Page 82 of Wright Together

“I’d love to do dinner, but we’re working with the Kings on their new construction project. Malcolm invited us out to dinner to celebrate.”

Arden wrinkled her nose. “Oil money.”

“You could come with,” I offered.

“The only thing my daddy liked less than the big city was the oil industry.”

“You live in Midland,” I said with a laugh. “You can’t escape it.”

“They’ve been sniffing around, trying to buy up our land for fracking. And it’ll happen over my dead body, Eve. I don’t think we’d mingle well.”

She was probably right. Arden had never been one to hide her opinions. Much like me. I couldn’t imagine her spending more than a few minutes in Malcolm’s presence without denigrating their family business.

“Next time,” I promised.

“Well?” Whitt said.

I turned to look at him, and my heart stopped. Arden wasn’t wrong. I had an affinity for men in boots. When you grew up in Midland, Texas, around a bunch of cowboys, boots and hats ran in your blood. And made your blood pump. My reputation hadn’t entirely been unearned.

“Well, hello there,” I purred.

He shook his head at me. “I look ridiculous.”

“Boots look good on you.”

Arden nodded. “They’re a fan favorite.”

“If you insist,” he said. “Just don’t tell West or Harley. I’ll never live this down.”

I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture. “For my personal collection.”

“Lord save us.”

Arden laughed at the pair of us and then helped us onto the horses. It came back to me in an instant even though I hadn’t been on a horse in ages. Whitt took to it like he did everything else—with ease. It was a little unfair that he was that good at riding, considering it was his first time.

“Looks like y’all got it,” Arden said. “Have fun!”

I took the lead as we headed out onto a trail. “Do you have to be good at everything?”

“It’s just about control,” he assured me. Our eyes met. “I’m good at control.”

My cheeks flushed. Of that I was well aware.

We ambled lazily through the brush and ducked into a thicket of trees. There wasn’t a whole lot of tree coverage here in oil country, but the Rivers had owned this plot for generations. They’d cultivated the land around them, and like magic the earth opened up around them.

After a half hour, I gestured for Whitt to come off the trail and under a copse of trees. He didn’t direct Bunny so much as the old girl followed Trouble without him having to make a movement. As easy as Whitt was on the horse, Bunny was even easier to deal with.

I hopped off of Trouble, and Whitt dismounted next to me. He pulled out treats for the horses that Arden had given him before we left. She’d told us that Bunny might not move past halfway if we didn’t bribe her. So, bribing her was now Whitt’s favorite game.

I tied off the horses to a low-hanging branch and laid out a blanket. I sank back into the soft grass. Whitt dropped down next to me once Bunny was sort of satisfied. Trouble eyed her reproachfully, as if asking for extra snacks was beneath her.

“Well, this is going better than I thought,” he said.

“You’re a natural. I’m going to get you boots and take you riding when we get home.”

He winced. “Maybe not that good.” He wrapped an arm around my waist and tugged me in tight against him. “But I like trying new things with you. Living in the moment.”

“And you had to remind me to do it. I must be rubbing off on you.”