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I think of my little brother Grady and how he has a following thanks to his social media account. Sure, we all gave him shit about it when he first started, but now he’s opening for Cole Swindell so ...
It grates at me. The fucking perverse hypocrisy of it all. Guests come to the ranch to get away, and us invading their solitude so we can put it on social media just to make a dime, to survive? It’s horseshit.
Stede’s expression turns grave. “Now I don’t want to bring you more trouble, son, but unfortunately, that’s what I’m here to do. We got some developers making the rounds again.”
I roll my eyes. Every few years, some L.A. firm sends their suits to Resurrection. They make offers and try to buy up the land, but we all tell them to get fucked. No way in hell is anyone putting a Sweet Green on Main Street.
“Isn’t just any slick-haired developer,” Stede continues. “It’s Declan Valiante.”
I grunt. “That guy running for governor?”
I vaguely remember seeing aggressive campaign ads around town and on television. Some influential land developer with money who moved to Montana from L.A. and thinks he knows what the fuck we need.
A curt nod. “One and the same.” Steed strokes his long mustache. “He’s been sending people around Resurrection.”
That gets my attention. “What kind of people?”
Stede holds my gaze. “Mean people, Charlie. People who make your life a living hell.” He shifts, stretching out his legs. “DVL Equities isn’t above playing dirty. Declan sends fellas from Montana. Men who put the west in this western. They come talk to you, make a deal, but if you refuse, they fuck you up. Find out what you owe, what problems you’re having, and make it their business. Maybe they talk to your bank. Maybe they harass you. Maybe you take a trip downriver. Either way, it’s some fucking underhanded shit.”
“Should I be worried?”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out. When I work my connections, I’ll let you know.” Stede winces as he reclines back in the chair. I lean forward and help him drag the blanket up his legs. “Now I’m not telling you this so you cave. I’m telling you this so you can take it personal, partner. So you can be prepared.”
“How prepared?”
He thinks about it. “I reckon you can’t go wrong with a shotgun and good security.”
“Fuck.” I run a palm over my jaw, trying to tamp down the pit in my stomach.
This is going to be a mess.
Once again, I wonder what I’ve gotten my brothers into. If the video affects the ranch, if we can’t pay our loan, if the developers catch wind of our trouble ... I don’t have a plan out of this mess. It feels like everything is crumbling around me. And if we lost the ranch ...
The rock in my throat turns to a boulder.
“Get out of here, kid,” Stede says with a grin as a nurse approaches. “You don’t want to see this.”
I shove out of my chair and shake his hand. “Appreciate the advice, Stede.”
“Don’t forget, we got Family next week,” he calls after me in his booming voice. “Get the boys together and we’ll figure out how to fix this.”
I swear under my breath and head for the elevator. The last thing I want to do is sit around a campfire with my brothers and tell them we’re fucked. They shouldn’t have to worry about me anymore. I got them into this mess, and it’s my goddamn job to fix it.
Fuck. What else can go wrong?
I get my answer pretty damn quick when I step off the elevator and slam into a willowy wall of sunshine.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.”
I glance down at the bright chirp of a voice.
On the lobby floor, Ruby’s scrambling for her purse that got dropped in our collision. Unable to stop it, my eyes drift over her body. Long, tan legs. Rosebud lips. Shapely thighs. Supple ass barely covered by another damn sundress. Lavender this time.
She looks up and gasps. Her blue eyes go wide as she takes me in before she turns her attention back to her belongings.
Having her on her hands and knees in front of me is doing things to my sanity. Not to mention my libido.
I drop beside her. My gaze lingers on her things. The cell phone screen lighting up with five missed calls. The orange pill bottle toppled on the shiny tile.
