Chapter 27
COLTON
“How’s everything going at home? Are you still taking care of my favorite girls?” Hayes asks. over the phone.
“Oh, we’re good here,” I answer, ignoring the guilt that creeps in every time I talk to my best friend.
It’s been over a month since Lucy and I started spending each night together, and since then, I’ve become somewhat immune to answering his questions.
Despite the secrecy, my time with Lucy has been the best of my life, and I’ve settled into the comfortable routine that comes with spending my days working at The Last Lasso and my nights in bed with my girl.
“How's the riding going?” I ask, interested to hear what he’ll say. The last few times we’ve talked, he told me about how well he’s been doing, and it sounds like his team is really making a name for themselves this season.
“It’s great, man. I really can’t believe how much I’ve improved in the last few months with Sam’s help. Listen, I know you might not be ready, but our last ride of the season is next week. It’s only an hour from Mills Corner. Do you think you and Lucy might be able to come watch?”
I pause, trying to decide how to respond. The idea of going doesn’t fill me with the dread I expected to feel, and I pause, trying to make sure I’m really okay with it.
“I think that could be fun,” I say hesitantly. “But let me talk to Lucy and make sure it works for her.”
“Oh, that’d be awesome. I’ve really missed having you here, man,” Hayes admits. “But I’m really grateful that you’re holding everything down at home.”
“No problem,” I say, trying not to think too hard about his words. “We wrapped up the season at Cedar Creek, and Lucy said it’s the best season yet.”
“Awesome. I know she’s been so glad to have your help over the last few months,” Hayes says enthusiastically before I hear someone calling for him in the background. “Listen, man, I’ve gotta go, but I’d really love to see you next week.”
“Sure, I’ll let you know,” I promise, hanging up the phone.
I sit in silence, trying to sort through how I feel about the conversation I just had, until I hear Lucy moving around in her room.
“Good morning,” I say, smiling as Lucy makes her way out of bed a couple moments later.
I can’t believe how fast time seems to be flying, and I feel a little panicked at the reminder that it’s almost Thanksgiving.
We wrapped up the season with the pumpkin patch last week, and to be honest, it didn’t help my stress.
It just feels like no matter how I try, I can’t help but feel like we’re running out of time.
“Morning,” she mumbles, bringing me back from my thoughts as she heads directly to the coffee pot.
We sit in silence as she pours her massive cup of coffee and tops it off with her favorite pumpkin creamer before I ask, “How’d you sleep?”
“Pretty good. You wore me out last night,” she confesses, and I smile at the memory of pinning her against the shower wall and fucking her hard.
“Yeah, but it was pretty fucking incredible, right?” I ask, walking over and wrapping my arms around her.
“It was,” she agrees, bringing her cup to her lips and taking a long sip. I smile at the contented sigh she lets out, dropping a kiss to her forehead.
“You and your coffee,” I tease. “I gotta be honest, those sighs and moans sound a lot better when they’re coming from your lips wrapped around my cock, though.” Lucy blushes and rolls her eyes as she takes another sip.
“Don’t flatter yourself now,” she taunts, shooting me a wink. “If you make me choose which one I like better, you might not like the answer.”
I chuckle, pulling her in for a quick kiss. “So, what do you have planned for the day?”
“I just need to make sure the floors are good to go at the house so I can start painting later this week. What about you?”
“I got another large candle order this week, so I’ll be here working away,” she says.
“That’s great. Which one did they order?” I ask.
“There’s a hotel in Crestbrook Cove that wants thirty of the new Christmas scent I showed you last week for holiday some gift baskets they’re making. I’m really excited that they seemed to like the new scent as much as I did.”
“That’s great, Darlin’. Is Amelia coming over to help?”
Lucy rolls her eyes over the rim of her coffee cup. “What do you think?”
“Busy with Mitch?” I guess, and Lucy shrugs.
“I guess. I texted her, but she didn’t respond to me.”.
“I’m sorry, baby,” I tell her sincerely.
I know how much she misses her cousin and best friend, despite the fact that she’s been completely MIA over the last few weeks.
Between calling out of work and ignoring Lucy’s texts, she’s done everything she can to avoid spending time away from Mitch, and each time, I fight to do what I can to cheer Lucy up.
“It’s fine. I’ll get the majority of the candles done during the day, and you can help me with whatever’s left over when you get home.”
I smile, dropping another kiss to her lips.
“That sounds like a plan,” I tell her, surprised by how much I’m looking forward to it.
“Oh, and while I’m thinking about it, Hayes called this morning,” I say, and Lucy freezes, the concern evident on her face.
