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He nods, his eyes growing wide as he takes a swig. “That’s why I’m here. Mom’s hiding it for me. Those damn things are expensive.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“How did Dad do today?” he asks, reclining i
n his seat.
I see-saw my hand in the air. “He did okay. Moving slower than normal.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought last time I worked with him.”
My father—Sawyer Allen—is a brute of a man. Tall, broad, and made for life on a ranch, but that life has worn him down. He’s not old by any means, but he’s not a spring chicken either, and Rhett and I have been worried for a while that one of these days he’ll end up hurting himself. The man doesn’t know when to stop, and he constantly works himself into the ground. This is despite the fact that he has a handful of farmworkers he trusts to help with day-to-day tasks. On top of them, he has Rhett and me, who spend our days off—from sunup to sundown—doing whatever work needs to be done.
“You know as well as I do that he’ll never stop working.”
“I know,” I sigh.
There’s a pause. Both of us look out across the land, watching the cattle graze.
“You sure nothing else is on your mind?” Rhett asks.
I shrug and look over at him. “Just thinking.”
“’Bout what?”
“Nothing much. Just life in general.”
Rhett sits up. “Come on, man. I just spilled my guts. I’m your brother. You can tell me anything. You get some woman knocked up?”
I frown. “Not even close.”
For months, I’ve felt unsettled. First it was the women and my lack of desire for a one-night stand. And then it was coming home to an empty house. That snowballed into watching other couples, wondering if I deserved that sort of commitment from a woman. But it was kissing Claire in the bathroom at Animal Haven that drove me to the edge, and waking up with her two days ago tipped me over. Wrapped in her arms, I felt worthy and surrounded by a sense of peace I haven’t felt for a damn long time.
I’m not sure if telling Rhett is the right thing, but he’s recently taken the plunge into the relationship pool, so I figure why the hell not? Wiping my hands on my jeans, I go for it.
“I’m thinking maybe it’s time I settle down.”
Rhett laughs, but when he realizes I’m not, he sobers. “You’re serious?”
“But now I know where you stand on the matter,” I say, punching him in the arm. “Thanks, brother.”
“I’m sorry, Trevor. It’s just...you love women almost as much as they love you. And you’ve never even had a girlfriend.”
I don’t tell him I haven’t been intimate with a woman in months. He’d have a field day with that. And over the years, I’ve found that sometimes it’s easier to let people believe what they want to about you. It keeps the expectations to a minimum, doesn’t leave as much room for disappointment if you fuck up—and I always fuck up.
“You’re right.” I take a swig of my beer. “I’d probably fail miserably.”
Rhett drains his beer, stands up, and tosses the empty bottle in the trash. He walks back over and lays a hand on my shoulder.
“No, I’m not right. And no, you wouldn’t. You’re not the annoying little brother who followed me around for years. You’ve grown into a successful, hardworking man, and any woman would be lucky to have you by her side. If you’re ready, I say go for it.”
I nod once and smile. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
“Just don’t go for it with Claire.”
It takes a second for his words to sink in, and I furrow my brow. “Why not Claire?”
“Shit,” he sighs, running his fingers through his hair. “It’s Claire, isn’t it?”
