CHAPTER 12
Umm . . . so Kyle turned up at my studio?
Hestia’s message flashed on my screen as Jesse and I walked through Elk Creek Ranch.
He is PISSED. Naturally I told him to fuck off before I could tattoo ‘cheating twat’ on his forehead, but not before he said he wasn’t going to take no for an answer when it comes to getting you back. Something about a big mistake . . . the usual cheater bullshit.
My jaw dropped; I couldn’t physically imagine Kyle in Shoreditch, face to face with Hestia. They’d met before, of course, but on his terms, in places he knew where he could lead proceedings. She was the antithesis of everything about him. I should’ve known then.
‘Y’all okay?’ Jesse said, glancing over as we walked.
‘Sort of,’ I replied, stopping. ‘I need to reply to a message from home – could we maybe stop for a drink for a minute?’
Jesse tipped his hat.
‘Course, ma’am. What’ll it be? There’re all kinds of fancy drinks here. A cocktail? Glass of wine?’
I looked up at the food and drink stalls gathered on the manicured grass, hundreds of people milling around in front of the large, newly built ranch house. Elk Creek was a completely different operation to Diamond Back – one with big pockets.
‘Just a water, since I’m working,’ I replied with a quick smile, noting his inquisitive look as he nodded and wandered over to the stalls. Gaggles of women watched as he approached, their eyes and mouths working overtime.
Shit, so sorry, I replied, hating that my mess had impinged on her life.
It was kind of funny tbh, she replied. Especially when Cal offered to show him out of the studio.
I smiled, imagining Cal – more ink than skin – escorting Kyle back onto the street.
Just be careful, though, she added. He threatened to get in touch with your parents and find out where you were. I didn’t tell him, of course, but please God tell me you’ve found a beefy cowboy to pummel the shit out of him?
Biting my lip, I considered telling her everything. It wouldn’t fit in a message.
Maybe. But it’s complicated.
The thought of Kyle besieging my parents pissed me off.
WHAT THE FUCK! I need every detail!
I’ll call you – too much for messages. So sorry about Kyle, hopefully he won’t be back. Prick.
Too much for messages? A photo will do?!
I laughed, looking up and seeing Jesse walking back over, two beers in hand.
I’ll see what I can do. Love you, Hes xxx
UGH. I hate you being so far away. But love you too. London sucks without you xxx
‘One water for the pretty lady in the tan hat,’ Jesse announced, handing over a bottle and standing next to me. ‘Free bar, too – they’re really putting their money where their mouth is, I guess.’
‘I had no idea it was such a big place,’ I said, looking up and tucking my phone back into my jeans pocket. ‘Sorry about that – just catching up with Hestia, my best friend at home.’
He nodded, studying me for a moment.
‘She anything like you?’ he asked, sitting down next to me.
I laughed, imagining his reaction if Hestia and I had been standing next to each other right now.
‘On the outside, no. But under the surface, yeah. She’s about as sassy as they come, as you guys would say.’
In the same moment, we watched as a much older woman, straight-backed and elegant, walked across the bottom of the field, next to a tall man. His suit was conspicuous, clearly expensive, his grey cowboy hat clearly never worn for the purpose of anything other than show.
‘I think I recognize her.’ I squinted against the sun, holding my hand above my eyes. ‘Who is she?’
‘That’s just about the queen of sass in this state, second only to your grandma. That’s Dotty Sinclair – she owns this place. And the piece of shit with her is her eldest son, Zach.’
I remembered her now, as she had been, hair a little longer and a warmer shade of blonde, now replaced with white.
‘Oh man, me and Lil were fucking terrified of her. I remember when she gave my dad a piece of her mind about something. I’ve never seen him intimidated in his whole life, but she razed him to the ground in less than a minute.’
Jesse chuckled, swigging his beer.
‘Yep, that’s about right, I’d say. About as close to celebrity in Jackson as anyone will get. It’s always been the Sinclairs and the Deans here, a hundred years of it.’ He shook his head, smirking at me again. ‘Guess that’s not very old to a Brit, huh?’
I snorted. ‘The town I grew up in is over a thousand years old,’ I said. He let out a low whistle. ‘But a hundred years is still a long time to live alongside the same people. I wonder what my grandma would’ve made of all this, of dude ranching and the Sinclairs trying to take over Diamond Back.’
Jesse nodded, contemplative for a moment.
‘I reckon she’d have more to say about you cosying up to a cowboy.’
Side-eyeing him, I laughed, shaking my head.
His own laugh was irrepressible. ‘Listen, what’s the deal with you and Cole?
