13. Jack
Jack
Single Again by Josh Ross
I finish up in the horse paddock, breaking in a colt, already sweating under the morning sun and in desperate need of caffeine. The second I see her, something low in my gut twists, tight and hot. I figured she’d sleep in today after her shenanigans with Poppy and Violet last night.
Cami, all legs and attitude, storms past me, hair a little wilder than usual, my damn flannel hanging loose off her shoulders.
My flannel. The flannel I left on the back of a kitchen chair at her house.
She doesn't look embarrassed. Nope, she looks pissed. Go figure that Cami would be pissed at me for her being drunk and showing up late to her trailer.
Cami marches past me, completely ignoring me.
Walker and Ollie are grinning like idiots, already gearing up for the shit-talking that I will never live down. But it’s all good fun. Ollie’s not letting anyone say shit about his sister, and neither am I.
“I need coffee,” I mutter as I get in line.
Ollie nods and gets in line behind me. “Bold move, really, Jack. God only knows what she'll do to yours.”
Walker smirks. “What’s the plan for today? Another episode of when Jack and Cami try to kill each other?”
I exhale sharply, leaning against the fence. “You two done?”
Ollie grins. “Not even close. How’s it been staying with my sister at Wilder Ranch?”
I rub my jaw, staring after her, already exhausted. Ollie smirks at me.
Walker chuckles. “So, when’s the housewarming party?”
I drag my hand down my face. “I hate you both.”
Ollie grins. “Nah. You just hate that we’re giving you shit.”
Walker dodges easily, laughing. “Oh, come on, Jessop. It’s a fair question!”
I turn back, muttering, “One of these days, I swear…”
Walker grins. “Or, better yet, the real question is how you’re gonna explain to your future wife that another woman that you live with just showed up wearing your clothes?”
“I’ve always wanted a brother-in-law,” Ollie grins.
I groan, already regretting every single decision that led to this moment. "Someone just shoot me now."
"What time are the contestants showing up today?" Walker asks, changing the subject as we wait in the long line for coffee.
"Sometime this morning," I say as I gaze out over the pasture, already dreading their arrival. I really don't want to do this, but they're all right. I need to do it for the ranch. And just like Cami said last night. I don't need to find a wife. I really don't.
I give up in the line and go around back and lean in the trailer doorway. "What do you have here? This smells good," I murmur as I take note of the containers of baked goods stacked on the counter that Mack carries in for her.
"All of the baked goods that I baked last night before I drank way too much," she glares and starts unpacking them as coffee brews.
"I'll take some if one of them has my name on it." I close my eyes and inhale the scent of fresh blueberry muffins. I bet she put the crumbly things on top, too. They’re so good, that’s my favorite part.
"Sure, the one that fell in the dirt," she says as she carries a stack and leaves me to follow her inside the trailer.
I roll my eyes and grin at her jabs.
"Mack, what are you doing here?" Cami calls as she starts making coffee.
"Well, someone had to run this operation. You were too busy doing god knows what, and my Dad brought me down here to get coffee and you were nowhere to be found." She shrugs as she pours foam onto a cold brew.
"Wow, you're doing a good job," Cami says with an approving smile. “Where did you learn to make coffee?”
Mack grins proudly. “YouTube.”
"Where do you want these?" I ask as I hold up the containers.
Cami looks like she wants to say something smart ass but takes them from me, sets them down and opens the container.
She grabs a napkin, pulls out a muffin with it, and hands it to me.
As she steps close, the smell of her body wash, vanilla and coconut, mix with the scent of the baked goods, and I’m not sure which I want to taste more: her or the muffin.
Our fingers brush as I take the muffin, and a jolt of awareness fires through me from our small touch. Cami’s gaze flies to mine, a look of confusion as if she feels it too.
I grin at her, and she turns away, not meeting my eyes .
Mack watches us for a beat, then casually says to Cami, “Also, you should totally hire me.”
Cami pauses mid-step, turning back to her. “You really want a job?”
Mack shrugs. “I’m already running things. Might as well make it official.”
This kid is hilarious.
