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Since the moment I laid eyes on the curvy beauty, all I’ve been thinking about is her. I’m in denial about the day she’ll have to leave. I don’t know how the hell things went from zero to sixty in a blink, but they did. She started out as the opposition who was filling Paps’ head with delusions of turning the ranch into an animal rescue. Now, I can’t imagine this place without her. Though I’ve kept it all close to the vest, it’s changed everything for me in the span of a few days.
That insanely hot kiss, which was more of a fuck with our clothes on, has cemented it for me.
But I don’t want to spook Macy before she figures out what’s happening between us for herself. I’m willing to play the game if it means I’ll have my prize at the end. And Macy Knight is nothing if not the fucking prize.
“I think I caught Paps yawning,” Macy says, pointing toward the center of the crowd where half a dozen people are circled around Paps and Grams.
Grams places a hand on his shoulder, waiting patiently for him to turn his gaze to her. They don’t say a word to one another, but Paps nods. It’s their unspoken language. She knows he’s tired and will do whatever is necessary to politely get him out of the party so he can rest. I squeeze Macy’s hand without realizing I do until she looks up at me.
“Macy—”
“Can I get everyone’s attention please?” Grams tries, but her voice is simply too soft to hush the crowd.
I look down at Macy. “Cover your ears.”
Though her eyes question me, she does as I ask. I let out a whistle that rivals Gertie’s screams in ear-piercing qualities. The barn quiets in seconds.
“Thank you, Ryder,” Grams says with an appreciative smile. “And thank you everyone for coming out today to celebrate this special occasion with us.”
As Grams continues her speech, I search the barn for signs of my brothers. Weston has been here the whole time since he was the one responsible for luring Paps away until it was time to surprise him. Liam showed up about an hour ago and is still hovering near the open bar talking business with a local. But Colt has been MIA. If Wyatt had arrested him for whatever stupid reason, I’d know. Which means he’s being a fucking flake as per usual.
“Everything okay?” Macy asks.
“Just waiting on my little brother to show up.” I reminded them all about the family meeting that would happen tonight. Might be why Colt decided to stay away. The words responsibility and commitment terrify him. And I’m insisting that my brothers man up and give both. We’ve got a ranch to save for fuck’s sake.
“Colt?”
“Yeah, that’s the one.”
“I thought I saw someone outside earlier, near the old silo,” Macy admits. “He was…preoccupied. Not sure if it was him, but?—”
“Dammit.” I’d bet my military retirement check that Colt’s been lurking outside the party this whole time.
“Something wrong?”
A layer melts around my ice-cold heart at the concern in her voice. I cup her cheek, brushing her soft skin with the pad of my thumb. “I need to have a family chat with my brothers. Give me an hour?”
“Okay.”
I kiss the top of her forehead before collecting Weston and Liam and go off in search of Colt. I’m fuming mad by the time we reach the silo, certain this jackass hasn’t even said hello to Paps and Grams. And now that they’ve made their departure for the night, they’ll think he chose the rodeo circuit over their special day and never showed. I’ll deal with that fallout tomorrow, after we figure out how we’re going to fix things for the ranch.
“I’m too tired to break up a fight tonight,” Weston says in warning as I spot Colt sitting on a concrete barrier, drinking a beer—alone.
“There won’t be a fight.” If Colt pisses me off, I can knock him out with one punch and deal with his ass tomorrow.
“Too bad,” Liam says. “I could use some excitement.”
“What the fuck, Colt?” I call out as the three of us close in on our youngest brother. He sways back and forth as he empties the bottle and tosses it into the overgrown brush. He’s wearing a shit-eating grin that promises he’s only been alone out here for a short while.
“Hey, it’s my favorite brothers!”
“I don’t know why the hell I bothered including him in this,” I grumble under my breath. Maybe I thought bringing him in on a plan to turn the ranch around would give him some purpose. He’s been floating from one thing to another most of his adult life. Riding bulls when he can find a sponsor he doesn’t piss off with his mouth. Working odds jobs in between. My guess is he lost his ride if he’s hiding out here drinking himself stupid instead of playing celebrity of the party.
Mom always asked me to look out for him, to be patient with him, because he was the only one left at home when they decided to divorce. But nights like tonight, I’m fucking tired of trying to help someone who clearly doesn’t want it.
“C’mon, Colt,” Liam says as he loops one arm under Colt’s shoulder. Weston follows suit and grabs the other. Good thinking on their part because our youngest brother is shitfaced.
I’m torn between letting him crash on my couch tonight so I can rip him a new asshole in the morning or begging one of my other brothers to take him off my hands. The idea of giving up a night with Macy tangled in my sheets for my dumbass brother ratchets up my irritation.
