Rough Edge (Tannen Boys 2)

“You did good with him.”

“Thank you. I felt like it was a bit of a test, but Doc seems proud and I think Vincent is going to dance around when he sees his girls.”

Sophie only recently finished veterinary school and became official, but she’s been Doc Jones’s right hand for a while now. She’s good with animals of all sorts, humans included. So as we get closer to Cole Automotive, I decide to tempt fate.

“Can I ask you something?”

“No, you’re not my favorite Tannen. That’s Shay, followed by Brutal because have you seen him with Cooper? You and Bobby are tied for third.” I grunt, not amused. Or at least not letting her know that I am. “Fine, sorry. Ask away.”

“It’s about you girls.” She clears her throat pointedly. “Sorry, women. But I don’t get my feathers ruffled when you call us ‘the boys’ even though we’re all men. Except for James. Always goofing off and doing something stupid.”

She snorts at my dig at her husband, but he is the most playful of any of us. Hell, even Cooper has told him he’s immature when James gets to pranking us. “I like him silly and doing stupid shit. Keeps me on my toes and makes the day fun. But I don’t think that was your question, now was it?”

I hum under my breath, some tune Bobby’s been picking at on his guitar that’s already gotten in my head, trying to decide if I should back out of this conversation. Hell, James does stupid shit, so why not me too?

“Shay’s country, through and through. She’s always been like that, a tomboy more into dirt and animals than anything stereotypically girly. Katelyn is basically the opposite, all feminine and frilly. And you . . . you fall somewhere in the middle.”

I pause and she interjects. “I have no idea where you’re going with this, but I can’t wait to find out.” She’s nearly vibrating in anticipation of my spilling my guts, something I literally never do.

This is such a bad idea, but I force the words out anyway. “You do this.” I gesture to her muddy clothes, bedhead hair that was braided and forgotten hours ago, and bare face. “And then, you get all dolled up too, in fancy outfits and makeup and stuff. How do you flip-flop and still feel like yourself? Doesn’t it feel fake?”

Her hands tighten on the steering wheel. “Wow, there’s a lot to unpack there, but thanks for the armchair psychoanalysis and observation.” She fidgets with her braid now that I’ve drawn attention to it.

“Never mind, sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.” I try to backpedal, hating that I made her uncomfortable because that wasn’t my intention.

But she’s thinking, formulating an answer. “No, it’s okay. I know what you mean . . . kinda . . . or I think I do. They’re both me, the gritty vet version and the fancier stuff too. Just different sides, if that makes sense? I grew up in the city, didn’t fall in love with this kind of life until college. My brother thought I was nuts when I said I wanted to be a livestock vet. He’d never seen me without a manicure, much less with dirt under my nails. But it just fit, you know? I’m still that girl, but just this one too.” She tosses her braid over her shoulder dismissively. “Everyone’s got different facets like that. I mean, Shay has been known to dress up in actual heels and a dress before, and Katelyn dresses down in sweats and stuff. But I don’t know if that’s exactly what you mean, is it?”

She’s picking at the edge of the tape holding me together, or at least holding my lips closed. I huff out in annoyance, but it’s a front. I started this and I’m gonna finish it. “I met a woman—”

She squeals and kicks her feet in the floorboard, making the truck slow down suddenly. Luckily, when I look behind us, Vincent hasn’t so much as shifted in his sleep in the hay. Sophie points at me, her finger dangerously close to my nose. “I knew it. Is this about the woman Katelyn saw you with at the bar? I knew there was more to that than you were saying.”

“There was. I met her earlier that day, at the mechanic shop,” I admit slowly. Sophie’s brows jump hopefully as she realizes where we’re heading now, but I shut that down with a glower. “At the garage, she was different—like one of the guys.” I leave out that I wanted to fuck her against the nearest flat surface, something I’ve never felt about any guy I’ve ever known. “But an hour later, she’s prancing around and girling out and flirting.”

Sophie dances in her seat, her butt wiggling around like a happy goat. “I like it! Sounds like someone’s in-ter-est-ed!” She ends on a singing, drawled-out note.