Chapter 5 Diamond
five
Diamond
“Wow. The whole town is here, I think.”
Dad nods as we step into the new rodeo training facility Hunter built. It’s been a journey for him to realize his dream on such a grand scale, but I couldn’t be prouder of my friend.
“I’ll say.” Dad nudges my ribs and lifts his chin. “Who is the man with the face chiselled in stone over there? It looks like if he smiles, he might die.”
A snort laugh breaks past my lips, and I don’t even have to confirm who he’s talking about.
The description is far too perfect for the cowboy I still think about daily.
Glancing in the direction that has my dad’s attention, I take in Rhett standing like a granite pillar in the crowd.
A gorgeous one, but Dad is right. He’d rather be anywhere but here.
“That’s Rhett. He’s the bronc rider Hunter hired to run this place and teach bronc riders.”
My dad turns to me. “Rhett. Like the name you were scribbling in the margin of your notebook? The manifested man of your dreams? That Rhett?”
My dad raises his eyebrow in question, and I mirror it.
“Why were you looking at my notebook?”
“I wasn’t. You left it open on the table when we were talking about a new summer flavour menu at The Thirsty Cow.
It was kind of hard to miss.” He fans his hands in front of himself, forming an exaggerated arch in front of us.
“Rhett,” he sighs, and I shake my head with a laugh.
My dad is the best. A little annoying when he does shit like this, but he’s the best.
“Yes, it’s the same Rhett, but it doesn’t matter, Dad.
He’s not interested.” Which is a damn shame since I literally manifested him showing up in town and then, poof, there he was.
But after a taste of his sourness, I had a talk with myself, and I decided no matter how hot he’d look in nothing but boots and a hat, I couldn’t risk him trying to dull my shine.
I’ve let too many men like him put me through the wringer and, as disappointed as I was with our interaction, I’ve kept my distance since.
“What? How is that even possible? You’re amazing.”
Looping my arm through his, I pull him away from Rhett and over to where Hunter is. “He didn’t get the memo, Dad.”
My dad comes to a halt, and since our arms are linked, so do I.
“Since when do you give up? My son never stops fighting.” His gaze on me is tender but fierce.
“Resend the damn memo, Diamond. I’ve listened to you sigh and moon over the man.
Don’t stop because of one bad encounter.
Give him a chance. He might have just had a bad day.
Don’t forget, we don’t always know what others are going through.
” A sentiment he’s shared with me many times.
He’s right, though. I should know. “Maybe he needs a beautiful man in his life to get that look off his face.”
Only my dad can get me misty-eyed in the middle of a buffet of cowboys, but he’s right. I don’t give up. At least not this easily. “Maybe I will. Come on, let’s rescue Hunter for a minute.”
Kids from Hunter’s 4-H group hop around him like little rabbits on a sugar high. While he’s smiling, I think he could use an interruption.
“Hunter, hi,” I call and wave. Hunter ruffles the hair on a kid’s head before walking my way.
“Diamond, I’ve never been this happy to see you, and you’re not even bringing me coffee.” He waves at the woman herding the kids over to the event ring and sighs. “I love the monsters, but…yeah…thanks for coming! It’s nice to see you, Will.”
Hunter accepts my dad’s hug, and Dad asks him dozens of questions about the facility that I already know the answers to. After a year of listening to planning meetings at his home or The Thirsty Cow, I might as well say I was part of the foundation.
My dad loves talking to my friends, though, and it’s been a while since they’ve had a catch-up.
Leaving them together, I wander over to the refreshments and smile when I see all the toppings for hot dogs and catch the aroma of the BBQ out the back.
As Hunter likes to say, there’s no problem a hot dog can’t solve, and maybe this is the time to test the theory.
Grabbing a bun from the pile, I squirt a single line of mustard and sprinkle a few onions before walking out to the BBQ. The young man working the grill plops a dog in my open bun, and I wander over to the fence.
This is the back of the facility where the stock providers will load animals and turn them out if needed.
Cowboys who bring their own horses would also do the same in the very large, lush space.
Right now, though, small groups of people chat together out here, perhaps escaping the crowds from inside like me.
The hot dog is good if you like that kind of thing, and maybe Hunter is right that it can change your mood, because I do feel better now. Maybe that’s just because I was hungry, but the fact still stands that my mood is better now that I’m out here away from Rhett and his super sexy cowboy face.
