Winning the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch 6)

“We’ll always be family, Grayson. My business meeting out of town was canceled at the last minute, so I thought we’d come and surprise everyone. Honestly, I was hoping to see you. I’m glad you decided to come.” She runs her fingers through her hair, showing off a gigantic diamond that sits on her ring finger. The last time I saw her, she was pregnant.

“Why?” Grayson’s jaw is clenched tight as he crosses his arms. Over her shoulder, I see a man chatting with a kid who looks around five or six. When the guy glances up, I know it’s Grayson’s brother. They look too similar.

“Because we haven’t talked in ages.” She puts a hand on her hip. “We have a lot to catch up on.”

He doesn’t even give it a beat before he responds. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

She finally glances at me and flashes a wide smug grin. “I’m Bella.” She offers her hand, and I reluctantly take it.

“I’m Kenzie,” I tell her, my heart pounding hard.

“Have we met before?” She narrows her eyes as if she’s trying to place me, but I could never forget who she is.

“No,” Grayson blurts out.

At the same time, I say, “Yeah, we have.”

He looks back and forth between us as a large lump forms in my throat. Nothing about her gaze is venomous, but I don’t particularly enjoy the attention being on me, especially since things are about to get awkward. I told myself I’d never remind Grayson of what happened that night, and now here I am, crashing right into it.

“How?” Grayson asks.

Neither of us answers him.

“I never forget a face, but I can’t place where I know you from,” Bella continues.

“It was once. Almost six years ago,” I confirm. “You were pregnant.”

Bella’s eyes widen in recognition, and that’s when she gives me an evil smirk. “Oh right. I do remember now.”

She turns to Grayson. “I can’t believe you’re still with your one-night stand. I’m actually shocked.”

Confusion spreads across his features. “What the hell are you talkin’ about?”

“Oh, wait...she can’t be a one-night stand if y’all are still together. Even if you and I were still dating at the time.” Bella’s words linger. She opens her mouth to continue, but I can’t stand to hear another word about the night that changed everything for me.

“Sorry. Excuse me,” I blurt out, then move across the grass toward the truck.

Moments later, Grayson’s calling out my name. “Kenzie!” He rushes toward me, but I don’t stop.

“Wait. What’s goin’ on?” he asks in a panic as he falls into step with me.

Hot tears threaten to surface, and I’m pissed I got myself into this situation. If I’d known she’d be here, I would’ve never agreed to come.

Grayson grabs my elbow and holds me in place in front of his truck. I hate that his hands on me feel so comforting. I stop and look at him.

“Please. You gotta catch me up with what’s going on. None of this is makin’ any sense at all.” His pleading voice lets me know he’s desperate for answers.

I suck in a deep breath and release it slowly. “That’s your son, isn’t it? The little boy who was behind her?”

Grayson swallows hard and squeezes his eyes before refocusing on me. “No. That’s my nephew.”

Chapter Fourteen

GRAYSON

I have no clue what the fuck is going on, and it’s stressing me the hell out.

The fact that Kenzie knows my ex-fiancée is absolutely frightening. At first, I thought Bella was just acting like a bitch, but when Kenzie mentioned Bella was pregnant when they first met, I knew my past and present had collided.

Though I’m confused as hell about when they could’ve met because the timeline doesn’t match up with when I moved to Eldorado. The more I try to figure it out, the more baffled I am.

“Kenzie, please don’t make me beg. I never told anyone at the ranch about her, so I need you to clue me in here. How do you know my ex-fiancée? How’d you know she was pregnant when we were engaged?”

“We met the morning after you and I slept together.”

I stare at her. “What’re you talkin’ about? When was this?”

“About six years ago.” She swallows hard. “You were in the shower, and I was getting dressed when she knocked on the door. I opened it and saw a pregnant woman with a large rock on her finger. She made an off-hand comment about me being there, and instead of waiting for you, I bailed. I figured you were engaged and had just cheated on your pregnant fiancée.”

“Hold up, the girl from that night was you?”

Her cheeks redden as if she’s embarrassed, but I’m the one who should be. “Yeah.”

“Holy shit. Wow.” I scratch my cheek, trying to think back on that night and how much of it is still a blur. “She was my ex-fiancée at that point, but holy shit...I can’t believe this. I remember waking up in a hotel room next to a girl I’d met the night before, getting in the shower, and when I came out, you were gone, and Bella was waiting for me in the room.”