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Smiling, I lock eyes with Charlie. I make a move to go to him, but I shift too fast and the sudden movement wrenches my healing rib. I try to keep my face neutral, but Charlie’s quick. At the sight of my wince, he immediately breaks conversation and heads my way.
He reaches me and takes my arm. “You’re sitting down,” he says, voice tight. “Now.”
Max waves his beer. “He’s right. Onward, Rubes.”
I roll my eyes but let them herd me into the living room. Two hours later, after a lunch of apple pie and whiskey, the house clears out. Stede and Fallon leave after hard hugs all around. Tina drives my father and brother to the airport. Which leaves me, Charlie, and his brothers sitting around the living room.
I curl up next to Charlie on the couch and smile at the sunlight streaming through the windows. “Today was the best day.”
Tracing slow lines over my bare thigh, Charlie presses a kiss to my temple. “Sunflower status?”
“Most definitely.” I scan my eyes around the room, happiness blooming inside of me. “Everyone I love confined to one impossibly small space. Perfection.”
“Gonna get even better,” Wyatt cackles, kicking a boot up on his knee. “Wait until you see what I got here.” He waves his phone and leans over Charlie to hand it to me.
I gasp and rocket to sitting. “Oh my god. You used the photo.”
On the front page of theBillings Gazetteis the photo I took of Declan Valiante with the headline: DEVELOPER’S AFFAIR SCANDAL! RANCH SABOTAGE! VALIANTE CAUGHT IN THE ACT!
Eyes wide, I look up at Charlie. “When did you do this?”
A blanket of awkward silence fills the room. I see Ford and Davis communicating silently.
Finally, Davis speaks up from his spot in the recliner. “We put it out after you were hurt,” he says, offering an explanation. “Valiante won’t have a campaign after this.”
“What’d I say?” Charlie snaps, grabbing Wyatt’s phone like he could crush it. Anger hardens the line of his jaw. “No stress.”
Wyatt blanches. “Shit. Sorry.”
“Charlie.” I lay a hand on his clenched forearm. Anger comes off him in waves. “Let’s take a walk.”
His piercing blue eyes snap to me. “You should rest,” he says on a rocky exhale.
Ignoring him, I stand. Charlie’s immediately on his feet.
“Ten minutes,” I tell him, getting a nod of agreement from Davis.
“Ruby.”
“Please.”
He stares at me, then nods, slips his Stetson on his head.
We don’t talk about where we’re headed, we just drift there. Automatically.
Intrinsically.
Charlie and I come to a stop in the pasture, our gazes on the charred remains of the barn. Rubble litters the blackened earth of the pasture, and the scent of smoke still lingers. The memories of the destruction of that night, the sight of an empty field of horses, has hot tears filling my eyes.
“I’m so sorry about the barn,” I whisper.
“We’ll rebuild,” Charlie says, gruffly. “It’s all replaceable, Ruby. You’re not.”
I link my fingers with Charlie’s. He makes a noise in his throat, pulls me closer.
“Charlie,” I say. “Are you okay?”
“I just ...” Shoulders tensing, then crumpling, he shakes his head.
