Turn and Burn (Blacktop Cowboys 5)

“Why would you answer a question with a question?”

Smart-ass. “Nothin’ is goin’ on. Sutton and I are friends. Why?”

“’Cause it looked a whole lot different than ‘just friends’ from where I was standing.”

“And where was that?”

“Just inside the barn. The one with the big door? It was open. A bunch of us were standing there.”

“I’m confused on why you’re bringing this up, Harlow.”

“Because I think you’re making a big mistake throwing Fletch over for Sutton.”

Tanna’s jaw nearly hit the bar. “Sweet Lord, girl, have you lost your ever-lovin’ mind? What in the hell are you talking about?”

“While I was in the barn, I watched Fletch across the way in the other building, watching you. It about broke my heart. He saw you in that intense conversation with Sutton. He looked so . . . sad.”

That caused a sudden pang. Sadness was such a rarity with happy-go-lucky Fletch. And to think she’d had any part in causing it, even accidentally? That hurt ten times worse. “I think you misread him. Fletch knows I’m friends with Sutton.”

“I think you’ve misread Fletch if you don’t think he’s bothered by your friendship”—she made air quotes—“with Sutton. Because what I saw? And what everyone else around the corrals saw? Sure didn’t look like friendship.”

She stared at Harlow, too dumbfounded to speak.

“I know you think I don’t know what I’m talking about because I’m considered a cocktease. But part of the reason I’m so good at knowing how far to take the tease is because I know men. I’m all-pro at reading male body language and you might as well have kicked Fletch in the balls. Your actions hurt him that bad, Tanna.”

“Then why in the f**k didn’t he say something to me?” she demanded.

“Because he’s too old to play games. I’ll bet you haven’t heard from him.”

She hadn’t. Not for two days. She’d wondered why but she didn’t want to seem like one of those pushy, needy, clingy girlfriends that insisted on spending every day with her lover.

Then it hit her and her stomach bottomed out. He’d probably heard the entire conversation between her and Sutton. The fact she’d bared her soul—her fears to Sutton, rather than to him, would slice him a lot deeper than what might’ve looked like harmless flirting.

“Fletch is the type that’ll just quietly stop coming around and vanish from your life.” Harlow’s eyes searched hers. “Maybe you’re used to playing musical cowboys on the road and you don’t know any other way to act. It’s your prerogative to flirt with any guy who crosses your path. Just as it’s Fletch’s choice to walk away. I don’t blame him. He deserves better than how you’ve treated him.”

Tanna’s eyes narrowed. “Is this where you tell me that you can treat him a lot better?”

Harlow emitted a sultry laugh. “See that spark of jealousy? That means you’re not okay with me getting up close and personal with the sexy vet. Why on earth would you think he’d be any different? Especially seeing you holding hands and whispering with Sutton the sexy bulldogger?”

“So if you’re not after Fletch . . . is this little heart-to-heart because you want a shot at Sutton?”

She laughed again. “Just between us? I could have Sutton if I wanted him. There’s no challenge in that. The challenge is to land the guy who wants you so bad and yet, he acts completely oblivious to you. Maybe even a little rude. That’s when things get interesting.” Harlow slid off the barstool. “With no chance of a bonfire I’m off for a long soak in the tub and a bottle of wine.”

Tanna thought of nothing else on the walk back to her trailer. All the lights were off at Fletch’s place and his truck was gone. She checked her cell phone.

Fletch hadn’t responded to her voice mails.

Just to test Harlow’s theory, she sent Fletch an I missed you today text.

Thirty-five minutes passed. He didn’t call.

He always called, because he refused to text.

Enough. Time to find out what’s going on.

Tanna drove into Rawlins. Her GPS seemed to take her on a merry chase, but she never would’ve found the place without it. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected from Fletch’s house, but she was pretty dumbfounded when it came into view.

The A-frame was nestled between two hills at the end of a primitive gravel road. The siding was wood. She noticed the back end extended beyond the glass-fronted window and spread out like two wings, giving it a birdlike appearance. A circular driveway curved around a small bunch of bushes.

The light in the front window was on. Fletch’s pickup sat in the drive rather than the garage. She forced herself to scale the wide steps leading to the front door. Tanna poked the doorbell and the sound pealed through the house. Seemed a lifetime passed before the door opened.

Fletch looked surprised to see her. “Tanna. What are you doin’ here?”

“Looking for you. You haven’t been at the Split Rock and you haven’t responded to my texts or phone calls, so I got worried and thought I’d check on you.” He didn’t look like he’d been sick. He wore his lounging clothes—baggy black athletic shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt that molded to his upper body. But he didn’t seem particularly happy to see her either.