’ said Jesse when I didn’t respond, his voice suddenly gentle.
‘Maybe it’s not my place to ask but . . .
I like you, Lottie. We could have fun, but Cole’s my brother, you know?
I can’t fuck that up. But if you and he were just messing around . . .’
I sighed, wanting to keep it light but feeling the heaviness creep back across my shoulders.
‘I don’t know,’ I said, trying to be honest but not sure how to voice the situation. I also didn’t want to out Lil’s possible feelings, unsure if Jesse had any idea. ‘It’s more that I don’t know how long I’m here for, and things at home are . . . complicated.’
He pursed his lips, considering me.
‘Boyfriend complicated?’
I raised my eyebrows.
‘Ex-boyfriend. He’s an asshole. I found out he cheated on me, so I left.’
Jesse shook his head, taking a drink.
‘What a bastard. Some guys just don’t know what they’ve got.’ I nodded, watching as some ranch cowboys walked nearby, Eli amongst them. ‘We’re not all like that, you know.’
I turned to him then and was met by a full stare, as intense as it was warm.
‘I know,’ I murmured. ‘I’m sure you’d be the total opposite.’
He kept his eyes on mine, his hand reaching forward to brush my cheek.
‘You just say the word, Princess, and maybe we can see.’
My heart picked up a beat, knowing, feeling how easy it would be. But he wasn’t . . . Cole.
‘You’re sweet,’ I replied, giving him a soft smile. ‘But I need to figure this whole thing out with Cole first before it becomes any messier.’
He nodded, hands back on his beer, staring out at the people milling around in front.
‘I get it,’ he said, then, bumping against my shoulder, ‘but if y’all change your mind, you know where to find me.’
‘I know. But in the meantime, there is something you can do,’ I said, giving a slow smile at his surprise and holding up my phone. ‘Let me film you walking down there, maybe even take your shirt off. We need our introduction to social media to really make an impact.’
He raised his eyebrows, pure mischief in his expression.
‘I will if you will?’ he replied, smirking at my mock frown. ‘Although I’m not sure the good folk of Elk Creek are going to be impressed. It might even get us kicked out.’
‘Sounds like fun to me,’ I said, setting up the video. ‘Maybe Dotty will get involved . . . now that would make for a good watch.’
He laughed, setting his beer down on a nearby table. I gave him directions: to walk down along the fence, look moody and hot, then towards the end, take his shirt off. The sun was casting long shafts of golden light right across the pasture in front and would catch him perfectly.
‘Sure you want me to wait until the end to take this off?’ he asked. ‘If we’re going to get kicked out, may as well do it right.’
Smiling and more than a bit awed by his confidence, I shrugged, watching as he unbuttoned his shirt, the deep blue fabric giving way to . . . quite a sight. I tried not to openly gawp at his toned abs and broad shoulders.
‘Changed your mind?’ he asked, watching my reaction with amusement as I took the shirt from him.
‘Focus on the task, cowboy,’ I replied, lining up the shot, already filming him standing near the fence, adjusting his hat. ‘Okay, take it steady . . . More of a stroll. Keep going to the flagpole at the end of the fence.’
He tipped his hat to me, cocky smile on his face as he set off, sun highlighting the definition on his abs, the hint of his smile visible.
I quickly panned out to the people around us, hoping to capture reactions, and I wasn’t disappointed.
A group of older women openly gawped, one almost spilling her drink across their boots, while another pair of younger girls next to them were clutching each other in shock.
I came back to Jesse, now approaching the flagpole, then coming to a stop by leaning on the fence. The light across his face was perfect, and even when he went against orders and turned towards me, breaking into a small smile, I knew it was perfect.
That was Jesse, right there. Confident, unafraid of who he was and willing to show it off with a smile that could melt the snow right off the mountains.
I stopped filming and almost skipped towards him.
‘That was fucking perfect!’ I cried, replaying the footage as I approached him, showing him the screen.
‘And you think this will get people to come to our ranch?’ he asked, looking over to the women that’d been staring, giving them a wink as he shrugged his shirt back on, doing the buttons up slowly.
I shrugged.
‘It’ll grab attention, that’s for sure. It might take a while to build up a following and get enough people interested, but yeah, with some editing and using the right hashtags .
. . plus with videos showing off the ranch itself – a sunset wouldn’t be quite as effective as you, I imagine, but y’know, it would be close. ’
He chuckled. ‘Let’s get out of here, seeing as we’ve made it this far without being sprung. We’ve seen enough anyhow. Money’s what they’ve got, that’s all we need to know.’