She sat up and shook her head. “Wait! What? You mean the deer stand?”
I turned and grabbed my phone, keys, and wallet off of her nightstand. “Yep. I’m leaving tomorrow for Kentucky to look at a racehorse, and I won’t be back until Wednesday afternoon. ”
I opened up the text message waiting for me. It was from Kevin, and I started to read it.
Son of a bitch. I’m going to kill that asshole.
“Layton? Did you hear me?”
I looked down at her, still sitting up in bed. “Sorry, cowgirl…I’ve got to go. I’m already so late for a meeting. Next Thursday? Keep it open for me?”
She smiled and nodded before I started to leave her room.
“Hey! Layton?”
I turned and looked at her.
“Thank you so much for bringing me home and taking care of me. I’m really lucky to have you as a friend,” she said with a slight smile on her face.
Yep…friends. Friends only.
“Always, Whit. Bye, sweetheart. Have a good week. ”
As I walked down the stairs, my heart started hurting. I didn’t want to leave her. I wanted to spend the day with her and make sure she was all right and felt better. I wanted to take her to the ranch and baby her.
Fuck, this is not good. I can’t get attached to her.
My phone went off again, and it was another message from Kevin. When I read it, I got even angrier.
“Reed! Let’s go!” I called out as I opened the front door and made my way to my truck.
Reed came running out behind me. “Finally. Dude, we only have a few minutes to get there. ”
“I’m going to be a little late. I need you to start the meeting and just tell them I’m held up with another meeting. I will be ten minutes late. ”
Reed grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop. “What? Jesus, Layton, I know about cattle, but I don’t know shit about racehorses. ” He made a face as he leaned in to smell me. “You smell like…a girl!”
I rolled my eyes at him. “Just small talk, Reed. You’re good at that shit. ”
I jumped into my truck, started it, and rolled down the window.
“Layton, what in the world is more important than this?”
“Richard was the one giving shots to Whitley. This morning, he told Kevin that he had tried to get her drunk. I guess he wanted to hook up with her last night. ”
Reed shook his head. “What a fucking asshole. What are you going to do?”
I smiled and put the truck in drive. “I’m simply going to ask that he stay away from Whitley. ”
I hit the gas and headed toward the bank.
I walked into the bank and saw Richard talking to one of the tellers.
Bastard.
I walked up and tapped him on the shoulder.
He turned around and smiled. “Hey, dude, where did you go last night? Everyone left. ”