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Unhappiness shit. The man is pissed.
For some reason that makes me feel better.
Dakota finally pipes up and sits down beside Tucker as I slide in beside my girl. “Hey, Tucker. Boy, is Dad pissed at you. He sent me to find you and I ran into Ryder here. Isn’t that a coincidence?”
“I told Dad that I had shit to do and would start on the fencing this afternoon,” Tucker grumbles.
“I don’t think he liked that decision,” I respond way too helpfully.
“That seems to be in the water,” Tucker replies. “It would appear my brothers make decisions I don’t agree with either and yet, they still do them.”
The waitress comes over and we give her a quick order. She smiles at us. I don’t recognize her but the way Dakota and her keep looking at each other tells me she just might.
“I just put in Tucker and Tillie’s, so I’ll just add these, and you can all eat together,” she says way too cheerfully.
“That’d be great. Wouldn’t that be great, Tucker?” I ask.
“Can hardly express how great it is,” he says drolly.
“How’s work been today, sweetheart?” I ask, focusing my attention on her before I bust out laughing at just how pissed my brother is.
“Slow. Very slow.”
“I would think that’d be a good thing,” Dakota chimes in, but Tillie immediately disagrees by shaking her head.
“Slow makes the day go by at a snail’s pace. Drives me crazy.”
We spend a little while discussing the store and her parents being gone on vacation. She blushes when she’s forced to talk about herself. She accidentally meets my eyes, and I give her a wink, which turns her cheeks even darker, and I must admit I like that. Hell, I like everything about her—even the way she drops her gaze from mine because she’s embarrassed. Ilovethat she’s shy. That’s something I haven’t truly experienced, and I find it’s almost addicting as pretty, pink lips…
“You’ve got great parents, Tillie. They’ve been a cornerstone of this town for a long time. They planted roots and worked hard to build a good life. That’s what I want to do. I don’t see myself leaving Pine Ridge.”
“There’s good places away from Pine Ridge,” I rumble. I know exactly what his game is and I don’t like it.
“I guess you found one in the city. But some people aren’t cut out to live in the city, Ryder. Some of us need wide open spaces. Of course, I suppose it’s good that you don’t. It’s clear you’re more comfortable living with bright lights and small homes. You’ve forgotten how to live here, I think. Well, except for your hat. Tell me, why do you wear that Stetson everywhere, Ryder? Seems to me you should trade it in for a baseball cap,” Tucker says. As the waitress brings our food. She delivers the burgers and fries and Tillie’s salad with a smile and a wink at Dakota and then leaves without a word.
“I'm still a cowboy. I just happen to be extremely good with my bat. And it's a really big one,” I counter.
Tillie gets strangled on her drink and struggles to contain her coughing. Tucker gets up immediately, before I can do much more than move my hand across her back. He starts clapping against her spine, just above my hand. I shove his hand away, pissed.
“She's not a damn horse. Stop before you hurt her,” I snap as I turn into her, grabbing a napkin to dry her eyes that have watered. “Are you okay, sweetheart?” I question softly, rubbing her back encouragingly.
"I'm fine," she whispers, waving me away.
I lean in to kiss her temple. “There, all better now.”
“Ryder,” Tucker thunders. “Can I see you outside?” He's biting his words out, clearly pissed off. I look at him, knowing we might have it out over Tillie, and I'm okay with that.
“Fine by me,” I tell him, leaning over to kiss Tillie softly on the lips.
“Ryder, everyone can see,” she whispers harshly, her eyes wide with surprise making me grin.
“I'm kissing my girl. I want them to see,” I say, my eyes rolling to my brother as I give him a smirk. “I'll be right back.”
I let Tucker lead the way, following as he walks out the front, stomping around the brick building. I know now we are about to come to blows. I don't give a fuck. My brother needs to stay away from Tillie.
She’s mine. I’m addicted to her. The more I have, the more I want. She makes me feel alive again.
Hell, leaving her this morning made me feel miserable. I know myself enough to know that means what I feel for Tillie is special, and I'm not going to let her go.
