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I signed the papers and sent them back the next day.
“I have a whole playlist for you.” Diesel keeps talking. “Fifth Harmony is next. Damn, those ladies can shake it.”
“Am I supposed to know who any of these people are?”
Diesel gasps. Literally gasps.
Now that causes me to smile. Such a damn drama queen.
“You’ve been hanging around my little cousins too much. Or my sister.” I turn and glare at him. His eyes widen as if he’s just been caught. “Which one is it?” I pop a brow.
“Uh, which one gets me in less trouble?”
“Asshole,” I mutter before turning back to the hay.
When we’re done for the afternoon, we take the side-by-side to the B&B for a break. As we walk up the porch, I’m ready to punch Diesel because he never stops talking. I know he thinks it’ll distract me, but it only pisses me off more. I shove him before walking through the front door. While my uncle John is probably at the family bar in town, there’s usually a Bishop in here somewhere, so I try to be on my best behavior once inside.
Diesel groans when we spot Fisher in the kitchen. “’Sup?” he asks, making himself a plate of muffins and cookies. “Hay all done?”
“Would we be in here if it wasn’t?” Diesel says before I can respond. “Maybe you should’ve helped us for once, or are you too afraid of getting your city boy clothes dirty?”
“Actually, I’ve been on the phone all morning calling in orders and making sure the ranch has everything it needs for the rest of the summer, but if you think you’re more qualified to take care of finances and inventory, be my guest,” Fisher answers smoothly. “I’m sure I could handle moving around some hay. I’d even do it without whining too.”
“Motherfucker,” Diesel growls between clenched teeth. He’s one step away from knocking Fisher out, so I grab his arm and pull him back.
“As entertaining as it’d be to watch you two punch each other’s teeth out, there are guests in the living room who probably don’t want blood splattered on them.” I walk Diesel out of the kitchen. Before I can scold him, my mom walks in with my cousins Mackenzie and Elizabeth.
“Oh, there you boys are,” Mama says, greeting me with a kiss on the cheek. “Diesel,” she says firmly, giving him a light smack on the cheek. “Kenzie and Elle need some help hauling dirt to the gardens.”
“Why can’t Aunt Mila do it?” I ask since she’s the one who tends to them usually.
“She’s at the school today. A teacher called in sick,” she explains. After Mila moved here to be with Uncle John, she opened a daycare center, but once their kids got older, she hired a manager so she could be home more.
“Sure, that’s fine. Diesel would love to help. He needs some fresh air anyway.” I smack him on the back and squeeze his shoulder, daring him to argue.
He shoots me daggers for putting him under the bus, but that’s what he gets for not being able to keep his mouth shut around Fisher. My cousin means well, but nothing will mend their friendship at this point, so I don’t even bother trying.
Diesel plasters on the fakest smile, then tells my mom he’d be more than happy to help. He’s a suck-up, considering I already know he has a thing for my little sister, and if either of my parents found out, they’d never let her near him again.
“Such a gentleman,” my mother praises. “The girls are ready when you are. I’ve gotta get back to the house to start dinner for your father,” she tells me. “You boys are always welcome to come.”
Before I can respond, I notice Diesel looking up the staircase as his eyes widen. “Hooooooly. Shit.”
“Language!” my mom scolds in a hushed whisper, but when I follow where he’s looking, I have the same reaction.
What the fuck?
Everyone stares up at Zoey, who’s walking toward me, looking more gorgeous than ever. Her hair is a tad blonder, and she’s a bit tanner, but otherwise, she looks just like she did the minute I left.
“What are you doing here?” I ask when she’s in front of me, using a rougher tone than I intended. “I mailed the papers back two weeks ago,” I tell her, taking off my baseball cap to brush a hand through my hair before replacing it. It’s one of my nervous tells, though she wouldn’t know that.
“Oh, I know. My lawyer told me,” she explains softly as she folds her hands in front of her. She looks anxious as hell.
“Papers? Lawyer? What is she talkin’ about, Riley?” my mother demands. Fisher is now standing next to Diesel, witnessing this shitshow.
I swallow hard, not wanting to lie to my mom. Regardless, now that Zoey’s here, everyone is going to find out anyway. Might as well be the one to tell her and introduce them.
