Page 1 of Aiden & Lily

1

AIDEN

Aiden knew he wasn’t like his friends.

He didn’t value the same things they did. Out of everyone he knew, he was the odd man out. He’d never been the kind of guy who steered toward long-term commitments.

Well, except when it came to his career.

Heck, even his interest in the rodeo was fickle. He’d compete every so often because the adrenaline felt good. And, because admittedly, so he could hit on the women who thought cowboys were attractive.

Aiden Stone was not a cowboy. Not even by the most flexible definition.

He owned the hat, the jeans, and the boots, but he didn’t know a lick about the lifestyle most of the men in Copper Creek lived every day.

Nope, Aiden was nothing like the friends he surrounded himself with.

His gaze shifted from Mathew to Reese.

Mathew wasn’t exactly a cowboy either, but he’d grown up around farming. He’d moved away from it to work as a doctor, and he was good at it. He’d been married once before, and that hadn’t panned out. Once upon a time, the man had sworn off women entirely.

Now he was in the thick of it again with a lovely mechanic named River.

Reese, on the other hand, was a true cowboy. He’d been raised on a farm. He knew his way around a tractor, the animals, and the fields. Aiden could ask him anything about country life, and Reese wouldn’t hesitate with the right answer.

He, too, was interested in finding someone to care for and settle down with.

“And why haven’t you put a ring on that girl’s finger yet?” Aiden asked.

The question burst out before he could think better of it.

Reese eyed him over the rim of his glass.

Inwardly, Aiden grimaced. He didn’t have any right to ask Reese something that personal. They’d only recently gotten back on good terms after nearly five years of radio silence. Aiden hadn’t meant for it to happen. The argument had been ridiculous, and he barely remembered what it was about.

It was still one of his biggest regrets.

Reese had been his best friend growing up. And now, sometimes, it felt like they were strangers trying to remember where they used to fit.

It didn’t help that Reese had started a job that required him to travel a lot. The man didn’t seem to be in one place for long. But this month, his sister was getting married, and she wanted him home for all the celebrations.

It was the perfect excuse to meet up again.

Reese stared at Aiden, and a wry smile tugged at one side of his mouth. “Unfortunately, it didn’t work out.”

“Shame,” Mathew muttered. “That’s rough.”

Reese sighed. “It was for the best, honestly. She’s not interested in leaving her family. You know how the people around here get. It’s rare to find someone who’s interested in a long-distance relationship, and even rarer to find someone who can picture a future where that’s what happens with their family.”

Mathew nodded.

Aiden took a drink of his soda. “Yeah, makes sense.”

That was part of the reason he liked finding dates when he was competing. The girls who hung around the rodeo competitors sometimes came from other towns. They weren’t expecting anything serious or long term. Most of them were just interested in the fun of going on a date with a man who could handle a beast.

Reese didn’t want that.

Neither did Mathew.