5. Jesse
JESSE
T o say that seeing Nate—Adrian—yesterday had been a shock was an understatement.
I’d made it my mission not to sleep with anyone in Wintervale if I could help it and never with anyone with direct ties to my family.
Relationships are messy, and adding family connections is the last thing I want to do.
Adrian had poked fun at my family owning half the town, and while I’d brushed it off, he wasn’t exactly wrong. My father has slowly expanded our property and our influence in our little piece of Montana.
Winston Sterling breathed life back into the Wintervale Tree Farm, taking a failing business and helping it thrive.
It’s not technically ours, but it might as well be.
We made it a destination, an experience, and then my cousin Reid launched us into the stratosphere with his spreadsheets for tracking tree growth, health, and variety.
It’s impressive but it’s on the same excitement level as watching paint dry. The only person who isn’t bored to tears is his boyfriend, Harlan, and I’ll be shocked if the two of them aren’t engaged by the end of the year.
I scoff as I make my way toward the barn. Slowly but surely, my cousin and the rest of my siblings have paired off, the commitments ranging from dating to married with a baby. The last makes me shudder because even though I love my nephew more than anything, I’ve never wanted kids of my own.
Or a marriage if I’m being honest.
It would probably be easier to explain that all away if my parents’ marriage wasn’t the poster child for love and devotion. It’s just not for me.
And hell, I’m only twenty-four.
All the coupling around me placated my mother for a while, but it didn’t take long before she was back to asking me to introduce her to a boyfriend or adopt a dog.
The dog isn’t looking like a terrible idea.
“I know you’re not stomping like that into my barn and disturbing all the horses I just got settled.” Harlan’s voice is low and serious, but there’s also a hint of amusement.
“Sorry,” I tell him because he’s worked his ass off to get the sanctuary off the ground.
He’s been a huge asset in helping the rescues acclimate to being here.
It’s like the horses can sense they’re safe with him, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t teared up a time or two watching their transformation.
“Big plans?”
He gives me a once-over, his eyebrow arching as he meets my gaze because Harlan has seen me enough to know I’m not in work clothes.
Busted.
“It’s gonna sound ridiculous,” I tell him, taking my Stetson off and running my hand through my hair.
“Don’t go where the cameras are.”
“That’s not?—”
“I’m just saying.” He shrugs. “Your father made a comment.”
My jaw drops because no—just no. I rack my brain for any memory of that and come up empty. I’ll have to ask Reid for the full story.
Because that’s exactly the kind of thing my father would say, so I don’t know why I’m surprised. Maybe it’s just because Harlan is telling me, without telling me, to be smart about hooking up in the barn.
Today is so weird.
“I’m allowed to just have fun.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I don’t need to settle down.”
“Sure.”
“Hell, everyone has got that covered and then some.” I throw my hands out to the side, ignoring the way the corners of Harlan’s lips twitch. “I like my life. I don’t want a commitment.”
“You trying to convince me or yourself?”
“I like him,” I admit, surprised I said the words out loud. “That’s the problem.”
Harlan drags his hand down his face and sighs. “I’m really not cut out for this.”
“You asked,” I retort. I hadn’t been in the talking mood before I saw him, but now I can’t seem to stop.
“Fine. You’re pissed you like him. How come?”
“We met at a bar and hooked up. He was just supposed to be passing through, not making a whole damn life here. It was supposed to be a one-time thing.”
“And now you’re bringing him to the barn…”
“He works for Merrick.”
“Of course he does.” He snorts as she shakes his head and starts to walk away.
“What, that’s it? No advice?”
“Don’t upset the horses, and let him go before you break his heart,” he yells over his shoulder, leaving me standing there feeling no better than when I started.