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“Oh,” Brooklyn grabs her phone, “Milly’s here.”
A few seconds later, Milly rounds the corner with a big floppy hat, large sunglasses, and a tote bag. “Hey girls!” Her ever-present smile beams at us as she scurries over and drops down on one of the chairs. “I’ve been dying for some girl time.”
“What’s been going on with you, Mil? I feel like we haven’t seen you in ages.”
“I know, I’m so sorry,” she pouts. “I’ve been working with the Fall Fest because we’re doing the bachelor auction again this year.” She claps her hands in excitement.
“Oh, interesting.” I sit up. “Anybody I don’t know participating? Perhaps someone fresh and new I can ogle?”
“She hasn’t been laid in a while, so you’ll have to forgive her,” Brooklyn teases.
“Actually, yes. Let me tell you, looking through photos and then meeting these guys in person has been a serious chore.” She places the back of her hand against her forehead dramatically.
“Great, soyouget to stare at hot men all day, Brooklyn’s having hot sex, and I’m about to join a convent.”
“Trust me, if you’re looking for someone, a few firemen from Cheyenne have agreed to participate, and they are fiiiiine.” She fans her face.
“Oh, firemen?” I’m intrigued. “But all the way from Cheyenne?”
“It’s only an hour away. When you live in a town this small, you’ve got to put in some commute time to find Mr. Right.” Milly’s right, actually. I just want Mr. Right to be Ranger. “But speaking of the auction, any chance Dolly’s Boutique would agree to bid on a bachelor and win? The proceeds are going toward the children’s wing at the library this year.”
“Absolutely,” I agree. “You don’t have to twist my arm to bet on some sexy firemen.” I wriggle my eyebrows, a little flutter of excitement brewing at the thought that maybe I could finally meet someone. I just have to wrap my head around the idea of it not being Ranger. “Is, uh . . . are Decker and Ranger doing it this year?” I try to sound nonchalant, but I hear my voice rise an octave.
“Deck said he would, but Ranger said it would be a cold day in hell before he did it again.”
“Oh please,” Amelia scoffs, “he’s so dramatic.”
“Yeah, last time he ate it up. He was doing all sorts of silly moves up there,” Brooklyn adds.
“Exactly. He said he humiliated himself. Apparently he had a few too many nips of whiskey before he went on stage, and he regretted it,” Milly replies.
“See?” I say, sitting up. “This is what I mean: He’s changed. Back in the day, he wouldn’t have thought twice about all that. He would have laughed it off and he’d be back up there again this year. Did something happen, Mil?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know. I don’t think so, but you’re right. He’s become a lot more sullen and reclusive over the last year or so. Even my parents have said something about it. I think a big part of it is the pressure from my dad retiring. I know he wants one of the boys to take over his seat on the board, which would mean stepping up more at the brewery, and they’re both pretty set on only being involved at the ranch.”
“What about you? He didn’t offer the seat to you?” Brooklyn asks.
“He did. He actually came to me first, but I turned it down,” she says, almost apologetically.
“Seriously? Why? You would be amazing at it, and I’m sure you wouldn’t have to give up your position at the library,” Amelia says.
“Yeah, I agree,” Brooklyn adds on in surprise.
“I know. I guess it’s not completely off the table, but I wasn’t too keen on the idea when he brought it to my attention. Maybe I was just doubting myself.”
“How do Ranger and Decker feel about it all?” I inquire.
“I think they’re both stressed. They’ve always been good guys, but they’ve also been fun-loving guys. I think my dad is ready for them to be out of that phase—to buckle down and get serious. We know Ranger has a reputation for being a ladies’ man, and my dad has been on him togrow up,as he likes to put it.”
“Damn,” I whistle, “no wonder he’s been so moody. I didn’t realize all that.”
“Yeah, plus I’m pretty sure there’s something major about to happen with either the brewery or the ranch . . . I just don’t know what.”
“What do you mean?” Brooklyn asks. “I haven’t heard anything.” She’s been the head of marketing for the last two years at Slade.
Milly shrugs again. “I haven’t either—at least not specifics—but my dad has been having a lot of closed-door meetings lately with Tyler and Trent and our cousin Logan. Just feels like something is in the air. Maybe not, though. Could just be that with my dad retiring, he’s trying to get all his affairs in order . . . but I just have a feeling. When I mentioned it to Ranger, he acted like I was crazy, and Deck shrugged it off like he had no idea. I know when those boys are lying.”
I feel a sense of relief almost wash over me as Milly talks. That could absolutely explain the shift in Ranger’s mood and behavior. If there’s about to be some major change, he could very well be stressed out of his mind. I feel a touch of guilt begin to swell up when I think about how I wanted to give him a hard time about how he’s made me feel over the last year.
