Page 103 of Saltwater Cowboy

“Yeah, I thought you might like it,” I said, pulling out her chair for her.

The conversation during dinner was light, filled with small talk and a few jokes, but the more I got to know Marie, the more I realized she was exactly the kind of woman I had imagined: confident, steady, with a sense of purpose that was hard to ignore. She’d worked at the nursing home for almost a decade, and it was clear she cared about the people there like family.

I found myself genuinely enjoying the evening, even if there was a strange part of my mind that kept drifting back to the farm, to Rose. What she’d said earlier. The way her voice had sounded.

I pushed it aside. Tonight wasn’t about her.

Marie and I made small talk about her work and the island, and I had to admit, I appreciated the ease with which we were able to carry on. But it wasn’t just her. There was something about the whole night that left me unsettled in a way I hadn’t expected. It was like I couldn’t stop comparing everything to the comfort I felt with Rose.

And that wasn’t fair to Marie.

After dinner, we strolled outside, the night cool against my skin.

“I had a good time,” Marie said, glancing up at me with a smile. “Thanks for inviting me out, Wells.”

“Of course,” I said, smiling back. But the smile didn’t quite feel right. “I’m glad you came.”

The words hung in the air as we stood there for a moment, a soft silence stretching between us.

Marie looked up at me with a knowing glint in her eye. “You okay, Wells?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just… you know, thinking.”

“Thinking about what?” she asked, her brow furrowing in concern.

I hesitated. I wasn’t about to unload everything on her, but the truth was, I wasn’t sure where my head was at. “Just… a lot on my mind.”

She nodded, her lips curling into a small, understanding smile. “It’s alright, Wells. I get it.”

We shared one last look before I drove her to her house. The whole night had been a strange mix of enjoyment and distraction, and by the time I got back to my truck, I felt more lost than when I had left.

The drive home was quiet, and when I stepped inside the house, I half expected to hear Rose’s voice calling out, but the place was still. The weight of the night sat heavily on my shoulders.

THAT’S HILARIOUS

I knew I had no right to feel anything about Wells going on a date. None at all.

But as I laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, my chest felt tight, my stomach unsettled in a way I couldn’t quite name. It wasn’t jealousy. It couldn’t be. Wells wasn’t mine. I had no claim on him, no reason to feel this strange hollowness in my ribs.

Still, the thought of him sitting across from someone else, making her laugh, making Marie feel special, twisted something deep inside me.

I turned onto my side and squeezed my eyes shut.

Get over yourself, Rose.

Wells had been nothing but kind to me, and I should be happy for him. If anything, this just proved what I already knew—he was a good guy. The kind of guy who deserved to be out with someone warm and smart and beautiful.

But as I lay here, trying to shove the feeling down, my phone vibrated against the nightstand. The sound cut through the quiet, sharp and sudden.

I reached for it, not thinking much until I saw the name on the screen.

Thad.

My breath caught. My body tensed, muscles locking up like I’d been braced for an impact I couldn’t see coming.

The buzzing stopped.

Then started again.