The corner of Crew’s mouth twitched at my phrasing, but he got serious again. “Would that be so bad?”
“I just got my son settled. He loves everyone here. He loves that motherfucking loud as all hell donkey, too.” I gestured wildly toward the door where we could hear Juanpablo even over the sound of an approaching UTV.
“I understand.” He saw my glare and showed me his palms like I was a scared horse. “Not like a parent does, I don’t mean that. But I get that it’s been a lot lately and….” He looked away from me and sighed, his shoulders dropping. “Whatever happens or doesn’t between us, nothing would ever jeopardize your place here on the ranch.”
I snorted. “Yeah, because living in a cabin where I can see yours wouldn’t be fucked up if we got together and then fell apart.”
“We would find you a place in town if you wanted to move—”
“No.No.Stop throwing money at me like I’m a problem.”
“That’s not—”
The UTV’s rumble made him swallow back whatever words he wanted to say.
I wiped my mouth again and turned to look at Not-Bob who was listening while munching on the hay.
“Hey, what did you find?” Hawk asked as he walked in, followed by Emery.
“I’m here as his doctor,” Emery deadpanned.
I chuckled. They were such siblings. I was so fucking envious.
“I bought Mal another horse,” Crew said, smirking evilly at me. Before I could object, he snorted and amended his statement. “Well, Mal saw him and made a connection, then I talked to the owner who was such a sleaze I couldn’t leave him there.”
Hawk was assessing the colt through the bars. “May I?” he asked, looking at me.
“Yeah, he’s not mine. No need to ask.”
I avoided Crew’s knowing expression.
Hawk opened the door and moved into the stall a bit gingerly in a way that told me he was in pain.
“His name is Bob.” Crew’s expression was disgusted, as was mine.
“Oh that’s no good,” Emery said, looking judgy as hell, for a good reason.
“You’re no Bob, are you boy,” Hawk murmured and did a quick very surface level check up on the colt. “He’ll be great. We’ll call Matigan in the morning.”
Crew nodded. “He’s probably coming in for the mares anyway, but we should check.”
Emery took a couple of steps away. “Time for dinner. We’ll meet you at the house.”
Hawk came out of the stall, and they moved to the little utility space by the door to make sure their shoes and hands were clean. I appreciated that sort of thing. The fact that they tookquarantine this seriously told me a lot about their character, not that I’d questioned it to begin with.
Crew followed his brothers, and only when he was done did I go and clean up. He’d unhooked the trailer and left it neatly in a parking spot near the barn.
I hopped into the truck only because it would’ve been too spiteful not to.
As we drove to the main house, he opened his mouth but then closed it without saying anything. Good. I didn’t want to talk to him.
When we went inside the house, Pay was looking a bit droopy. He’d had a nice day and Jenn said he’d had dinner a bit earlier.
“Thank you,” I told her while Pay was gathering his stuff.
“You sure you don’t want to stay for dinner?” She gave me that worried mom look I loved and hated in equal measure.
“No. It’s okay. I have stuff at the cabin.” I ruffled Pay’s hair and smiled. “As long as this one has been fed, I’m good.”
