Page 37 of Ride or Die

“Yeah!” Billie squeals, clapping her hands together excitedly, my heart doing something it ain’t ever done before, deep in the darkness of my chest.

I climb the porch steps, careful not to drop the box. It ain’t too heavy. Nothing I can’t handle. Just awkward. Plus, I’m dog tired after driving all the way to the Best Buy at Lubbock after work to pick the damn thing up. Glancing sideways, I notice the way Clara watches me, clearly rendered a little shocked if her gaping mouth is any indication.

Thankfully, Billie opens the door for me, and I let myself inside, Tom jumping up from where he’d been reading on the couch.

“Oh… h-hey Cole,” he says, nervously smoothing down the front of his T-shirt. “You need a hand?”

“Sure do, buddy,” I say, nodding. “You can help me get the old one out.”

Like an eager apprentice, Tom’s hot on my heels as I continue into the kitchen. And, as I navigate the house—my house—I can’t help but notice just how much the place not only smells different, but feels different. Warm. Cozy. Lived in. It ain’t ever felt like this before. And if I’m being honest, I hope like hell that never changes.

CHAPTER 13

CLARA

I’ve been standing in the doorway to the kitchen for ten full minutes, holding Billie back so she doesn’t accidentally get in the way while Cole practically manhandles the oven. And, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but the way his T-shirt pulls taut around his shoulders with every move, the way his jeans tug even tighter… I mean, of course I know what’s wrong with me, and the simple fact is there’s nothingwrongwith me. Cole is an attractive man and, well, it’s been so long since I’ve looked at a man and felt these completely normal feelings that they feel almost foreign… almost wrong. Hell, I’m envious of a damn oven.

Tommy, bless him, is all red-faced and straining as he helps, Cole instructing him every step of the way, and praising his hard work, and I can see, even here in the tiny kitchen, Tom’s confidence bloom in a way it never has before.

“Want me to unbox the new one?” I ask, feeling useless just standing here, ogling Cole.

Cole glances over his shoulder, his blue eyes meeting mine a moment before flitting downwards. And it’s only then I remember the clothes I’m very muchnotwearing. In mydefense, he caught me after a shower, already dressed for bed in my sleep shorts and tank top, sans bra.

He clears his throat, turning back to the old, rusted hunk of junk. “Uh, yeah. Then I can just slide it in.” As if realizing less than a second too late, Cole blanches from his own words, looking back at me, a flicker of panic in his eyes, and I’m forced to press my lips together between my teeth to stifle the smirk that threatens because apparently, I’m a child.

Turning away so he can’t see my reaction, I grab the scissors and start cutting the plastic ties that keep the cardboard together, ignoring the way my cheeks heat.Get it together, Clara.

“So, was everything okay at… the ranch?” I ask, choosing to steer the conversation away from anything that might cause another unintentional innuendo.

“Oh, yeah.” Coles huffs a laugh. “Damn rattlesnake got a little too close than it should’ve.”

I gasp. “Was… everyone okay?”

“Everyone but the snake.”

“I love snakes,” Billie declares.

“You do?” Cole balks, and I turn to find him looking at my daughter like she’s insane.

Billie nods, smiling so sweetly. “They don’t mean no harm. They’re scarder than us, than we are of them. And if you stay away from them, they’ll stay away from you.” She shrugs, like it’s a no-brainer, and I can’t help but smirk when I catch the incredulous look in Cole’s eyes.

“I’ll have to take your word for it, Miss Billie.” He nods, flashing Billie a wink and then, with a hike, he lifts the old oven up and carries it out like it weighs nothing at all.

“I’ll get the door for ya, Cole,” Tommy announces, hurrying out after Cole like a loyal retriever.

Once the new oven is secured in its place and working perfectly, Cole wipes his hands on the back of his already dusty jeans, looking from me to the appliance and back again. “You let me know if there’s any problems with it.”

I nod. “Thanks. You really didn’t have to get it done so quickly, but… thank you.”

He nods this time, looking down at the lino floor, and when he makes a move to leave, something unexpected comes over me. It’s confusing and confronting, and all of the things, and I can’t even begin to figure out where it comes from, but I… don’t actually want him to leave.

“Have you had dinner?”

Cole snaps his head back in my direction, a glint of confusion flickering in his eyes. “Uh, no. I was just gonna head on back to the bunkhouse and grab somethin’.”

“I made spaghetti,” I say. “There’s plenty leftover,” I add quickly, “I mean… if you w-want?”

“Spaghetti?” His eyes appear to light up at the mention of spaghetti, and I can’t help but grin.