Cami stares at her for a long second, debating whether or not she has the energy to argue.
Then she sighs, waving a hand. “Fine. You’re hired.”
Mack grins. “Knew you’d see how good I am.”
I break off a piece of the muffin she gave me. It's fluffy, buttery, damn near perfect. She might be a menace, but she can bake pastries like nothing I've ever had before.
I take another sip of my coffee, amused as hell. Cami might think she’s in control of her morning, but between Mack’s schemes and the fact that she’s still wearing my flannel, she’s fighting a losing battle. I just want to know why she won't look me in the eye.
I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my life.
But, letting Jenna talk me into this reality show?
The worst mistake of them all. Because right now, there are three massive black SUVs rolling up the ranch road, a full film crew unloading cameras, and an actual lineup of women stepping out like they just wandered off the set of a Hallmark movie.
And me? I’m hiding in the barn like a damn fugitive.
I press my back against the stall, watching from the shadows, wondering if there’s a way to tunnel underground and escape into the mountains.
But before I can even entertain that thought, I hear footsteps that are light and purposeful and way too smug for my liking.
I don’t even have to look. I know who it is. I can always feel her when she’s near me. Like it or not, we’ve always had that connection.
“Well, well, well,” Cami drawls, stepping inside like she owns the place, hands on her hips, eyes full of mischief. “Big, tough Jack Jessop, hiding out in his own barn. This is better than I could’ve ever dreamed.”
I glance over, scowling. “Shouldn’t you be making coffee instead of stalking me?”
She grins, leaning against the stall like she’s settling in for a good show. “Oh, I shut the trailer down early. We sold out of everything again, and I figured I couldn’t miss watching you meet your potential wives.”
“Wife,” I exhale, rubbing my temples. “What kind of show do you think this is? And you’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“I doubt one woman is going to be able to put up with you, let alone multiple,” she says dryly.
“Are you judging me or taking notes? I know you want the title of Mrs. Jessop,” I tease.
Cami tilts her head ignoring my teasing, pretending to think. “Oh, I’m enjoying this. Let me see, cameras everywhere, a bunch of women competing for your love, and you looking like you’d rather be trampled by a bull? Yeah, Jack. I’m having the time of my life.”
I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I hate you.”
She gasps, pressing a hand to her chest. “You don’t mean that.”
I lift a brow. “I absolutely mean that.”
Cami grins wider, eyes sparkling. “You know, I could go out there and tell them where you’re hiding… ”
I stiffen immediately. “You wouldn’t.”
She smirks. “Wouldn’t I?”
I stare at her. She absolutely would.
Cami spins on her heel, heading toward the barn door. “Guess I’ll just let Jenna know?—”
I lunge forward, grabbing her by the waist and hauling her back, holding her tight against my chest, feeling her warmth. God, she feels good.
“Nope,” I clip. The second my arms wrap around her waist, everything shifts. One moment, I’m desperate to keep her from ratting me out to a horde of reality TV contestants and cameras, and the next?
I’m just holding her. And I don’t let go. And that’s a problem. Because Cami feels way too damn good in my arms. She’s warm, soft, and laughing like this is the best thing that’s ever happened to her.
She wiggles against mine, just enough to make me painfully aware of every place her body touches mine. And damn it all, she smells like coffee and something sweet like vanilla, maybe.
I tell myself I should let go.
I should focus on the real issue here, which is escaping my own personal TV show nightmare. But my hands? They stay. Because for a few dangerous seconds, I don’t care about the cameras. Or the contestants. Or the fact that my “future wife” is apparently waiting for me outside.
I care about how Cami fits against me, like she’s always belonged here. So I do the only thing I can, I drop my forehead onto her shoulder, groaning like a man on the verge of losing his damn mind. "Kill me now."
Cami pats my arm, completely oblivious to the crisis happening in my chest.
“Nope, sorry,” she says way too cheerfully. “You have so much suffering ahead of you to look forward to.”
And that’s when reality slams back into me. I’m not supposed to be thinking about Cami like this or touching her. I’m supposed to be out there, smiling for the cameras, entertaining the idea of finding a wife.
