Cole smiled up at me as he stretched out on his side. “You surpassed perfection long ago, my sweet. I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

I headed out the door and down the front steps. I reached my car but decided to run back up to the house and ask Cole if he needed me to bring my heating pad. As I hurried up the steps, I could hear Rodeo laughing about something. His words floated out the window and smacked me like a cold, hard hand.

“Fucking hell, King, you’re really taking this bet thing seriously. All you had to do was take her on one date and snag one kiss.”

And there it was. The disappointment I’d been waiting for. Only this wasn’t disappointment. This was pure heartbreak. I’d allowed myself to fall for the guy. But for him, the whole thing had just been a bet, a wager, a fucking wager.

I spun around and ran for my car. Tears clouded my vision as I pulled out of the driveway and headed for home.

Chapter 25

Cole

Denver was standing in the front window watching Kensington pull away. “Shit, Rodeo, you’ve got a big mouth.”

Rodeo looked at me to see if I understood what Denver was talking about.

Denver shook his head. “Boss, I think your day just got shittier. Kensington overheard Rodeo talking about the bet.”

“Fuck.” I sat up sharply. “Fuck, that hurts. Where’s my phone. I need to talk to her. Shit, Rodeo, why’d you bring up the bet at all? Already told you I’d give you the fucking car. You know this wasn’t a wager anymore.”

“I didn’t know she was still standing out there. I was just fucking with you.” He got up and reached for my phone. “Here, I’ll talk to her and explain the whole thing.”

“Right. I’m going to let you explain things.” I grimaced in pain as I stood from the couch and walked into the kitchen. I dialed Kensington’s number. I was sure it would be easy to turn things around. She had to know how I felt about her.

It rang and went to voicemail. I’d expected it. “Kensington, it’s me. What you heard—Shit, can’t explain it over the phone, but it was nothing. Just some stupid thing between Rodeo and me. You have to know that from the first second I met you . . . Please call me back and let me have a chance to explain.”

I hung up the phone. “Fuck fuck fuck.” I went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of beer. Then I reached in for two more. This was one of those multi beer days. It had started badly. But the fall and the fight with Harkin were nothing compared to the thought that I might have lost Kensington for good.

Denver and Rodeo had sat down to a video game. “Did she answer?” Denver asked.

“Why the hell would she? Where’s the fucking calendar? I need to see if this day was blacked out. Maybe I was never supposed to leave my bed this morning.”

Chapter 26

Kensington

Sometimes the only thing I needed when I was upset was to be around the horses. The inside of the stall was dank and quiet and had that familiar fragrance of pine shavings, alfalfa and horse. Bentley pushed his big head against me and nudged my side. It was probably only because he was searching me for a treat or trying to scratch an itch, but I could at least let myself believe that he was trying to comfort me.

I had a golden rule about not crying or at least never getting weepy about a guy, and until now, the men I’d been dating had made that a pretty easy rule. But Cole wasn’t one of those men, so this time I let myself break the rule. But only for one day and then I had to move on. After all, I’d been expecting it. I’d been expecting for the other shoe, the big stinking other shoe, to drop. And it had.

In my mind, I’d created a romantic account of how we’d met, his motorcycle scaring my horse and the slightly worrisome but mostly amusing events that’d followed. But now I had to retell that story as the moment that he’d started a bet with his friend to see if he could dupe the wine heiress into falling for him. It must have been some stakes because he’d put his heart and soul into winning it. The sadly amusing thing about that was that he didn’t even have to work so hard. He was incredibly handsome and charming and obviously he’d been one hell of an actor because I’d fallen for it. It embarrassed the hell out of me to know how easily I’d fallen into bed with him and how easily I’d let him take control of my heart. A rock star’s kid, I should have expected no less. He’d left me a voicemail, but I wasn’t ready to listen to it. I wasn’t completely sure I’d ever listen to it. A clean break would be best.

I stroked the long white blaze on Bentley’s face. “You’re the only trustworthy man in my life, Bennie.”

A throat cleared outside the stall. Dad’s face appeared in the opening. “And I thought it was me. I’ve lost your heart and faith to a horse.” Dad bowed his head to Bentley. “Sir, it appears you have won. You and your wet snorts and cooing nickers, you’ve stepped into my place.”

Dad looked at my face and his mouth pulled down into a frown. “I saw you walk past the house without stepping inside. Things aren’t going well with Cole?”

“It’s done.” I shrugged casually as if my heart wasn’t splitting in two. “I’m convinced there aren’t any decent men out there anymore.”

“Well, there aren’t. Your mom snagged the last one.” He opened the door to the stall, and I stepped out. He dropped his arm around my shoulder. “You’re too good for them all.”

“Said every dad that has ever tried to cheer up his brokenhearted daughter.”

“Yes, I know, it’s cliché. But it’s the best I could come up with. In truth, I’m a little disappointed. I rather liked Cole, and I think your mom was already planning what she’d wear on her fist visit to your future father-in-law’s estate.”

I spurted a half laugh, half sob, and he tightened his arm around my shoulder. “You’ll forget all about him in a few days, Kensie.”

“Uh huh,” I said with zero confidence. This time I wasn’t sure it would be so easy.

Dad lowered his arm long enough to pull his antacid tablets out of his pocket. He popped a few in his mouth.

“Dad, were you eating chips and salsa again? You’ve got to stop torturing your stomach.”

He scrunched his face in pain and tapped his chest with his fist. “No salsa today. I’ve been sort of nauseous this morning, so I haven’t eaten anything but toast. Maybe it’s morning sickness.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but he held up his palm. “And before you hand out your usual two cents, I’ve already made an appointment with my doctor. Next Thursday.”

“Good. One less thing for me to fret about.” My phone buzzed as we crossed the lawn to the back steps.” I pulled it out. It was a text from Cole. “I’ll be right in, Dad.”

“All right.” He stopped and turned back to me. “Kensie, remember sometimes it’s all right to lead with your heart instead of your head. You tend to overthink things.”

I raised a questioning brow at him. “You are still dreaming about those backstage passes to a Black Thunder concert, aren’t you?”

He laughed. “Maybe a little. But I’m serious, Kensington. Just think about what I said. But don’t overthink it.”

I headed over to the bench beneath the mulberry tree. Its branches were still heavily laden with deep green, shade producing leaves. It wouldn’t be long before the backyard lawn was covered with yellow leaves.

I decided to avoid the voicemail. Somehow hearing Cole’s voice was going to make this whole thing sting more, especially now that I couldn’t trust a word he said. I opened the text.

“Yes, there had been a bet, but it was out of my head the second I met you. Everything, the entire world, including that stupid wager, has faded into the background since I met you. Give me a chance to explain myself. On my knees.” A picture followed of Cole on his knees with a pleading look. The picture brought back that same funny sounding hybrid laugh-sob. Damn him for being so irresistible. I stuck the phone back in my pocket. Even with my dad’s subtle hint still fresh in my head, I wasn’t willing to lead with my heart yet. I’d have to give it some thought. Thus proving my dad right, yet again.