21. Stoic Cowboy
STOIC COWBOY
Oliver
Something was wrong with her, I just didn’t know what. If this were anyone else, I’d let it go. Ignore it. Tell her goodbye when she was done eating and go on about my night. But this wasn’t anyone else. This was Ivy Tinsley, and I wanted her to know she could talk to me about anything.
I hadn’t seen her since Friday at the bar. She’d spent every moment dancing with her sister, Aspen, and Ember, her pink dress swaying around her thighs in a way that was simply enticing to anyone with eyes.
She’d shown up right on time to get Hudson for his hockey camp tonight, rambling about how she’d downloaded a new book to read for the two and a half hours he had practice.
When she’d gotten back, I surprised them both with dinner for once, refusing to let her leave until she sat down and ate a real meal for what I’m sure was the first time in four days since she’d last been here.
She looked exhausted, and I wanted to scoop her up and drag her upstairs so she could relax for once.
We cleaned up dinner together, a companionable silence stretching between us. When Hudson went up to bed, she went to grab her bag. But I slid my hand around the straps, taking it from her before she could run away again.
“Let’s have a beer,” I said quietly, Hudson’s door still cracked at the top of the stairs.
Her eyes met mine, and though she didn’t speak, I knew when she’d given in. Letting go of the strap, I set her bag back on the step and tilted my head towards the back door that led out onto the deck.
“I’ll meet you out there.”
She nodded once more, her steps light along the wood floor as she slipped outside. I grabbed two beers from the refrigerator and a light throw blanket from the couch. Stepping out onto the deck with her, I seated myself on the porch swing next to her.
The blanket was tossed around her shoulders, she gave me a small smile.
Popping the lid off one beer, I handed it to her, and then did the same with mine.
I watched out of the corner of my eye as she took a small sip, her eyes on the rolling hills that led up to the mountains around the ranch.
You could see the barn from here. The horses were all in their stalls since we had a storm coming in.
Small insect noises filled the silence, and stars filled the sky above.
One hand clutched the beer, and the other pulled the blanket around her shoulders a bit tighter.
“So,” I said quietly.
A soft giggle slipped from her lips, her gaze dropping down, the blond curls falling around her face before she finally lifted her eyes and gave me a smile.
“So.”
“What’s your favorite color?”
She stared for one more moment before her eyes returned to the view. “Pink. Which I think is pretty obvious to anyone around me.”
“It is, but who knows. Maybe you just know you look great in pink and that’s why you wear it so much.”
She glanced over at me, and if there was more light out here, I would’ve sworn her cheeks deepened in color before she turned back to the mountains again. “What about you, Oliver? Favorite color.”
I did my best to ignore how my name sounded on her lips. “Don’t have one, to be honest. I like a lot of different colors. Normally just depends on the day.”
“Okay, well, what is it today?”
My gaze took her in, and I thought about my answer carefully before finally speaking. “Today is lilac.”
She smiled again, and fuck, I loved to see it. “That’s a good choice.”
“Agreed. Any pets growing up?”
Her eyes met mine once more. “Are you attempting small talk with me, Oliver Carragan?”
I shrugged. “Figured I’d just keep asking questions until you felt ready to tell me what’s going on that has you so down?”
“Mmm, I see. Trying to wear me down. Smart. I had a goldfish when I was six. Killed it in two days, but it was longer than the boy that sat next to me in class who used to steal my green crayons when I was trying to color my trees, so I swear it’s a win.
Also had a dog for a while, but he was more my dad’s than mine.
Always wanted a horse, but ya know. They need a bit of room, and I lacked that in town and now I’m in an apartment. ”
“Did you ever ride?”
She shook her head. “No. It was either horseback riding or ice skating. I watched Ice Princess like it was my religion, so ice skating won out.”
“Ice Princess?”
Her eyes shot back to mine, wide. “You never watched it? Makes sense, I guess. No epic quests or fantasy elements. Although we will need to rectify that as soon as possible, Mr. Carragan. Simply won’t do.”
I found myself smiling before I could stop it, along with the words that tumbled from my lips. “It’s a date.”
She was quiet just long enough for me to worry I’d fucked it up before it began, but instead I found her nodding, her tone soft. “Yeah, it’s a date.”
We both took sips of our drinks before our gazes turned back outward, mine cutting to her as often as I could manage without it being full-on staring.
“Birthday?”
She smiled but didn’t turn my way this time. “May twenty-fourth.”
“Mmm, pretty soon. I’ll have to get you a gift. Mine is?—”
“December twenty-third. I know. Capricorn. It explained a lot about you.” She took another sip of her beer before she spoke once more. “You don’t need to get me a gift, Oliver. Just allowing me space in yours and Sunny’s life is gift enough.”
Ignoring the part about the gift, I focused on the fact that she knew my birthday already. “It explains a lot?”
A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Yeah. I’ll start sending you over some zodiac info. Maybe some daily horoscopes. You’ll see.”
Nodding, I thought over the idea of hearing from Ivy daily, even over something as silly as a horoscope, and realized I liked the idea a bit too much.
