I laughed. “Yeah, I sort of shocked myself, but it’s all good, man.”
“You serious about her?”
“I guess as serious as you can be after a week, but yeah, I want to date her. Exclusively.”
He nodded and took a drink. “You don’t think she’ll distract ya?”
“She didn’t this weekend.”
“What about your vow to never fall for another woman again? You ready to put all that shit behind you now?”
“I’m still struggling with a few things, but I really want to see where this goes with us. I invited her to come to Vegas and spend the weekend with me there.”
Ty let out a gruff laugh. “Well, that’s where she differs from Kaci. She actually supports your bull riding. At least, right now she does. We’ve both seen women do a one-eighty with that in this business.”
I pulled in a long drink of beer and sat there for a few minutes before I responded. “I’ve been pretty up front with her about what I do. She’s not going in with blind eyes.”
Ty sighed. “Kaci didn’t either.”
I nodded, knowing he was right. Kaci had always supported me and Dirk and knew we both loved bull riding. When we got married, though, that all changed. She had changed. Hell, maybe we both had changed.
Ty’s voice made me jump slightly. “I will tell you something about Lincoln Pratt. She’s different from other women. I figured that out when I was doing the real estate deal with her. She’s set in her ways. When she wants something, it appears she goes for it, and she’s not afraid to take on something . . . broken.”
My head snapped over to him. “You think I’m broken?”
“I think you’re as fucked up as I am—different reasons, but still a little fucked up.”
I sighed and raised my beer to his. “Isn’t that the truth.”
He grinned before taking a drink.
We sat silent again before Ty turned to me. “Do you think two guys like us are really ever going to be able to keep a woman happy?”
Shrugging, I finished off my beer and answered him honestly. “I have no damn clue, but it sure will be fun trying to.”
He scoffed. “You have fun trying. There are plenty of women around, so no need to have to worry about pleasing just one.”
Staring at my brother, I wanted to ask him what he was so damn afraid of, but I let it go. After all, I had my own fears that were trying to bubble up to the surface.
Chapter Twenty-One
LINCOLN
Karen showed me all around the office, including where the coffee was stored and how to make the type of coffee she liked. And, if I wanted something else, I could feel free to bring in another pot.
“The most important thing I need to show you is this. Where the extra M&M’S are when the candy bowl gets too low. I have to have them to survive.”
I giggled. “Got it.”
Making a mental note to buy more M&M’S, I headed to my office.
I smiled gleefully at my mountain view. Karen explained she had a new client coming in who wanted to remodel her living room, kitchen, and dining area, and it would be the first client I was going to handle. Since I had owned my own business back in Atlanta, she was giving me full rein. I was over the moon.
Then she delivered even better news. “The office is closed on Fridays, and as you found out today, we come in later on Mondays.”
I would be able to go to Vegas early now and spend the whole day with Brock on Friday. Maybe I would surprise him and fly in on Thursday night.
A knock at my door had me glancing up to see a young woman standing there. She was dressed entirely in blue. And when I say blue, I mean at least three different shades of blue, from her shoes straight up to the large-brim hat she wore.
“Lincoln Pratt?” she asked, stepping into the office when I motioned for her to come in.
“Yes! Julia Kent?” I asked, rounding my desk.
“That’s me.” Her gaze ran over me with interest as she sat in the chair in front of my desk.
As I made my way back around to my chair, I took up a notepad and pen and smiled. “Karen tells me you want to remodel your entire downstairs.”
Pursing her lips, she tilted her head to examine me. “I’m sorry, but are you even old enough to know what you’re doing?”
I tried not to laugh, considering this woman looked to be the same age as me. “Yes. I have a degree in interior design and owned my own company back in Atlanta for a few years before moving to Montana.”
“What brought you here?”
Okay, this was going to be a personal interview, it appeared. “Well, I was looking for a change, cooler weather, distance from my parents,” I added with a lighthearted laugh.