Not standing in a damn barn, holding the one woman who’s been in my heart since I was too young to understand what that even meant.
I let go of her like she’s burning me. She doesn’t move. She stays like she’s enjoying it, too. And as I force myself to walk away, to step into the circus waiting outside, I already know no one on this reality show is gonna hold a damn candle to Cami.
And that’s the real problem. Cami gives me one last smirk, full of delight and devoid of sympathy.
And as I walk toward the cameras, ready to meet my doom, I hear her call out,
“Smile, cowboy! This is what dreams are made of!”
I’m currently debating if there’s a way I can go back into the military. Maybe they’ll take me back, or I can just disappear from the ranch, and no one would know. Weston can take my place on the show. Because I hate this with every fiber of my being.
Jenna, my traitor of a sister, stands in front of the contestants like she’s about to deliver a pep rally speech.
“Alright, ladies!” she beams, megaphone in hand because, apparently, she enjoys my suffering as cameras are rolling.
“Welcome to The Rancher Finds a Wife ! Now, before we introduce our eligible bachelor—” she turns toward me and whisper glares—“Jack, do me a favor and try to look like you’re excited about this. ”
I force a smile, and it probably looks like I just stepped on a nail.
Jenna sighs and whisper yells. “Okay, no more of that. Let’s just meet the women before you scare them off.”
She turns back to the contestants, who are all smiling, standing perfectly poised in their boots and dresses, looking like they belong on a damn magazine cover.
And I’ll admit it, they’re stunning. All of them are very beautiful women.
Savannah – Blonde, bright blue eyes, the kind of woman who could be a model. She flashes me a perfect, sweet smile and holds out her hand. “It’s so nice to meet you, Jack. I’ve always wanted to experience real ranch life.”
Elena – Curvy, dark-haired, and carrying herself with the confidence of a woman who gets what she wants. “Jack Jessop,” she says, tilting her head, studying me like she’s already figuring out how to win. “I’ve gotta say, you’re even better looking in person.”
Ruby – Fiery red hair, freckles, and a mischievous glint in her green eyes. She smirks, crossing her arms. “So, do we get to see you in action? Or is this whole thing just for show?”
I’m already so overwhelmed, and this just started. My cocky bastard brothers stand along the fence, looking like they are really enjoying this.
Hannah – Soft brown hair, big brown eyes, with a shy but sweet smile. “I, um, have never been on a ranch before,” she admits, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “But I’m a fast learner.”
Juliette – Legs for days, dark wavy hair, and the kind of confidence that could intimidate most men. She looks me up and down, slow and assessing. “You’re cute,” she says. “But can you dance? ”
They’re beautiful. They seem nice. But I'm not remotely interested.
I just keep thinking about the woman who was in my dreams last night, who is probably making fun of this exact moment.
I bet she’s watching from somewhere and mocking my life choices.
And that’s the problem.Because no matter how damn gorgeous these contestants are, none of them are Cami.
Jenna claps her hands together, yanking me out of my thoughts. “Jack, any first impressions?”
I blink, realizing all of them are staring at me, waiting for some kind of meaningful response. And I’ve got nothing.
I clear my throat, shifting my hat on my head. “Uh, well… you’re all… very nice.”
Jenna groans, rubbing her temples. “Good God, Jack. Try again.”
The women laugh, clearly amused.
Savannah smiles at me sweetly. “He’s just shy, isn’t he?”
Ruby smirks. “Or terrified.”
Juliette raises a brow. “Do you need a drink, cowboy?”
Jenna mutters, “I need a drink.”
I exhale, glancing toward the barn, already wishing I was anywhere else.
Instead, my eyes land on the coffee trailer.
And damn it all, I know exactly who’s inside, probably watching this train wreck unfold with way too much enjoyment.
Cami.
Jenna snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Jack. Focus. Women. Right in front of you. Pick one to talk to first.”
I let out a low sigh, tipping my hat back.
“Well,” I mutter, forcing myself to look back at the contestants, “I guess we should get this show started. ”
And deep down, I already know that no matter what happens, this is gonna be a damn disaster.