“He’s never told me where that nickname came from. Sunny.”
She looked down at the beer in her hand and swirled the amber liquid for a brief quiet moment.
“The night you went to find Aspen, he’d woken up shortly after.
I was so nervous he’d think I was trying to kidnap him or something, so I said the first thing that popped into my mind.
Asked him if he liked movies and popcorn.
He put on Star Wars, telling me it was his dad’s favorite one.
” She cleared her throat, as if pulling up the memories evoked a sense of emotion I couldn’t see within her face in this light.
“Halfway through, he started to relax and began quoting the lines. Told me that although his dad seemed serious, he’d quote the lines in the voices’ special accents all the way through.
He was so damn happy about it, Oliver. To be talking about you and this small thing you two shared.
He was a bright bit of happiness during a night I’d otherwise wish to banish from my mind forever.
He was sunshine, and he has been every moment since. ”
I swallowed down the bit of emotion clogging my throat as I took another sip of beer. She was right. He was sunshine—but so was she, and it killed me that she didn’t see it the way everyone else around her seemed to.
“Although, I’m not sure where he gets it from, since his dad is the most perfect stoic cowboy the world has ever seen. Maybe he inherited it from his mom.”
A deep chuckle vibrated through my chest. “Sad to say, no. Emily played with him, laughs and giggles as long as he required them. But otherwise she was pretty serious. I was a bit of a class clown before my dad passed away. I sort of”—I paused, shrugging—“I just buried it when we lost him. Figured I needed to be the role model and shit with him gone. So the stoic cowboy persona, as you’ve dubbed it, was born. ”
I felt her eyes on me, my willpower crumbling as I turned to meet them once more.
“You should let him out to play a bit more,” she whispered, her shoulder bumping my own.
“I’ll work on it if in return it’ll result in more smiles from you,” I replied, the cadence of my voice just as soft as hers.
I could tell she was fighting the smile that overtook her face as she turned away.
“Quite the sweet talker you are, Oliver Carragan.”
“Only when I want to be, Ivy Tinsley.” I bumped her with my shoulder, the same she had me only moments ago. “And only on those I believe worthy of the sweet words.”
Her gaze dropped back to the floor, and I couldn’t help but watch her, the emotions playing over her face.
“Tell me what’s going on, Ivy. Even if I can do nothing but listen, allow me to do so.”
She let out a slow breath and looked up, her eyes still refusing to meet mine.
“I-Well…I’ve been with Todd for almost four years now.
At least, first date till now,” she explained with a sad chuckle.
I didn’t question what that meant, even though I truly wasn’t sure.
“This last year has been rough. His dad is struggling, and he takes a lot of the guilt upon himself. It makes him act out, I guess you could say. Anyway. To make a long story much shorter, I think he’s sleeping with the girl he works with. ”
Her eyes finally met mine, her brows pulled together as she did what I could assume was the same as me—searching my face for any clues as to what I was thinking.
I knew there were a great deal of ways I could react to this news. I could yell, remind her she deserved better. I could scoop her up and take her upstairs, show her what better looked like. I could just nod, saying nothing. Or, I could be there for her.
The final option was what I went with.
“You don’t need me to tell you what to do, so I won’t bother.
Just know that I have an extra bedroom upstairs if you ever need a place to crash.
I know my brother and your best friend are a bit much when they forget other people are around.
But whatever you do, Ivy, it has to be your decision. No one can make those choices for you.”
She nodded, her eyes never leaving mine. “I know. You’re right.”
I smirked. “Normally am.”
She shoulder-bumped me again as she smiled. “Thank you, Oliver.”
I bumped her back. “Don’t thank me just yet. I don’t mind busting out his windshield if you require it.” I bit back adding the word again, but based on the look she was giving me, maybe she already knew.
“Mmm, I may take you up on that.”
“Good.”
We sat in silence together until we both finished our drinks, fighting the urge the entire time to pull her hand into my own or wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her in closer to my body.
She wasn’t mine.
Not yet.
Sleep should be the only thing on my to-do list right now, yet here I was. Not sleeping. I pulled out my phone and texted the only person I could think of that may be able to help me with this project.
Are you awake?
Wyatt
Yes, bro. I’m not ancient. What’s up?
Tell me about social media.
My phone started ringing, and I answered, only to put it on speaker phone so I could continue scrolling.
“It’s after ten at night and you want a social media crash course?” his voice came over the phone.
“Yes.”
“This wouldn’t be in regards to a certain blonde, would it?”
I didn’t answer; what was the point? This family gossiped like a bunch of old women at the hair salon.
“The silence is deafening, brother.”
“Would you shut up and help me, or should I call someone else?”
“Okay, tell me what you’re trying to do, Oliver. Between Ember and I, I’m sure we can help with whatever project you have in play to win the girl.”
Ember letting out a loud whoop was the only thing that had me smiling at this conversation, but I dove into my thought process and what I was attempting to accomplish. And Wyatt was correct: between him and Ember, I had the perfect gift.