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Ruby’s voice softened. “She loves you, Caroline. And she only wants the best for you.”

“I know.”

I pulled Beau’s number from the committee contact sheet. I owed him an apology before I asked for anything else.

Me: I owe you an apology for this morning. Orville gave me the wrong impression about what you’d agreed to.

Me: I have another idea, but you can still say no. No posing and no face. I’d like footage of Hank and Gus, the wagon, and your hands while you harness them. Maybe a few seconds of you talking about the team if you’re comfortable with it. Thirty minutes max.

My thumb hovered over send. Then I added one last line.

Me: Your shirt can stay on.

I pressed send. Would that come off as flirting? No, just a callback to a joke. That was all.

Ruby cleared her throat and smiled.

“What?” I asked.

Her eyes widened. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You were about to.”

She let out a laugh, then got up and came back with a cinnamon roll on a plate. “When’s the last time you ate?”

“This morning.”

“What did you have?”

“Coffee.”

“That isn’t food.” She set the plate in front of me.

I tore off a piece and answered two vendor emails. Ten minutes went by. Then fifteen. I wasn’t waiting on Beau. I had forty things that were more important than getting a reply from him.

I made it through six of them before my phone lit up.

Beau: Tomorrow. 8am. My place.

His place. Not the rodeo grounds, where I had a schedule and a photographer.

Beau: Leave that tablet behind.

I looked at the tablet. Was he serious? I barely went to the bathroom without it.

Beau: I’ll keep my shirt on if you keep yours on.

I laughed before I could stop it.

Ruby looked over from the counter. “What did he say?”

“Nothing you need to know.” I locked my phone and slid it into my bag. Then I gave up. “I need directions to Beau’s place.”

CHAPTER 3

BEAU

Inviting a woman with a camera out to my place was the dumbest thing I’d done all year. Caroline’s SUV turned into the drive at two minutes to eight. A small part of me had been hoping she’d be late or not even show at all. A bigger part couldn’t wait to see her again.