I had to hold on to the counter. Oh my God. What kind of an asshole would ever hit someone so amazing? Why would someone hit any woman at all?

“Reed…” I grabbed a chair and sat down. I put my head in my hands. I wanted to throw up. “But…she’s so headstrong. So…how could she ever let…how long?”

Reed shook his head. “I don’t know. Wes thought she’d heard Whitley tell the doc they’d been together since high school.”

“Fuck…that poor girl.”

“Please, Layton, don’t let her know you know. Wes could lose her job, and she instantly fell in love with Whitley’s sweet personality. Wes just wants someone to look after her.”

I nodded. “Of course…yeah, don’t worry, Reed. I’ll never bring it up to her.” I needed some fresh air. I stood and started toward the back door. “I need some air.”

“I’ll be by in a little bit. Layton?”

I stopped and waited for him to talk.

“Are you okay?”

I nodded and walked out the door. The moment I got outside, I practically ran toward the barn. When I got into the barn, I fell to the ground.

All I could see was her beautiful green eyes looking into mine—so sweet and innocent and so damn beautiful. The thought of some asshole beating her had my blood boiling over. If I knew who this guy was and where to find him, I would get on a plane and go beat the fucker until he couldn’t move.

“What am I supposed to do, Mike? I love Olivia…but Whitley has brought something out in me that I buried deep, so deep down inside. She makes me feel…happy…alive.” I laughed as I shook my head. “I’ve only known her two damn days. What the hell is wrong with me? Help me, Mike. I can’t take another woman hurting me. I won’t let it happen.”

I lay back and stared up at the ceiling of the barn. I closed my eyes and thought back to the day Mike and I had finished building this barn.

Senior Year

“Someday, Layton, you’re going to walk into this barn with the love of your life. You’re going to raise a family here. Both of us are.”

I laughed and smacked Mike on the back. “Dude, I’ve already brought Liv in here about twenty times while we’ve been building it.”

Mike frowned and walked to the other side of the barn to start putting up the tools.

“Why don’t you like Liv? I love her, Mike.”

He slowly turned and smiled at me. “Layton, it doesn’t really matter if I like Olivia or not.”

“It does, Mike. It means everything to me. When we get married, I don’t want my brother standing up next me, hating on the woman I’m about to marry.”

Mike took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “Layton, she doesn’t deserve you. She treats you like shit. I’m pretty sure she’s fucked around on you, and I just don’t trust her.”

“Wow. Shit, Mike, you certainly didn’t hold back. Olivia would never cheat on me—ever. You don’t know her like I do. She’s high-maintenance, yes, but I love her, and she loves me.”

Mike grinned as he walked up to me and put his hand on my shoulder. “Then, that’s all that matters, Layton. Just…please keep an open eye with her. I don’t believe in my heart that she’s the one for you. You’ve always had this dream of being with her. You’ve talked about her blonde hair and blue eyes.” He let out a gruff laugh. “Honestly, in my dreams, I see a beautiful brunette with stunning deep green eyes as the love of your life.”

I threw my head back and laughed. “Fucker…you just described your damn fiancée! I don’t think Jen would appreciate me moving in on her.”

Mike laughed and shook his head. “I’m just saying, please don’t rush into anything with Olivia. Get through school, we’ll finish up the house, and then let’s get our place up and running full speed. Keep your heart open, Layton. Keep it open for that one girl who’s going to wake up something deep down inside of you.”

I pulled out my cell phone and sent a text to Whitley.

Layton: It’s close to six. Y’all hungry?

Whitley: Yes! Done shopping, and I’m starving!

I sent her the address to where we were going to have dinner.

“This is where you’re taking them? Holy shit, dude. You do know that you’ve got thousands of dollars in your bank account, right?”

I turned around and looked at my favorite food trailer in Austin—Honky Tonk Hot Dogs.

“What? It’s a must to eat at a food trailer when you come to Austin. They’ll love it.”

“They’re from New York! Aren’t fucking food trailers all over the place there?”

I smiled as I shook my head and pulled out my ringing cell phone. “Hello?”

“Um…Layton, it’s Whitley. I don’t think you gave me the right address. The place where we are walking up to is like a food trailer park.”

I laughed as I looked up and saw them both girls walking toward us. Courtney had a huge smile on her face and was snapping pictures with her cell phone.

“It certainly looks like Courtney likes it,” I said with a laugh.

The moment I saw the smile spread across Whitley’s face, my heart started jumping around in my chest.

Why would anyone ever hurt such a beautiful soul?

I had to shake the image of her being hurt out of my head. I needed to push it back and wait until she was ready to tell me on her own.

Her eyes caught mine, and my smile grew bigger.

“I see you,” she said with a giggle.

“I saw you first.” I pulled my cell phone away and hit End.

