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“Not today. Let’s go.” I glare at him, making sure he understands. Then I glance back at my friend. “Thanks so much, Kel. I should be back in about an hour or so.”
“No problem, and don’t bother coming back. I’ve got you covered. I’ll stay behind the bar until Roxy comes in. You take it easy.”
Shocked, I open my mouth, ready to protest her sweet offer, but Kelly keeps talking. “And good riddance, Travis.” She twists her lips and makes a childish face at him.
My dumbass brother does the same as I nudge him toward the door. If we don’t leave now, these two will be at each other’s throats.
Suddenly, the queasiness is back, but it isn’t morning sickness. I’m nervous about this appointment. I’ve no clue what it entails and all I want is for the baby to be healthy. For everything to be all right.
5
RIDGE
Chastity sweeps out from the Hidden Gem Salon in a flurry of bags and hairspray. She looks like she belongs in the Big Apple, instead of on Main Street in Prospect, Montana—or at least the TV version of New York, where everything’s high-end, overdone glitz.
“Well?” She beams at me and does a little twirl. “How do I look?”
Honestly, she looks identical to how she did two hours ago, before she went in for what she called arefresh, but I’m not about to say that shit out loud.
Instead, I give her a curt nod. “You look real nice.”
From her reaction, that was clearly not the answer she was looking for. Her mouth pinches and a fine line forms between her perfectly manicured eyebrows.
“Nice?” she mimics.
I hold back my sigh. “Yep. Real nice.”
We stare each other down, neither of us giving in to the other’s silent demand, until it feels like we’re both wilting a little under the midday sun.
I wish I’d worn my Stetson. When I decided to leave it at home, I thought it would be easier to put up with my brain getting a little baked than to listen to my uptight fiancée complain about my manners, but now I’m having some serious regrets about that choice.
How this woman grew up on a ranch is beyond me. She sees one speck of dirt, one sign of what she considers unrefined behavior, and she acts like the sky is falling.
Even Mama, with all her grandiose ideas of class and power, still understands the core values of what we do. Of who we are.
We may have gardeners, maids, and a world-class chef on staff—hell, we’re even evolving with the times and moving forward on an environmental sustainability plan—but we’re still cattle ranchers. Most everything about our business is done in the dirt, and some would consider it uncouth. Fuck, most of our money comes from all the filthy and underhanded deals my pa made. Deals Mama and I still honor and still make to this day.
More and more I’m realizing Chastity doesn’t fit into that picture. If she had half a clue about some of the things I’ve done…the things I like to do…
“C’mon,” I say, turning my back on her and shoving down my misery.
Happiness doesn’t factor here. It can’t. Not with Pa’s will controlling my goddamn destiny, and Mama still determined to make his last wishes stick. Not if I want Canyon Spring Ranch.
“Don’t want to keep Mama waiting. You know how much she values shit like punctuality.”
Chastity doesn’t argue, but from the punchy staccato of her heels against the sidewalk behind me, it’s obvious she isn’t thrilled with me. Or maybe it’s mycolorfullanguage. Who the hell knows.
I’m torn between wanting to walk faster to leave her in my dust and turning ’round to apologize. Not that I’m at all sorry, but it’ll sure make the rest of this afternoon easier if she thinks we’re on the same page.
I ease my pace, ready to do some big-time fake groveling, when a couple on the other side of the street catches my attention. They’re a good fifty feet or more away, and their backs are to me, but I’d know those curvy hips and the thick flow of sable hair anywhere. Lacy.
A jolt of lust—hot, heady, and demanding as fuck—rockets through my body at the sight of her. When the man she’s with slings a possessive arm over her shoulders, another feeling altogether, something akin to jealous rage, rocks me to my core.
Who the hell is this guy? A boyfriend? A lover?
Lacy never mentioned having another man in her life. Not that there was much opportunity between hopping into bed together and our blowup over the impending outcome of that romp.
Still, she never acted like she was attached to someone. Hell, she said she didn’t want to be a burden and I kind of assumed she meant to anyone. Not just me.