Was it the hot dog or just losing proximity to the man?
My dad’s words earlier reminded me that I don’t give up.
I wouldn’t be alive if I did, and maybe that’s something I should apply here.
I’m not one to force myself on people who aren’t interested, though.
Been there, done that, but Rhett was…cold.
I thought we had a connection when he brought up his dog.
I was prepared to sit and chat with them for a moment that day.
Jackson would talk your ear off about his dogs, so I hoped maybe Rhett would chime in and give me an opening.
Then he was so bitter about my presence when I brought him his coffee.
The small smile while talking about his dog was a distant memory.
He was rude, and even though he apologized afterward, I retreated out of self-preservation more than anything.
He made me question myself, and I don’t like doing that.
It wouldn’t be the first time, but he genuinely made me feel like maybe I don’t listen to my customers or friends enough.
Maybe I overstep, and what I thought was great customer service is really just not listening.
It’s a vicious circle of self-doubt that I’ve not been in for years, and all because of the man I can’t stop thinking about.
“Do you like hot dogs as much as Hunter?” The soft voice startles me, and I turn to find Rhett leaning on the fence next to me, eating a hot dog. Which shouldn’t be a turn on, but Rhett is a textbook example of how eating processed meat tubes can be sexy.
“I don’t think anyone can like hot dogs as much as Hunter. It’s not possible.”
Rhett attempts a small smile, and I soften some. Maybe I was too quick to judge him. Or maybe I’m just a sucker for a handsome face.
“I’m not a fan myself, but they’ll do in a pinch if you’re hungry, I suppose.” He pops the last of his dog into his mouth with a hum. “These are pretty good, though.”
A heavy silence sits between us, and every nerve of my body wants to break it, but I think for once, I’ll let Rhett give me something here. I won’t resend that memo about my fabulousness just yet.
“Tater is a rescue dog,” he offers after several beats.
“The one that almost ate the cupcakes I left you, right?”
Not that I need to confirm it. I met the dog and know her name, but I want to remind him I’ve done something nice for him already.
“Yeah.” He smiles again, but this time it’s warm and makes my heart beat too fast. “She’s a wily thing. Always putting things she shouldn’t in her mouth.”
“I can relate.” I wink with a laugh, and Rhett, honest to god, looks like he wants the earth to swallow him. “It’s a joke, Rhett. You can laugh.”
“I wasn’t expecting that, is all. I, uh, didn’t want to offend you again.”
Ah, so it is a peacemaking mission. I’m not mad about that.
“You didn’t, and maybe I should be the one apologizing to you. You’re right, I should’ve just brought you what you ordered. Not everyone likes over the top. I get it.”
“You’re not over the top,” he says it so quickly he startles us both.
“I mean…you’re great the way you are. Don’t change the ah…
um…” He runs a hand over his face with a sigh, and I’m not sure I can stand a moment more of his bashfulness.
He’s far too adorable. “Listen…can we start over? I just got here and, well, I didn’t make a great first impression. ”
He’s sincere at least, and after a moment, he wipes his palm on his jeans and offers it to me. “I’m Rhett Cuglietta. It’s nice to meet you. You make amazing cupcakes and coffee, and I’m not always that much of an ass.”
My soft palm slides against his calloused one, and I’m caught up in his dreamy good looks once again.
Ready to ignore the rough start and throw myself at him.
“I’m Diamond Ward. You have gorgeous eyes, and I’d love to make your favourite dessert someday.
” More like be your favourite dessert, but let’s walk before we run this time and not scare the man off.
He opens his mouth to say something, and Hunter’s voice booms across the space before any words come out.
“Rhett! I need you for photos!”
“Be right there!” he calls and lets my hand drop. “So I’ll see you around then?”
“Most definitely.”
He nods and walks back to the training facility while I sigh. Maybe I was too quick to ditch the wedding Pinterest board.
Or maybe I should just aim lower and accept his friendship.
Who am I kidding? I almost laugh out loud at the thought.
I’ve never aimed low, and I’m sure as hell not about to start now.
Me and Dad file out of the training facility after watching a brief demonstration from all the rodeo professionals, and what it is they hope to accomplish with the business. My dad can’t stop talking about Levi and his roping.
