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1
Jackson
The icy November wind bites at my face as I stride through the pastures, my feet crunching against the thick layer of snow that fell overnight. Winter is officially arriving at Blaze Valley Ranch, turning the meadows white and powdery as far as the eye can see. It might look pretty, but there’s a lot to do if I want my cattle to stay warm this winter. My list of tasks is a mile long. I can’t afford to be distracted.
Unlike the rest of my brothers.
As if on cue, I catch sight of Hunter and his wife, Avery, walking together in the distance, inspecting the fences around their section of ranchland. Suddenly, before I know what’s happening, they’re all over each other, the two distant figures melting into one as my brother pushes his wife up against the fence, kissing her frantically. I look away, unable to stop my eyes rolling. I swear none of my brothers can keep their hands off their wives for more than five seconds. I’m the only Ryder brother who hasn’t completely lost his mind.
Blaze Valley Ranch used to be just my four brothers and me, each of us in charge of our own parcel of land. We worked hard and kept to ourselves, rearing our cattle and working the ranch. But over the last few years, things have changed. It all started with my brother, Holt. He fell crazy in love with his ranch hand and married her as fast as he could. After that, my brothers just kept on dropping like flies one after the other, all bitten by the love bug. Now they’re all happily married family men who are crazy about their wives and kids. I’m an uncle several times over now, and I swear the ranch feels more like a kindergarten some days. Not that I’m complaining. I love all my little nieces and nephews, and my four sisters-in-law are awesome too. It’s great to see my brothers happy. Blaze Valley Ranch is so full of joy and love now, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
But that sure as hell doesn’t mean I need a wife too.
My brothers might be devoted family men now, but I’ve been happily single for my thirty-eight years on this planet, and that’s not about to change. I like my own company. I prefer to keep my circle small. It’s just who I am. Aside from my brothers and their families, I don’t mix with anybody except my buddy, Cade. I guess some people might call me a loner, and that’s fine by me.
No way am I letting myself get bit by any love bug.
A loud howl of wind distracts me from my thoughts, and I look up at the swirling clouds overhead, frowning to myself.
“More damn snow,” I mutter darkly. “Just what we need.”
“Hey! Jackson!”
The shout is muffled against the bellowing wind, and I turn to the voice, spotting Cade waving me forward in the distance. I wrap my winter jacket tighter around me as I head toward my friend. Cade’s land shares a boundary with my section of Blaze Valley Ranch. He lives in a nearby mountain cabin at the base of Snowfall Ridge. I can see his home from my farmhouse, especially at night when it twinkles like Christmas lights at the base of the mountain.
“Hey,” I call as I reach him. “Everything okay?”
Cade looks totally unfazed by the cold. He’s a mountain man through and through.
“Everything’s fine,” he says, “but one of your fences is broken. Over by the frozen creek. I fixed it as best I can, but thought I should let you know in case there are any more breakages over there.”
I mentally add it to my long list of jobs. “Thanks for fixing it. I’ll go take a look once I’m finished insulating the stable.”
Cade nods, shooting me a rare smile. Something about him seems different—he’s not his usual gruff self. It’s almost like he’s excited about something. I’ve known him for twenty years, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look this cheerful. Even the wind seems to be calming down, like Cade’s good mood is spreading to the weather.
“You look pretty happy,” I tell him, raising a curious eyebrow. “Are you feeling okay?”
Cade chuckles. “I’m fine, asshole. I’m in a good mood because Maeve is coming today.”
“Damn, that’s today?” I ask, surprised. “That came around fast. Feels like only yesterday you told me she was coming to live with you.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. It will be a big adjustment living with somebody else after being on my own for so long. But I’m really looking forward to seeing her.”
His eyes twinkle as he talks. Cade might be a loner like me, but he’s clearly excited to see his younger sister, and hell, they deserve some happiness. Cade grew up in Chicago and had a miserable childhood with his strict, controlling parents. He left home when he was only seventeen—saved up for a plane ticket and flew out to Colorado. After so long stuck in his parents’ home, he was craving the freedom and wilderness of the mountains. Eventually, with years of hard work and saving money, he was able to buy a plot of land and build his own cabin. It was my father who sold the land to him—that’s how Cade and I met. It took Cade a long time to open up to me about his past, but with time, he was able to put it all behind him.
Until two years ago.
I still remember the look of total shock on his face when he told me.
“Jackson, I…fuck, I have a sister.”
Turns out Cade’s parents had another kid the year after he left home. Maeve. He didn’t even know she existed until she managed to track Cade down online after years of searching. They have spent the last two years trying to make up for lost time, and Cade has flown out to her college in Cincinnati several times to see her. Now she’s dropped out of college, and instead of heading back to her shitty parents in Chicago, she’s coming to live with Cade.
“I’m happy for you, buddy,” I tell him, reaching up to slap him affectionately on the shoulder. “I’m sure she’ll love it here.”
“I hope so. I really hope so.” Cade laughs humorlessly. “Hell, anything is better than living with our parents. I’m just glad she never has to go back to them.” He looks off into the distance for a moment, lost in thought, before he seems to pull himself together. “Anyway, I better go get ready. I’m heading to the airport soon. See you later, Jackson.”
“See you,” I say as he turns around to begin the walk back to his cabin. “Good luck.”
