“You’re asking me?” Justin asks, removing his hat and brushing a hand over his head. “Seems like he knows you from the way he’s glaring at me.”

“Zoe! I’ve been looking all over for you.” Neil’s panting like he’s been running when he stops next to me. “You’re a hard woman to surprise.”

I hope he chokes on the lack of air. Thankfully he doesn’t touch me. I barely glance at him, keeping my focus on Justin. Unfortunately, Justin’s glaring at Neil, completing the uncomfortable triangle.

Being polite, Justin sticks out his hand. “Justin Garrison.”

Neil pauses and then doesn’t reciprocate. “Nice to meet you. If you don’t mind, I’m going to pass on the handshake.”

Instead, he offers his fist for Justin to bump. Like he’s cool or down with the kids. He’s neither.

The edges of my vision darken. I’ve zoomed past seeing red to blacking out from rage.

“He’s afraid of getting his hands dirty,” I explain through clenched teeth.

Justin misses my eye roll, but Neil catches it.

“Can’t be too careful.” Neil bumps his elbow against my arm.

“Don’t touch me,” I snap, my voice almost a silent growl.

“Right. You do you.” Justin finally meets my eyes. “You okay?”

I want to beg him not to leave me with Neil. Just because he’s shown up here doesn’t mean I have to deal with him, right?

Justin dips his head to study my face. “I’ve got to get ready. Need to focus.”

He surprises me by leaning down and planting a kiss on my lips, then bending me back with his hand between my shoulders.

My head spins again when he sets me upright. I’m not sure if it’s from my body’s reaction to his kiss or my mind trying to process the declaration. Talk about marking territory.

I’m no longer a bull fantasizing about goring Neil with my horns. But now my hormones are at war with logic. I should be annoyed Justin did that. I’m sure part of me is. Mostly I want to kiss him again and forget Neil’s standing here.

Returning his hat to his head, Justin dips the brim at me. “I’ll talk to you soon, Zoe.”

Talk. Not see.

His tone is ice and he doesn’t bother to acknowledge Neil, who seethes next to me, his hands balled into fists. I bet he’s never thrown a punch in his life.

I attempt to drain the rest of my spiked lemonade and find the cup empty.

“What are you doing here?” I finally address Neil. “Wait. Don’t answer that. I need another drink first.”

Without waiting for him, I head toward the bar tent.

“I’m here to see you. Obviously.” He catches up and tries to hold my hand. Are you fucking kidding me? “I think I explained that when you were making puppy eyes at the cowboy.”

“I don’t make dog eyes. At anyone.” I twist and weave my way to the end of the makeshift bar. I could leave. Walk right out of here and drive away. But I’ve been drinking and standing around the shuttle stop might be the lamest dramatic getaway ever.

Fine. Another drink it is. The girls will be here soon. Reinforcements to keep me from shoving Neil into a pen with an actual angry bull.

My bartender from earlier spots me. Holding up my empty cup, I gesture for another. He grins and nods.

“Get me one, too,” Neil says from my side.

I wonder if I can inflict serious damage with a cocktail sword.

“Please,” I snarl at him as I motion to make it two drinks.

“What is it?” he asks when I hand him a cup. His nose wrinkles when he sniffs it. “I know I’m not going to like this. Can I get a beer?”

His voice is loud in my ear when he shouts at the bartender. He’s being rude and it’s embarrassing. Digging into my purse, I pull out money for the drinks and extra for a nice tip for letting us cut the line. I take the second cup and decide it’s a sign I need to double-fist to get through this encounter.

Neil doesn’t move to pay.

“It’s too crowded in here.” I turn to go, not caring if he follows or disappears.

“Hold up! I came here to see you, why do you keep walking away from me?”

I speed up. “I need to meet the girls. We had plans.”

“I know,” he says. “Your mom told me.”

I finally understand the meaning of apoplectic.

When I stop abruptly, he knocks my arm, spilling most of one of my drinks, which further pisses me off. My voice rises into a screech. “She did what?”

“I flew in earlier this afternoon and took a cab to the spa. You weren’t there.”

“I had the afternoon off.” And it’s none of your business.

“Where are you living? Your mom said with Sage, but isn’t she with Lee? I thought they had big plans to go to Cape Town.”

My steps falter. Too many questions and assumptions are coming out of Neil like we’re catching up after not seeing each other for a couple of weeks. Not him showing up because my mother ratted me out. “What are you doing here? I mean in Snowmass, not literally here at the rodeo. Shouldn’t you be at work in Chicago?”

“Didn’t your mom tell you I ran into your dad at the country club? We had a great talk, and he gave me some strong advice.”

“I hope some of his words were about getting your head out of your ass.” I finish the remainder of the half-spilled drink and stack the two cups.

“Yeah, that was part of it. But he mostly told me what a mistake I made leaving you out here. How disappointed they are in me.”

I pause to gape at him. “Too late, but I’ll have to tell him thanks.”

“And then he told me to be a man, come to Aspen, and bring you home.”

Mentally, I cancel the thank you to my father.

As I process the statement, I start chuckling. Soon, I’m full out, bent over, wheezing while laughing. When I stand back up, Neil, in his Brooks Brothers’ shirt and khakis, is glancing around to see who’s watching the crazy woman lose her mind.

“You’re making a scene,” he chastises me through clenched teeth. “Are you drunk?”

“Oh, boy. You’re funny.” Trying to inhale, I snort, which sends me into another fit of laughing. By the time I can even think about speaking, I’m wiping tears and mascara from under my eyes.

“People are staring,” he barks under his breath. “What’s wrong with you? Are you willing to throw away five years?”

“Me?” My voice cracks. “You can’t seriously think you could fly in here to tell me my dad told you to bring me home, and I’d say okay. I’m not a child. I’m a twenty-six-year-old woman. You called quits. You left. There’s nothing but scorched earth left of our relationship.”

A few people jostle past us, bumping into his shoulder or mine. Kids wearing mini chaps and hats race through the crowd. We’re surrounded by happy people because the rodeo is a happy, magical place. And Neil is ruining it for me.

He grips my arm, not to the point of bruising, but tighter than expected. “I’ve only been gone for three months, and you’re flirting with anything with a dick? How hard up are you? A random bartender and a cowboy? Did you see that guy’s dirty hands? There’s probably cow shit under his nails. Disgusting.”

“We don’t even own cattle on the ranch.” Justin grabs Neil’s hand and pulls his fingers back. “But I know bullshit when I see it. Now take your hand off the lady.”