings with the Outlaw Heritage team for some reason.
He’s been gone for a long four days, but the good news is, he’s flying back this morning.
Perfect timing.
The latest batch of students packed up and left yesterday afternoon, and the next group doesn’t arrive until Monday.
For the first time in weeks, the ranch is actually quiet.
Bryce and Charli are celebrating the break by hosting a cowboy cookout tonight for all the instructors and staff. Live music, barbecue, drinks, bonfires—the whole deal.
After the insanity of the past month, everyone deserves it.
I woke before sunrise and pulled on a pair of jeans and a comfortable T-shirt before heading into town.
The Wyoming morning air is cool and crisp, and downtown is coming alive as I walk down the sidewalk.
Cabe is already waiting when I arrive at Imma Jean’s café.
He’s sitting in a booth near the window with a steaming mug of coffee in front of him.
“Morning, Jojo.”
“Morning.”
I slide into the booth across from him, and Imma Jean appears with a fresh pot of coffee.
“Well, hello, Jovie. You want coffee?”
I smile. “Please.”
She fills my mug and hurries off to greet another guest.
The second she disappears, Cabe studies me over the rim of his mug.
“What?”
One corner of his mouth twitches.
“You’re awfully chipper. What’s going on?”
I look down at the menu. “Nothing in particular.”
“Okay. What’s going on out of particular?”
I can hear the amusement in his voice.
My cheeks start heating.
Cabe chuckles. “Yeah, something’s up.”
I shrug and lie, which makes me feel sick, “Things are just going well at the clinic.”
The truth is, keeping secrets from Cabe has been harder than keeping it from anyone else. He’s my person. The one I tell everything to.
Or at least, I used to.
I want to tell him, but Axle wanted to talk to him first.
Then Dallas happened.
And now, here I am, practically vibrating with so much exciting information while trying not to spill anything.
Cabe leans back in his chair. “That’s great news. Think you’ll come back and do it again next summer?”
“I’m not sure. I guess it will depend on what happens after graduation.”
Sadness flickers across his face. It’s brief and gone in a flash, but I notice.
“Yeah, you could be anywhere by then.”
I lift my mug to take a sip and hide my face.
Because he’s right. I could be anywhere. And the thought thrills me.
Imma Jean returns to take our order, saving me from further interrogation.
Cabe smirks as she goes to fetch our biscuit and gravy special.
I point my fork at him. “You were supposed to meet me in the gym this week.”
He groans. “I know. I’m just not into it. I hate working out inside.”
“You sound like Albert. But he shows up three days a week.”
“I still can’t believe you managed that,” he says.
“Fitness is important,” I insist.
“I’m into fitness,” he says as he picks up one of the biscuits from his plate. “Fitness biscuit into my mouth.”
He takes such a big bite that he almost swallows it whole.
“Ugh, you’re such a man.”
He grins. “That I am. And I get plenty of exercise on the ranch. Have you seen my abs lately? I’ll be happy to show you.”
I roll my eyes.
Boys are always quick to take off their shirts to show their muscles.
“Let’s keep it PG. There are kids in here.”
His eyes gleam with mischief, but thankfully, the bell above the café door jingles, and Harleigh walks inside, wearing sunglasses and carrying a giant tote bag.
She spots us immediately. “Hey, you two.”
I slide over so she can join us as my phone buzzes in my back pocket.
I click the screen as she settles into the booth.
Axle: Boarding now, Doc. See you soon.
A smile spreads across my face before I can stop it.
Harleigh notices, and so does Cabe.
“What has you smiling so big?” she asks as she tilts her head, trying to get a glimpse of my screen.
I lean away from her as I close the message. “Nothing, nosy. Just my mom, asking me to dinner tomorrow.”
They exchange a look.
And I have a feeling that keeping my secret much longer is about to become impossible.