Once Upon a Cowboy by Maggie McGinnis Page A

by Hayley. Could’ve been fun this summer.”
    “I’m sure you can handle yourself without a wingman.”
    Cole shook his head, taking another drink. Yeah, he could handle himself just fine. Just seemed like this summer,
handling himself
had involved more evasive maneuvers than anything else.
    Ten years ago—hell, five years ago—he would have given anything to be in the position he was now, with a new batch of women rolling in every other Sunday hoping to be cowgirls by the time they left.
    Or if notthat, hoping to bag a cowboy or two while they were here.
    But it had lost its appeal over the last year or so. Maybe things had started to go downhill the summer Jess, Hayley, and Kyla had come out for a vacation and ended up family of sorts. Maybe watching Decker and Kyla plan a future around each other had him spinning in a strange direction.
    And now Danny was getting married. To Hayley, ofall women. If he’d asked either of them a year ago whether they’d ever be pledging their happily-ever-afters to each other—or anyone, for that matter—they never would have believed it.
    So his brother was married, his best friend was heading down the aisle in a matter of days, and that left Cole as the last single man standing. It shouldn’t bother him—
wouldn’t
have bothered him not long ago—butthere was a feeling itching around in his gut that made him wonder why he
was
the last bachelor around.
    He had a strong suspicion it was because he
was
still around…and maybe here wasn’t where he was meant to be, in the end.
    When Decker had come back, Cole’d had his first spark of hope that maybe there were options for him beyond Whisper Creek’s borders. He’d spent ten years with the ranch firmlystrapped to his back, but if his brother was home—and staying—maybe it was finally
his
chance to see what else might be out there for him.
    And if he was feeling this itchy to get out of town, then it wasn’t fair to pretend otherwise with
any
woman, most especially Jess.
    Daniel signaled for two more beers, then turned to lean back against the bar and survey the scene. Cole took the new bottleand turned as well. He took a swig, then almost choked on it when Daniel said, “So…you going to see if maybe there’s something there? Before she leaves again?”
    Cole shook his head. “I need a little brother. Then you bunch of busybodies could worry about
him
instead of me.”
    “Just want you to be happy, that’s all.”
    “Hayley still holding out on you?”
    Daniel put his bottle to his lips, not meetingCole’s eyes. “Yup.”
    “You are so whipped, buddy.”
    “Yup again. And loving every minute of it.” He turned to Cole. “Listen, you’ve been lusting after that woman since you met her. I think it’s high time you found out if the feeling’s mutual, don’t you?”
    No. Yes.
“No.”
    “Isn’t the wondering killing you?”
    Yes. God, yes.
“No. I don’t want to rock the boat. Don’t want it to be awkward.”
    “You meanif she’s not interested? And then you’d have that whole
I-told-you-I-liked-you-but-you-don’t-like-me-back
thing going on?”
    “Yes.” Cole rolled his eyes. “Because we’re in seventh grade again.”
    “You know what I mean.”
    “Yeah. I don’t know. It’s more that I don’t want to pretend I want something that I don’t. I’m not in it for the long haul here, and Jess is too nice a woman to mess around withif I’m not interested in more than a casual relationship.”
    “Because you’re a rolling stone and all that?”
    “Something like that.” Cole rolled his eyes.
    Daniel turned toward him, narrowing his eyes. “What’s up with you? Something going on?”
    “Nah. Not really. Maybe. I don’t know.”
    “It’s me who’s supposed to have the wedding jitters, you know. Not the best man.”
    Cole laughed. “I don’t thinkit’s wedding jitters. I think maybe it’s just—I don’t know—wondering what coulda been, you know? If I hadn’t had to