I hold out my hand, and Tara puts a shirt in it. I hold it up, and it has quite a bit less of material than I’m used to. “I don’t know...”
“Put it on.”
I look at her hesitatingly and she says, “Trust me?”
I nod and pull my pink T-shirt off and then put on her black T-shirt. It’s sleeveless and has holes cut across the shoulders and chest. It’s not showing anything that I wouldn’t be showing in a tank top, but the style is definitely new for me. “I don’t know. Are you sure about this?”
She nods. “You look great.”
I look in the mirror again, and I have to agree with her. It’s definitely not a look I can pull off around town, but I can wear it at the Whiskey Whistler and fit right in. I blow out a breath. “All right, let’s go before I change my mind.”
We walk down the block and into the Whiskey Whistler, I wave at Malcolm. He’s the owner of the bar, and he warned me the first night I was here that if my dad got upset with him about me being here, then I needed to not come. I didn’t argue with him. I try to stay low key, and I wouldn’t want to harm any business.
Tonight, I’m on a mission, though. Even though I don’t want to, I’m going to talk to other men and even try to flirt. It’s not going to be fun, and I’m probably going to feel guilty, but it’s necessary. I can’t have all of Whiskey Run gossiping about Carter breaking my heart.
Carter
I haven’t seen Janie in three days. I haven’t even talked to her since the night I dropped her off at her house. I haven’t been able to stop thinking of her, though. I spent the night at my house after I dropped her off and went to the Yates Ranch at five a.m. the next morning for work. I was about to start on the morning feed when Austin came and found me. “I need you to go to Kentucky.”
I looked at him in shock. It was the worst time ever for me to leave Whiskey Run. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Janie, and now I had to worry about some man named Jamison that obviously remembered her from years ago. No, I didn’t want to go out of town.
But I wasn’t in a place to tell him no. I was the only one that could take the horse trailer and pick up the injured and hurt thoroughbreds. I could handle those kinds of horses better than anyone. So I did my job and drove straight to Kentucky. When I got there, I found out that there were more horses coming, and so instead of driving back and forth, I’d stayed two nights so I could make it in one trip.
I thought of Janie the whole time. How could I not? I was right; one taste of her was not enough. I’m driven with the need to have her and the need to give her space and make sure she knows what she wants.
I got back to the ranch a few hours ago. I unloaded the horses, showered, and headed straight into town. I knew I should probably sleep, but there’s no way I could have gone another night without seeing her.
I pull into her father’s driveway and jog up to the front door. I hit the doorbell and then knock too. I know I sound anxious, probably because I am.
Her father opens the door. “Oh, hey, Carter. How’s it going?”
I nod. “Good, sir. Can I speak to Janie?”
He opens the door farther. “I’m sorry. She’s not here.”
I run my hand through my hair. “Oh, is she still at work?”
He shakes his head. “No, she got off a little while ago. She was going to the Whistler with some of her new friends.”
“The Whistler? You mean the bar?”
He shrugs and nods his head. “Yes, I’m afraid so. She doesn’t drink, and I have to let her live her own life. She knows right from wrong.”
The whole speech makes me think that he’s trying to remind himself instead of me. I thank him and hightail it back to my truck. I can’t believe she’s at a bar. I’ve been worried this whole time about her employer’s brother, and now I know I should be worrying about every man that hangs out at the Whistler. And they’re drinking too. Janie’s so innocent; she has no idea what she’s gotten herself into.
I drive toward the bar and park on the street a block away. I don’t waste any time. I run down the block but then stop right outside the doors. I take three deep, calming breaths. I can’t run in there and embarrass her. This is Whiskey Run, and I don’t want to upset her. I keep telling myself that over and over as I calmly walk in and take a seat at the bar. My back is to the dance floor and all the tables.