When I looked over at Reed, he had his mouth hanging open.

“What in the hell is wrong with you?” I asked him.

He slowly shook his head. “Nothing.”

“Honky Tonk Hot Dogs? This is where we’re having dinner?” Whitley laughed.

I smiled as I leaned in and kissed her and then Courtney on their cheeks.

“Best hot dogs you’ll ever have. I know how to treat the ladies,” I said with a wink.

“Hey, Whitley, Courtney,” Reed said as he smiled at Whitley, barely looking at Courtney.

“Hey, Reed!” Whitley said.

Courtney smiled and just nodded.

“I’m starving. What should I order?” Whitley hooked her arm through mine, and we made our way up to the trailer.

“Well, my favorite is the Jesse Dayton’s Jumbo Deep-Fried Bacon ’n Brisket Oil Rig Dog. It’s a jumbo dog wrapped in bacon, fried, and then topped with brisket, onions, jalapenos, barbeque sauce, and cheddar cheese. My mouth is watering just from talkin’ about it.” I smiled.

“Um…holy shit. I don’t think I want to have a heart attack today,” Courtney said.

I glanced down at Whitley, and her eyes were wide open.

“You eat all that on a hot dog?”

She scrunched up her nose in that cute way. I was overcome with an incredible desire to reach down and kiss her.

Shit! I need to not feel sorry for her. That’s all this is. I know what happened to her, and I feel guilty. That’s it. That’s all this feeling is.

I just shrugged my shoulders.

“What are you getting, Reed?” Courtney asked.

“The Dallas Wayne Chili Mac Dog.”

Courtney turned and looked at him. “Oh. My. God. That sounds gross! Eww, mac and cheese on a hot dog? What the hell is wrong with the water in Texas?”

Reed laughed and walked up to place his order. He turned around and motioned for Courtney to order. She ordered The Scott Dog, and Reed never once took his eyes off her.

After I ordered, I pulled Whitley up next to me. The moment she touched me, I felt a shock run up and down my body.

Holy shit! That hasn’t happened in a long time.

The young girl behind the counter smiled at Whitley.

“What would you like, ma’am?”

“Well”—Whitley looked at the young girl’s name tag—“Callie, I’ll take an All-American Austin Honky Tonker with mustard and onions only.” She turned and looked at me with a smile.

“Really, cowgirl? You’re getting a normal hot dog?”

She smiled that drop-dead gorgeous smile of hers. “Yep! I’m just that boring.”

I’d never laughed so much as I did while we all sat there and ate our hot dogs. Reed and Courtney even seemed to be getting along—for now. He even got her to take a bite of his hot dog.

“Wow! That’s actually really good!” Courtney said as she looked over at Whitley. “I never in my life thought I would say mac and cheese on a hot dog was good.”

“I’ll just take your word for it,” Whitley said with a slight smile.

I got up and told everyone else to sit and relax while I cleaned off the table.

As I was walking back to the table, David Nail’s “Whatever She’s Got” started playing. I couldn’t help but smile.

I walked up and stood in front of Whitley. “Does this cowgirl know how to two-step?”

When she looked up at me, I swore her eyes twinkled. They got more beautiful every time I peered into them.

She got up and took my hand. “Yes, she does.”

I led her out to the makeshift dance floor where a few other people were dancing. I pulled her into me, and we took off two-stepping. She fit perfectly in my arms, and she smelled like heaven. She even danced like an angel.

“Where in the hell did you learn to two-step, Whitley?” I asked.

She pulled back a bit and smiled. “I told you, I’m a cowgirl at heart!”

I laughed as I pulled her back into me.

Dierks Bentley’s “5-1-5-0” started playing, and I smiled as I twirled her around a few times.

“All right, let’s see what you got, CG!”

As much as I tried to throw her off with twists, turns, spins, and dips, she kept up with me the whole time. By the time the song was over, she was smiling from ear to ear.

We walked back to the table, and right before we got there, she looked at me and said, “We should have made a bet.”

I laughed and shook my head. There was just something about her, and I couldn’t put my finger on it, but she sure knew how to make me smile.

“How would y’all like to go out with us? We’re meeting Kevin and a few other guys at a club on Sixth Street.”

Courtney smiled and said, “Yes!” at the same time Whitley said, “No!”

“Oh, come on, you party pooper! We’re in Austin with two very handsome men. What more could you want?” Courtney said.

I noticed Reed smile when Courtney mentioned being with two handsome men.

“To finish my book!” Whitley quickly realized what she’d just said.

I leaned down and put my lips right up to her neck. The smell of her skin had my dick jumping. “Are you seriously picking your book over me, cowgirl?”

She quickly stepped away from me. “Um…”

I gave her my crooked smile, knowing damn well I’d just made her nervous.

“Whit…please! I so want to go out,” Courtney said.