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“So, Braxton, what’s the deal, man? You and Jimbob official or what?” Ryan asks with a waggle of his eyebrows.
“Yeah, we are,” I say, and Ryan hoots loudly.
“Fuck yes. I knew it. You were all angry and broody, but you wanted his balls.”
“Jesus,” Braxton mutters, shaking his head, and I can’t help but chuckle. Damn Ryan and his way with words.
“Well, congrats. I’m so happy for you two.”
“Yeah?” Braxton asks, not really believing my stepbrother. But I get it. It took a while for me to understand what was sincere and what wasn’t.
“Yep-a-doodle, Braxy-Bear. I mean it. Jimbob is a happy fucker now.”
I grin at Braxton, nodding, and he manages a small, wobbly smile at me. I’ll take it. I so will.
The food is delivered shortly after, covering the entire table, and we dig in. Ryan eats the majority of it while telling Beck about how he needs to start selling his cheese online or to the major stores in Kansas City. That’s when Braxton chimes in.
“I could make you a website,” Braxton says quietly.
“Yeah?” Beck says, leaning in and looking interested.
“Yeah, I could. I could send you a sample and see what you think?”
“He so wants this,” Ryan pipes up. “The world needs his cheese.”
“I just don’t know if I’m ready to expand and grow that big.”
“You are,” Ryan says and then drapes an arm over Beck’s shoulder. Beck almost seems to lean into him as Ryan whispers something in his ear, and I see Beck blush. Well, I’m telling you. Beck has it bad.
Not that I think Ryan knows. He’s simply clueless.
He probably just thinks Beck is happy that Ryan is such a good babysitter. Although, I don’t know how Beck ever trusted him with his kids. Ryan is a wild card.
“Well, it doesn’t have to be a commitment, just a sample and you can decide. I can set up an online store too.”
“Sounds good,” Ryan says before Beck can turn him down. Thank god for Ryan. I don’t want Braxton to get shot down, and because of my stepbrother, he hasn’t been.
“I can make your family an online store too. I have a lot of ideas,” Braxton says softly in my ear.
I lean down and pull him in for a kiss because that sounds amazing. He’s amazing.
“I can’t wait to see what you come up with. You’re a genius.”
“No, I’m not, Jimbob. I’m a high school grad with a sort-of skill. Self-taught. It’s not genius.”
“It is to me. I know you can bring our farm into the twenty-first century. I want to do all the things you suggest.”
And I mean it. I already have plans. The farm animal snacks, selling things to the town via our website, even thought of getting my own bees to make my own goddamn honey.
But then again, I don’t want to detract from my mom.
I’ll have to pick Braxton’s brain and see what he thinks. He’s smarter than he realizes. He has a real knack for business.
He thinks of things that I never would.
“Wanna play a round of darts?” Hayes asks, a bit of french fry hanging on his lips.
“You gotta wipe your mouth, man,” Ryan says, and I nod.