“Nothing’s wrong,” I reassure her quickly. “But he wants to know if we’ll come watch him ride next Saturday.”
My girl’s eyes widen, and she scoffs in annoyance.
“I love my brother, but he has some nerve, doesn’t he?
First, he leaves you here to ‘take care’ of his family because obviously, we’re incapable of taking care of ourselves.
Then, he calls you and asks you to come back to the rodeo?
I mean, have you even been back since the accident? ”
“No, I haven’t. But I think it’ll be fine,” I answer, hoping that’s the truth. “Do you want to go?”
“I’m down, but only if you’re sure. If not, I’ll tell my brother where to shove it,” she murmurs, and I shake my head.
“I have no doubt, Darlin’.” I laugh, kissing her softly.
“Damn it,” I mutter as another drop of white paint hits the dark wood floor of the living room.
When I first decided to paint over the old brown paint in the interior of the house myself, I didn’t think it would be anything too difficult, but it turns out, I’m a terrible painter.
I consider myself pretty handy, but obviously, this is where my skills run out.
I guess the pumpkins the other night should have been a clue that this wouldn’t go well, but here we are.
“It can’t be that hard, Colton,” I mutter to myself. “You just roll the roller up and down the walls.”
Determined, I stick the roller back in the pan of paint and roll it quickly up the wall. Apparently, a little too quickly because paint droplets spin off from the roller, spraying in every direction and covering my face with paint.
“Shit,” I mutter, setting the brush down and grabbing the shop towel I brought to wipe my face and neck. It does more to smear the paint than anything, and I groan in frustration.
“Fuck, this whole painting thing was much more fun with Lucy,” I mutter, thinking back to how incredible she felt wrapped around my cock after our paint fight.
I think back over the last few months we’ve spent together and sigh, remembering that our time of keeping this to ourselves is slowly coming to an end.
Hayes’s call earlier this week was like starting the timer on a ticking time bomb, and I’ve got to figure out how to tell him I’m obsessed with his sister.
As soon as the thought crossed my mind, my phone pings in my pocket with a text.
Hayes: Hey, did you and Lucy talk about coming to the rodeo next week?
Colton: Yeah, we’re gonna try to make it.
Hayes: Hell yeah! I’ll send y’all the tickets.
Hayes: I don’t know if I’ll actually get to see you, but I’ll be home for Thanksgiving the week after. I forgot to ask the other day on the phone, but how’s the house coming?
I take a picture of my face covered in paint and send it to him.
Colton: Fucking fantastic.
Hayes: Damn man, did you have a fight with the paint can?
Colton: I hate painting.
Hayes: Same. Lucy gives me a hard time because I can build anything in the world, but when it comes to painting I’m out.
Hayes: Wait, Lucy’s a great painter. Ask her to help you.
Hayes: I’ve gotta go, but I'm looking forward to seeing you soon. Thanks again for taking care of everything while I’m gone.
I pause and decide to say screw it and accept defeat. Sitting down on the cooler I brought in, I call Lucy.
“Hey there, Cowboy,” she says. “What’s up?”
“Are you busy? I know you mentioned that you had a candle order to take care of,” I ask, not wanting to interrupt her if she’s working.
“Nope, I finished it up this morning. You must miss me or something,” she teases.
“Always, Darlin’. Can I talk you into coming and helping me paint this house? I’m trying, but it turns out I paint walls about as well as I paint pumpkins.”
“Hm, what’s in it for me?” she teases.
“Anything you want. I’ll be honest and tell you I’m desperate and covered in paint.”
“Well, since this sounds like an emergency, I’ll see what I can do. Give me fifteen and I’ll be there.”
“Have I told you lately how much I like you?” I ask, and Lucy just laughs.
“Yeah, yeah. See you soon,” she says, hanging up the phone.
As I wait, I continue trying to fix the place I painted on the wall, but I’m pretty sure I’m making it worse. After a few minutes, I hear Lucy pull into the driveway, and I cringe at the wall, knowing I’ve set myself up for some merciless teasing when she sees the mess I’ve made.
“Hey, so just in case you were wondering, you majorly owe—” she starts, freezing when she looks between the blotchy wall and my paint-covered face. “What on earth did you do?”
“I tried to paint the damn wall,” I growl, and Lucy dissolves into a fit of giggles.
“Oh my God,” she laughs, “I know you said you needed my help, but you really need my help.”
“Yeah, that’s why I called you,” I tell her. “So, will you help me?”
“Sure, I will, Cowboy. You know it’s a good thing you took your hat off for once before you started.”
“Yeah, something told me this might not go the way I wanted it to.”
“Well, come on then. Let’s see if we can’t get this knocked out.”