Aiden & Lily (Taylors of Copper Creek #3)

Chapter 1

AIDEN

Aiden knew he wasn’t like his friends.

He didn’t value the same things they did. Out of everyone he knew, he was the odd man out. He’d never been the kind of guy who steered toward long-term commitments.

Well, except when it came to his career.

Heck, even his interest in the rodeo was fickle. He’d compete every so often because the adrenaline felt good. And, because admittedly, so he could hit on the women who thought cowboys were attractive.

Aiden Stone was not a cowboy. Not even by the most flexible definition.

He owned the hat, the jeans, and the boots, but he didn’t know a lick about the lifestyle most of the men in Copper Creek lived every day.

Nope, Aiden was nothing like the friends he surrounded himself with.

His gaze shifted from Mathew to Reese.

Mathew wasn’t exactly a cowboy either, but he’d grown up around farming. He’d moved away from it to work as a doctor, and he was good at it. He’d been married once before, and that hadn’t panned out. Once upon a time, the man had sworn off women entirely.

Now he was in the thick of it again with a lovely mechanic named River.

Reese, on the other hand, was a true cowboy. He’d been raised on a farm. He knew his way around a tractor, the animals, and the fields. Aiden could ask him anything about country life, and Reese wouldn’t hesitate with the right answer.

He, too, was interested in finding someone to care for and settle down with.

“And why haven’t you put a ring on that girl’s finger yet?” Aiden asked.

The question burst out before he could think better of it.

Reese eyed him over the rim of his glass.

Inwardly, Aiden grimaced. He didn’t have any right to ask Reese something that personal. They’d only recently gotten back on good terms after nearly five years of radio silence. Aiden hadn’t meant for it to happen. The argument had been ridiculous, and he barely remembered what it was about.

It was still one of his biggest regrets.

Reese had been his best friend growing up. And now, sometimes, it felt like they were strangers trying to remember where they used to fit.

It didn’t help that Reese had started a job that required him to travel a lot. The man didn’t seem to be in one place for long. But this month, his sister was getting married, and she wanted him home for all the celebrations.

It was the perfect excuse to meet up again.

Reese stared at Aiden, and a wry smile tugged at one side of his mouth. “Unfortunately, it didn’t work out.”

“Shame,” Mathew muttered. “That’s rough.”

Reese sighed. “It was for the best, honestly. She’s not interested in leaving her family.

You know how the people around here get.

It’s rare to find someone who’s interested in a long-distance relationship, and even rarer to find someone who can picture a future where that’s what happens with their family. ”

Mathew nodded.

Aiden took a drink of his soda. “Yeah, makes sense.”

That was part of the reason he liked finding dates when he was competing.

The girls who hung around the rodeo competitors sometimes came from other towns.

They weren’t expecting anything serious or long term.

Most of them were just interested in the fun of going on a date with a man who could handle a beast.

Reese didn’t want that.

Neither did Mathew.

For the first time in a long time, Aiden wondered if it would really be so bad to fall in line with his buddies. What would it be like to have a girl he could call his? To stay up late talking on the phone with a girl who only wanted him?

He couldn’t fathom it.

Was that something he even wanted?

“Things are a little… strained with River,” Mathew admitted. “She found out about Victoria.” He turned toward Reese. They’d only just met, and Reese didn’t know much about Mathew’s history. “That’s my ex.”

With one brow arched, Reese shifted in his seat. “What do you mean, found out?”

Mathew grimaced, and Aiden hid his grin behind his drink as he waited for his friend to admit to not being perfect. Yet another thing about the people Aiden surrounded himself with that he couldn’t claim for himself.

Perfection.

“I didn’t tell her I was married. Or divorced.” Mathew made another face. “Turns out when you don’t tell your girlfriend about your past, she gets to decide how long she wants to hold that against you.”

Reese offered a sympathetic look, but Aiden chuckled.

Both of his friends shot dark looks his way, and Aiden lifted one shoulder. “Oh, come on. That woman is in love with you. It’ll work out. She found out, what, yesterday? You’ll be in the doghouse for a couple of days, and then this will all blow over.”

“From what you’ve told me, I think he’s right,” Reese murmured.

Aiden sat up a little straighter. Reese having his back brought back memories from high school. Once upon a time, they would have done anything for each other. Only after he’d lost his friend had he realized just how much he’d needed him.

They’d get back to that point again.

Reese was a good man. He’d been a good friend. Time would heal this rift. They were already on their way to that. If anything, the reason they hadn’t gotten close again had more to do with Aiden’s own hang-ups than with Reese.

Mathew settled back in his seat and sighed. “Yeah, you guys are probably right. It’s just… hard. All this waiting.”

Reese nodded. “Yeah. I totally get it, man. The girl I was seeing, I wanted it to work out so bad. But it’s just not the right time for me. You can’t push fast-forward on your life, or you’ll miss the little lessons.”

A frown marred Aiden’s brow.

Why did Reese have to sound so… together?

Argh. It was everyone. Aiden’s brother. Reese. Mathew. All these men had their lives figured out. They knew what they wanted, and they went after it.

“And what about you?”

Aiden glanced over at Mathew, realizing he was being asked something. “Hmm?”

Mathew pointed to Reese. “He’s on a hiatus while he does his work thing. I’m dealing with River. What about you? Any thoughts of settling down?”

Aiden laughed, his easy smile returning as he puffed out his chest. “I’m good, bro. I don’t need a woman to complete me. You guys find your happiness wherever you want, but me? I’m content right where I’m at.”

