RANCH OF TRUTH

Not my problem

Ethan spent the next two days avoiding Damien.

Which was difficult.

Because Damien was everywhere.

At breakfast.

In the stables.

In the fields.

At dinner.

The man was impossible to escape.

And Victoria wasn't helping.

At all.

The woman seemed determined to attach herself to Damien's side.

Talking constantly.

Laughing constantly.

Existing constantly.

Ethan hated it.

Not that he cared.

Because he didn't.

Obviously.

"You look miserable."

Ethan looked up from repairing a fence.

One of the ranch hands grinned.

Ethan immediately knew this conversation would annoy him.

"What do you want?"

The ranch hand pointed toward the house.

Damien and Victoria were standing on the porch.

Talking.

Laughing.

Again.

Ethan returned to his work.

Immediately.

"I'm busy."

The ranch hand laughed.

"Sure."

The problem was that Ethan kept looking.

Against his will.

His eyes seemed determined to betray him.

Every time Victoria touched Damien's arm.

Every time Damien smiled.

Every time they laughed.

The feeling returned.

That ugly feeling.

Hot.

Sharp.

Terrible.

Meanwhile Damien had his own problem.

A woman named Lily had arrived at the ranch.

She owned a neighboring property.

And apparently she had known Ethan for years.

Lily was beautiful.

Confident.

And far too comfortable around Ethan.

Damien noticed immediately.

Unfortunately.

The first time he saw her kiss Ethan's cheek in greeting...

Something unpleasant twisted inside him.

The feeling surprised him.

It shouldn't have.

But it did.

Because suddenly every laugh between them seemed suspicious.

Every smile.

Every glance.

Every conversation.

Ridiculous.

Completely ridiculous.

"You're staring."

Damien nearly jumped.

Victoria smirked.

"Oh."

She looked toward Ethan and Lily.

Then back at Damien.

"Oh."

Damien frowned.

"What?"

Victoria laughed.

The traitor.

Later that afternoon things got worse.

Much worse.

Everyone was repairing storm damage near the northern pasture.

Including Lily.

The woman worked beside Ethan for nearly two hours.

Talking.

Laughing.

Smiling.

Damien hated every second.

Finally he snapped.

"You're doing that wrong."

Everyone looked up.

Including Ethan.

Damien pointed at a section of fence.

"You missed a spot."

Ethan blinked.

Then frowned.

"No, I didn't."

"You did."

"No."

"You did."

The argument began immediately.

As usual.

Only this time something felt different.

Sharper.

More personal.

Finally Ethan folded his arms.

"What's your problem?"

Damien opened his mouth.

Then closed it.

Because he didn't have an answer.

At least not one he could say out loud.

The silence stretched.

Then Lily spoke.

"You two are weird."

Everyone froze.

"What?"

Damien asked.

Lily looked genuinely confused.

"You argue more than my grandparents."

The ranch hands immediately burst into laughter.

Even Victoria started laughing.

Traitors.

All of them.

Ethan rolled his eyes.

Damien glared at everyone.

Unfortunately the damage was done.

Because for the rest of the day...

Neither man could stop thinking about it.

That evening Damien found himself sitting alone near the horse paddock.

Trying to clear his head.

Trying not to think about Ethan.

Failing completely.

Footsteps approached.

He looked up.

Ethan.

Of course.

The cowboy stopped beside the fence.

Neither spoke.

For once.

The sunset painted the ranch gold.

The horses grazed peacefully.

The moment felt strangely calm.

Then Ethan ruined it.

"You're jealous."

Damien nearly fell off the fence.

"What?"

Ethan smirked.

Actually smirked.

"Lily."

The realization hit immediately.

The cowboy had noticed.

And worse...

He looked pleased about it.

Damien pointed accusingly.

"You think that's funny?"

"A little."

"I hate you."

Ethan's smile widened.

And for the first time...

The words didn't sound entirely true.