Broken

I laughed and shook my head. “Please call me Layton, and the pleasure is all mine.”

They both peered at each other before turning back to look at me.

“Well, CG, it was a pleasure. Hope to see you around,” I said with a wink.

“Yep, back at ya, cowboy.” She gave me a wink back.

I smiled as I said, “Good-bye, ladies.”

As I walked down the steps and toward my truck, I wanted to turn around and see if Whitley was watching me walk away.

Play it cool, Layton. You’re not interested in her.

As I rounded my truck, I glanced back at the living room window. My heart jumped up into my throat when I saw Whitley standing by the window, watching me. She gave me a small smile and a quick wave. I waved back, jumped in my truck, and decided I’d have to maybe have that talk with Misty soon.

Ah hell, Layton, what are you doing? You don’t even like this girl. You’re not interested in getting caught up in that shit again.

I started my truck and pulled away, heading toward the bank.

At the bank, I saw Richard and walked up to him to shake his hand. It was too bad the whole time Richard was talking to me, all I could do was see Whitley’s green eyes looking into mine.

I needed to get her out of my head, just like I needed to get Liv out. I only knew one way to do that.

I pulled out my phone and sent Misty a text, asking if she could come back to my house tonight, while Richard took a quick phone call. I quickly received a reply.

Misty: YES! I thought you’d never ask! I was getting tired of fucking on the pool tables.

I sighed and put my phone back into my pocket. I ran my hands through my hair. What in the hell am I doing?

“Layton? Are you even listening to me?” Richard asked as he snapped his fingers in front of my face.

I looked up and smiled. “Yeah, sorry, Richard. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“Well, you seem pretty preoccupied. Let’s talk about this another time. It’s a lot to take in, I know, Layton.”

I nodded as I stood and held out my hand. “Thanks, Richard. I trust you to do what you think is the best. Invest it as you see fit.”

“Layton, I’d like you to have an idea of what we’re doing with your money.”

I sucked in a deep breath. “It’s my brother’s money, not mine. Just keep doing what he wanted you to do with it. Honestly, I trust you.” I said reaching my hand out toward Richard.

Richard took my hand and shook it. “Okay, I’ll just keep investing it on the plan Mike and I had laid out.”

I nodded again and gave him a forced smile.

Richard and I started to walk out, and as we got to the front door of the bank, it opened, and Whitley walked in. My heart immediately slammed in my chest, and I couldn’t help it, but I smiled.

“CG, you couldn’t stay away from me. I knew that would happen,” I said with a wink.

She looked me up and down and rolled her eyes. Then, she walked past me and up to the teller, and Richard and I walked outside.

“You know Miss Reynolds?” Richard asked.

I laughed and nodded. “I had the pleasure of meeting her today and helping her out with something.”

Richard sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “Girl is a tough cookie to break. I’ve been trying to ask her out for two weeks now, ever since she first walked into the bank. She’s polite, but she just completely turns me down flat every time.”

I was surprised at the surge of jealousy hitting me out of nowhere from hearing he’d asked Whitley out…and then I was surprised at how relieved I felt from knowing she’d told him no.

“Huh…well, honestly, dude, don’t bother with this one. I think she hates men,” I said.

“Really? She seems sweet.”

I shook my head and looked back into the bank. “She’s kind of a bitch.”

Whitley walked out of the bank and smiled slightly at both of us.

“Later, CG,” I called out after her as I watched her walking down the street toward her house.

“Fuck off, cowboy.”

I smiled and tried not to start laughing. I turned and faced Richard with a serious look on my face as I shrugged. “See what I mean? B.I.T.C.H.”

“Thanks, dude. At least I know that’s a lost cause. See you later tonight at Joe’s.”

I shook Richard’s hand. “Yep, see ya then.”

I strolled back to my truck and got in. My heart was beating a mile a minute. I couldn’t believe what I’d just done. Richard was a friend of mine.

Why did I just steer him away from Whitley?

Why do I have the feeling Whitley Reynolds is going to be a thorn in my side?

Damn girl with those green eyes.

Chapter Five: Whitley

“So, today, while you were getting your first real client, I went to Ruby Cowgirl.”

I rolled my eyes as I grabbed a Diet Coke out of the fridge. “Jesus, Court, you’re gonna own everything they sell if you keep going there!”

Courtney jumped up from the sofa. “I did buy a really cute white dress in there. Anyway, the girl who works there invited me over to Fuel, the coffee house, for a cup of coffee. Guess what happened?”

I wasn’t really in the mood for guessing games. Layton had me thrown for a loop, and my head was pounding. The moment I saw him, he had my stomach doing stupid flip-flops.

Why does he have to be such a jerk? A stupid, gorgeous, Southern cowboy jerk with a rocking body! No, it’s good that he’s a jerk. Keeps me uninterested.

“What, Court?”

“Come on, Whit, guess!”