“You didn’t tell me he was getting so good, Dee! He’s just…wow.” He shakes his head like his mind is completely blown from watching my best friend rope a steer.
“You sound like you enjoyed more than just his skill, Dad.”
He’s quiet for a moment, and my head whips to the side to find my dad’s cheek pink.
“He’s cute. I’ve always thought that, but I’m your dad. I’m not perving on your friends. They’re like my other sons.”
Huh. This is new. I want my dad to find his happiness, but I thought it might be with the florist. Seems like he has his own crush brewing.
“Is there something you want to tell me?”
He shakes his head and hits the key fob for his car. “Nope, but I want to know how things went with this Rhett fellow. I saw him follow you outside.”
“He followed me?”
Dad and I slip into his car, and once buckled, he answers my question.
“He most definitely did. I was talking to Hunter, and as soon as he noticed you were going outside, he grabbed a hot dog bun and hot-footed out there.” Dad backs out of the space and points the car toward the road. The blinker ticks while I absorb this information.
“Did Hunter notice?”
Dad glances quickly my way before returning his attention to the road. “I think so.”
If Rhett followed me on purpose, he genuinely wanted to apologize. That wasn’t just a happy coincidence. Did Hunter put him up to it, or was it his choice?
“He told me his dog is a rescue dog and introduced himself properly. We shook hands, and he apologized for being rude. He…” I trail off and look out the window as we travel down the streets of Kissing Ridge towards home.
“He was really rude a few weeks ago when we met, and since then, I’ve questioned myself a lot. ”
Dad makes a pained noise, and I look over at him.
“What kinds of questions, son? Like when Dalton left you in the middle of the chemotherapy ward, and you thought it was your fault? Or more like asking if your shorts are too short kind of questions?” His fingers flex on the wheel.
“Because those are two very different lines of questions, and I hate that either might be on your mind.”
My dad is my fiercest protector, and I’m the luckiest man to have him. He is my hero in literally everything. How he handled family when he came out as bisexual, even before my mom died, and how he’s fiercely stood by my side at every pride event and held my hand during chemo.
“A little of both, if I’m honest. Nobody has ever been as rude as Rhett. I brought him a coffee with fancy cold foam when all he wanted was a black coffee and—”
“Who just drinks it black? Such a wasted flavour opportunity.”
“Right!? Anyway, he asked if I ignore all my customer requests, and I started overthinking it all.”
Dad and I sit in silence until he pulls into the driveway and parks next to my Jeep.
He kills the ignition and sighs. “I know I can’t stop you from second-guessing yourself, and I know I’m your dad, so you don’t always believe me, but you are the warmest soul, Diamond.
Even before shit happened. The way you are at your coffee shop is how you’ve always been.
You make an impact on people’s days, and I wouldn’t let one nasty comment from a person take that from you. ”
My eyes swell with tears, but I don’t let them fall.
“Even if it’s a super-hot cowboy who I can’t stop thinking about with a cute dog and eyes that crinkle when he smiles? God, his eyes just get me, Dad. I feel like there’s a story there, and am I stupid for wanting to know what it is?”
We finally exit the car and walk into the house we share. Dad tosses his keys on the table in the front hall.
“Didn’t you say not that long ago that you manifested your dream man?”
“I did.”
“Did you resend the memo then? Or are you just going to forget you had this wish granted and throw it away?” He wanders to the kitchen and grabs an apple from the fruit bowl. He takes a bite and leans on the counter while making a show of waiting for me to answer him.
I smile at my dad as I feel my confidence return. Rhett and I may have started off all wrong, but Dad is right. I’m not wasting this.
“I’ll resend the memo next time I see him.”
He grins. “I look forward to seeing him here for breakfast one morning.” My dad winks, like he didn’t just imply he wants me to get this man under me ASAP, and I sputter my surprise.
“Dad, you did not just tell me to seduce the man so you can have coffee in the kitchen with him. Please tell me I misunderstood.”
He just smiles at me before whistling and walking down the hall. “Goodnight, son!” he calls over his shoulder, and I shake my head with a huff.
Dads. I swear he’s on this planet to test me, but I do like his train of thought. Grabbing my tablet, I flop on the couch and re-open the folder with pics I saved of Rhett from rodeos.
“I wonder if he kisses as good as he rides a bronc?”