Cowboy Up (Lucas Brothers)

“Thank you, Blue.”

It seems lame to me, but he kisses me again. It’s just a brief kiss, but it’s filled with emotion. When he pulls back this time, I feel butterflies in my stomach. I search for something I can say that will spare me from blurting out I love him.

“You’re welcome, Doe.”

I moisten my lips together and clear my throat. “You kiss me too much in front of my momma.”

Mom laughs out loud, slapping her hand gently against the bar. Blue brings his plate over and the three of us eat breakfast together. As I watch Blue at complete ease with me and my mom, I’m satisfied I made the right decision last night. The past is gone, but Blue is definitely my future.

Chapter 38

Blue

Two Weeks Later

* * *

I finish brushing down Princess. She’s a beautiful black and white paint that stands about sixteen hands tall. She’s also as gentle as they come. I have her spoiled. I lead her back into the barn and show her she has sweet feed waiting for her. It’s the only kind of food she’ll eat. Princess was a great name for her because she’s a prima donna for sure. I go into the feed room and grab a few blocks of hay and throw it into her stall.

She’s the last horse I have to tend to today. It takes me about an hour to feed the horses in general. Today was a little extra because it’s nice outside and I wanted to do some grooming. Mostly, I’m trying to keep myself occupied, so I don’t think about Meadow.

The woman is driving me crazy. I thought we crossed a bridge when everyone stayed at the house a couple weeks ago. Now, I’m pretty sure I was wrong. We still see each other almost every day. She’s affectionate—even in front of Adam. She hasn’t made a move to stay at my house again—or invite me to hers. Frustration doesn’t begin to sum up what I feel. Something has to change soon. Instead of getting closer to the point where I can convince Meadow to move in with me, it feels like she’s slipped into this comfort zone and is fine with the way things are.

Which is definitely not how I feel.

I walk out of the barn as disgusted as I was when I started. Meadow and I are going to have to talk. There’s no putting it off much longer. She’s starting to show her pregnancy. We haven’t even told Adam. We were supposed to, but Meadow chickened out and I didn’t press the matter. Sometimes, I feel as if I’m walking tightrope. I don’t want to take a wrong step. I need Meadow to have faith in me. I don’t think I’m there yet.

My phone rings and I fish it out of my pocket, answering it without looking.

“Hello,” I grumble, not finding it in me to soften my voice on the off chance it’s Meadow.

“Well, I see you have a burr in your saddle.”

“Hey, Mom,” I breathe, wishing I had looked at the caller ID before answering. I love my mom, but I’m not in the mood to talk today.

“You okay, son?” she asks, sounding worried.

I’m about the farthest thing from okay as you can get. I don’t tell her that, though. I change the subject. “How are Hollywood’s latest stars?”

“Don’t get me started. You may not know this, Blue, but Jan is the most stubborn man on the face of the earth—and considering I’m the mother of you and your brothers, I don’t say that lightly.”

“He’s still not happy about your announcement.”

“Not really, and now Rooster has taken Gladys back home. They’re a package deal. I’m not sure the producers will accept Hamburger without Gladys. It’s all giving me a headache and poor Hamburger won’t even eat his food he’s so distraught. This contract means a lot to him.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, holding my head down. “The contract means a lot to the cow or to you, Mom?”

“Hmpf. A tisket, a tasket. What’s got you all grumpy?”

“I can’t seem to get Meadow to move forward. We’re getting along great, but she seems okay with the way things are and…”

“And you want more.”

“Well, yes. I want her and her family under my roof. I want… Hell,” I mutter, shutting my mouth when I remember I’m talking to my mother.

“You want her in your bed,” she laughs, proving that she’s always going to know what the hell I’m thinking. How the woman does that, I have no idea.

“Yeah,” I exhale, feeling defeated.

“Did you take my advice on how to deal with her?”

“Constantly, until I’m blue in the face,” I answer, leaning on the horse fence and scrubbing my hand through my hair.

“Like how? Give me an example.”

“Mom, isn’t enough that I’ve told you that I did?”