Page 58 of Unruly

No grin, no teasing, nothing that I’ve grown used to since those two started dating. Just two quiet words.

The knot in my stomach tightens.

“Okay, now you’re both freaking me out.”

The uneasy feeling grows as I glance between them, but neither speaks. “Okay, seriously, what’s going on? If you don’t tell me, I’m going inside to ask someone else. I can see everyone in there sittin’ around. Start talking, you two. This shit isn’t funny.”

Colt rubs the back of his neck, and Rhett looks away.

My irritation flares hotter than before, built up from a day full of bullshit, and now, everyone is acting weird. Cash is nowhere to be found. Aria still hasn’t answered my text. Rhett looks like he hasn’t slept in days from crying. Colt keeps avoiding my eyes, and nobody will tell me what’s the fuck happening. Judging by the look on their faces, neither one of them wants to be the person who says it out loud.

Colt breaks the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. “It’s Ben … He’s gone.”

I cross my arms in disbelief. “You’re lying.”

Storming inside, the moment I step inside I know he was being honest. Seeing all the long faces, all the fight drains out of me like someone just pulled a plug.

Eli has Tierney wrapped tightly in his arms, Luke and Sarah sit in the same position across the room as she sobs softly, and Dawson and his cousin stand off to the side, both red-eyed and hollow. I can hear Aria’s voice drifting from the kitchen, and the air’s thick with grief.

Panic rises sharp in my throat when I still can’t find Cash. My voice comes out, barely above a whisper. “Tell me it’s not true …”

Seeing me, Tierney looks up, red-eyed and heartbroken. Standing, she wraps me in her arms tightly. Her voice comes out low and hoarse. “I’m so glad you’re here. He’s really gone.”

The words stun me into silence, and the room blurs slightly as the weight of it settles over me. My knees buckle as I fight to keep myself upright in her arms.

Tears welling in my eyes, I say, “Aria didn’t tell me, or I would have come sooner. I’m so sorry.”

When Tierney finally lets me go, I sink into the nearest chair. The anger and worry about Cash are momentarily eclipsed by a deeper sorrow.

Grandpa Ben. The man who has been my family for as long as I can remember and the backbone of this ranch—gone. Just like that.

CASH

I’ve been sitting behind Makai’s shack for three hours with a bottle of whiskey, nursing it until the liquor bleeds into my veins.

Earlier today, I knew Grandpa wasn’t feeling his best and suggested he go back in versus helping me today like he likes to do. By the time Dawson found him, he was gone. He barely made it inside and to the kitchen table.

There was nothing any of us could do.

He was seventy-five, his heart was strong, and his mind was sharp, but none of that mattered because a goddamn blood vessel in his brain decided his time was up.

I take another swig of Jack Daniels and shake my head.

The main house is about thirty yards away, so I can hear the commotion. Everyone is in there; most are probably crying. I couldn’t be there—watching my dad break down with Mom and Rhett. I couldn’t breathe and I came out here.

That was four hours ago. About three hours ago, I broke into Makai’s and stole the whiskey I bought him since he’s underage.

Now, the bottle is almost all gone.

Benjamin Thornwood built this ranch.

It started out as Grandma’s father’s ranch, but he was too old to really run it anymore, and Grandpa was in his early twenties and kind of deadbeat. But he loved Grandma, and when he asked for her hand, Grandma’s father told Grandpa no—not unless he took over the ranch and could prove he could provide.

So he promised that he would. He broke his back over it and built this ranch into something. And Grandma helped too. They built the main house together and began to raise three boys together, much like my own parents.

My grandmother died when my dad was eight, leaving Grandpa Ben to raise those three boys alone. All while still running this ranch. Even when everyone told him it was worthless, he looked at it and was determined to prove to my grandma’s father that Ben Thornwood is a man of his word.

He never talked about his life like it was hard—never asked for recognition. He did it because that’s who he was. Even at his age, he still went out to check the fence lines. Still wanted to know the ins and outs of the business even though Luke, my dad, and Rhett did most of the admin of the business.