I snapped my head over toward her. “Courtney, I’ve had a shit-filled day with the exception of picking up two new clients. I met one of the most annoying men I’ve ever encountered in my entire life today, and he wore my patience thin.”

Courtney’s mouth dropped open. “Holy shit. You like him!”

Wait—what? “What? Are you insane? Courtney, really? Do you think I want to get into a relationship with anyone? I mean, the last boyfriend I had just about killed me a few short weeks ago. I’m pretty sure I’m done with men.”

Courtney rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Whatever. Believe what you want, Whit. You’ve got the hots for a cowboy named Layton.”

I closed my eyes and just prayed she’d stop talking. I thought back to when Layton had grabbed my arm. All I had seen was Roger’s face.

“Hello? Whit! Are you even listening to me?”

I opened my eyes and smiled. “Yeah, of course, I am.”

“Okay, well, I guess that guy who works at the bank—what’s his name? Richard?”

I sighed because I knew what was coming up. “Yes, I just ran into him and Layton.”

A smile spread across Courtney’s face. “Well, I ran into him at the coffee shop during lunch. He invited us to that bar on the square—Joe’s. I guess one of his friends is home on leave. A Marine, Whit. A. Marine.”

I started laughing. Courtney had a thing for military guys, guys who rode bikes, guys with tattoos. The list was endless.

“Court, you need to change jobs. I know you’re looking for that perfect guy, like the ones in all those books you read, but you’re never going to find him. He doesn’t exist.”

“Okay, first off, that’s my job. It’s so not fair to drag my job into my manhunt. I love being a freelance editor, Whit, you know that. Plus, my ass can live anywhere I want…hence, being able to pick up my life and move to Texas with you!”

“I know you love your job, but the whole reason you’re not with anyone is because you keep comparing them to the men you’ve read about in those stupid stories.”

“Gasp! I can’t believe you called them stupid stories. I’m so not buying you a Kindle for Christmas. Hey, I get more pleasure from my books than anything. I love to read, and you should do it more often. It might give you some hope, Whit. Prince Charming is out there, babe. Don’t give up.”

“First off, you buy more books than anyone I know when your damn job is reading other people’s books.”

“That’s different. I’m working when I read those. I need pleasure reading.”

“Yeah, pleasure reading. How many vibrators have you gone through because you get turned-on by those books?” I placed my hands on my hips.

Courtney started laughing. “Oh my God. Are you jealous of my Kindle? You want a hot story, Whit? I’ll recommend one to you. I’ll even buy it in paperback for your ass.”

I shook my head. “Puh-lease. No book would ever get me to the point where I needed to reach for a vibrator. Ever!”

The smile that spread across Courtney’s face said it all.

Ah hell, I’m in trouble.

“One hundred bucks says I can get you reaching for one.”

I stood there, staring at her. “No way.”

“You’re a chicken.”

“I’m not a chicken, you bitch.” I turned and walked toward the stairs.

“Two hundred then.”

I stopped and looked at her. “You’re really willing to put up two hundred bucks to see if a book will turn me on enough to need a vibrator?”

“Oh yeah. Just to prove your ass wrong. Baby girl, you have no idea what you’ve been missing out on during the last few years you spent with that asshole Roger.”

Just the mention of his name caused a shudder to travel through my body. “Fine. One book. I’ll read one book, and if it doesn’t work, I don’t ever want to hear about how hot your latest book boyfriend made you one night.”

The smile on her face scared me slightly.

Oh dear God. What is she gonna have me read?

As I turned to head up the stairs, she called out, “Wait! What about tonight? Let’s just go and have a few drinks. I’d kind of like to see a cowboy or two, Whit. Please!”

I really didn’t want that Richard guy hitting on me all night, but I did want to relax a bit and grab a few beers. Anything to keep my mind off of Roger and New York.

“Fine, but I’m only going to stay for a couple of drinks.”

“Yes! You’re the best!”

The next thing I knew, she was flying past me and up the stairs.

“Jesus, what’s the rush?”

She turned and looked at me like I was nuts. “I have work to do—shower, shave, search for an outfit, do my makeup and hair. My God, Whit, it takes work to get beautiful.”

I shook my head. “Pesh, if they don’t see you for how beautiful you are without going through all that shit, then fuck ’em.”

“You can say that. You’ve given up on men for all eternity. I just want one good fuck. I haven’t had sex in way too long.”

My mouth dropped open as she turned and walked into her room.

“You’re kidding, right, Court? Court?”

Oh God…she didn’t just say she wanted to be fucked, did she? This is going to be one long night.

Since Joe’s was just a few blocks from our house, Courtney and I decided to walk.

When we had both stepped out in white dresses and cowboy boots, Courtney had insisted we do rock-paper-scissors to see who would have to change. I’d won, and she had changed into a cute pair of Miss Me jeans and a baby-blue sheer top.