Reese and Mathew exchanged glances as if they’d known each other for years and not a couple hours.

Aiden was beginning to wonder if he’d made a mistake introducing his pals to each other. He could already see a scenario where Mathew and Reese became best buds and left Aiden out in the cold.

His focus shifted between the two men, and then he chuckled to himself.

Nah. That wouldn’t happen.

Mathew was too busy with his job and River. Reese was too busy traveling. There was no way they were going to kick him out of their little trio.

“So, Reese. Aiden said you still own some property in Copper Creek?”

Reese took a swig of his water, then wiped at his upper lip with the back of his hand.

“That’s right. I farmed quite a bit. Did some ranching, too.

It’s a small operation, but I found I liked inventing things to help with the day-to-day grind, you know?

So I patented a piece of equipment that makes the end of season go smoother. ”

Mathew’s brows rose with admiration. “That’s awesome.”

“Yeah, it is.” Reese grinned. “But it sure makes it hard to settle down where I grew up. It’ll be a couple years before I have a chance to put down roots again. I want to get this product out there.”

“Knowing you, you’ll end up falling in love with a gal across the country, and you won’t think twice about coming back.” Aiden smirked. “Your heart is too big. And that applies to both of you.” He gave Mathew a pointed look.

Reese snorted. “And wouldn’t it be hilarious if you finally found a girl who made your head spin and your heart skip a beat? You wouldn’t know what to do with yourself. I bet you’d run for the hills.”

Mathew lifted his glass. “I’d take that bet. Aiden is never going to settle down. He’s going to be a bachelor until his dying days.”

“Hey,” Aiden argued, “I’m not going to be single forever.”

“Sure you are, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be alone. You’ll be cool Uncle Aiden.”

That gave him pause. He actually liked the sound of that.

He leaned forward and pointed at Mathew. “I’m gonna be the best uncle your kids will ever meet. Better than your own blood. Tell Jason I’m coming for his job.”

Mathew snickered. “Jason isn’t fun enough to be the cool uncle.”

“And what about Penny?”

Mathew shrugged. “Who knows? She’s always working. I can’t see her getting married, and if she does, it’ll probably be with some stick-in-the-mud like her.” His eyes slid to Reese. “Hey, man, you interested in getting set up on a date?”

Aiden’s mouth fell open. He jabbed a finger in Mathew’s direction. “You said I couldn’t ask your sister out.”

Mathew’s grin said it all. “Yeah, because you can’t. I speak with my sister every day. And I see you at work nearly that much. If you two didn’t work out, then I’d have to deal with that awkwardness, and that’s just not worth it.”

Reese nodded, completely at ease. “Yeah, there are just some lines you can’t cross. Dating a friend’s sister? Not gonna happen.”

Aiden wagged a finger between them. “You’re friends.”

Mathew chuckled. “Not quite. This is Reese’s window of opportunity.”

A breath of exasperation burst from Aiden’s chest. “You never gave me that courtesy. I swear, I’m beginning to think this is just prejudice against me.” When Mathew didn’t say anything, Aiden huffed out an annoyed laugh. “I see where your loyalties lie.”

All three of them laughed then.

Aiden wasn’t entirely upset. He could see where Mathew was coming from. The guy was a big family man. He was close with his cousins who lived in town, too. Aiden hadn’t met all of them, but he’d heard enough to know their family dynamic was tight.

He settled back in his chair and turned to Reese. “Since you’re in town, you coming to the rodeo tonight? I’m competing.”

Reese nodded. “Planned on meeting up with my friend. She’s going with her sister.” Before Aiden could utter a word, Reese held up a hand. “No. I’m not introducing you. She’s too sweet of a girl for you. One look from you, and her heart would get broken.”

“I don’t know whether to take that as a compliment or not,” Aiden mused.

Mathew shook his head with a laugh but didn’t comment.

They parted ways, and a few hours later, Aiden was gearing up to get on the back of a bronco.

It was a strange talent he’d come across. One night, on a dare, he’d signed up for the amateur bronc riding competition and he’d placed. He hadn’t won, but he’d beaten some of the men who’d been riding for a couple years.

Since that night, he liked to sign up now and then just for the adrenaline rush of it. The crowd. The noise. The seconds before the gate opened, when everything in him went quiet.

And true, the girls who flocked around him afterward weren’t a bad perk either. He tightened his helmet as his gaze swept through the crowd gathering for the competition.

Then his eyes landed on an angel.

Sure, the overhead lights shining down on the outdoor arena could have contributed to her glowing look, but he chose to believe otherwise.

Her red hair was like a wildfire. Her blue dress accentuated her curves all the way down to her knees, and her cowboy boots peeked out beneath it as she headed for the stairs to watch the show. Everyone around faded to nothing as he watched her.

Then she disappeared into the crowd.

Who was that girl?

He placed a hand to his chest, feeling the rapid beat he usually only felt right before climbing into the saddle. Aiden wanted to blame the erratic thumping on the fact that he’d be doing just that in a matter of seconds, but he knew better.

He wanted to find that girl and ask her out.

He wanted to know the color of her eyes. Blue? Green? Did she have freckles? Her skin had glowed just like her hair, and even from this distance, there had been something soft and bright about her that made him want a closer look.

A hand thumped him on the shoulder. “You’re up, Christopher.”

Aiden nodded. “Thanks, man.”

He searched the crowd once more but caught no sign of her.

The angel was gone.