AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, hush,” Andy said. “You know that’s not how it played out. You were the big brother I always wanted.”
Cord waved a hand dismissively. “You would’ve hated if I were your brother.”
Shaking his head, Andy turned to Maisie. “Cord’s ten years older than me, and I looked up to him so much when I was a kid. He was the high school quarterback everyone still talks about. I didn’t know any boy who wasn’t in awe of him or any girl who didn’t want to marry him.”
“Yet, I chose an out-of-town gal who up and left me.” Cord dipped a piece of cornbread into his bowl of chili, avoiding everyone’s eye.
“Like someone else I know.” Andy flicked his eyes briefly to Maisie, not that anyone else noticed. Maisie was certain it was a warning aimed at her. But after a brief pause, he added, “Myself. I’m talking about me.”
“Ranch life isn’t for many women,” Drew said in a low voice. “Our mother included.”
Maisie wondered what led up to Drew’s mother leaving and what the fallout from it had been, but now wasn’t the time to ask. Considering how prickly Drew had become the moment she mentioned her mother, maybe there never would be a good time to bring it up.
“Which is why it’s college for you,” Andy told Hannah, who looked like she’d love nothing better than to pour her remaining chili over his head.
“I’m not as delicate as you think,” the girl responded through clenched teeth.
“Not saying that, but God gave you brains, so by God, you’re going to use them. Do you hear me?” Andy’s tone was stern, but the affection radiating from his eyes was unmistakable.
“You shouldn’t argue with your father,” Drew scolded. Maisie had to agree, though she and her father had engaged in similar arguments from time to time about what she planned to study or where she should go to school. She would’ve given anything for her dad to have seen her graduate before he died. She hoped Hannah never knew that kind of regret.
Hannah gnashed her teeth at Drew, who reciprocated in true big sister fashion, followed by tossing a chunk of cornbread at Hannah’s head.
“We don’t waste food in this family,” Andy said. He was still trying to sound stern, but the telltale signs of exhaustion showed in the corners of his eyes. Maisie knew that look, too, and recognized a proud man who would fight as hard as he could not to give in to weakness.
Just like her own father had been.
It nearly knocked the wind out of her, being here in this family setting after so many years of missing it in her own life. It was nothing like she’d pictured when she and Drew were in Las Vegas, and she’d assumed the cocky woman rode around in limousines and private jets, with a father who was some sort of oil tycoon from a television soap opera. Here, Maisie was in a quaint, if somewhat outdated, kitchen, surrounded by real people who clearly meant the world to Drew and to each other. Maisie found herself caring, too.
Especially about poor, beleaguered Andy.
Maisie knew sometimes it helped to have another person join you in battle. Since Cord was clearly on Hannah’s team, and Drew was too busy trying to play mother, father, and head rancher all at once, that left Maisie to take Andy’s side.
“You especially shouldn’t waste it when the cornbread is this good.” Maisie plucked another piece from the middle of the table, truly grateful her appetite was returning. “Cord, you’ll have to share your secret ingredient so I can make it myself.”
She said this for two reasons. First, to stop whatever battle was happening between Drew and her father and sister. Second, because the bread really was so good that Maisie was almost inspired to learn to cook just so she could make it. It felt like home, which was something Maisie had missed more than she’d realized.
She’d had a hellacious couple of days, so full of ups and downs Maisie could hardly see straight. Yet, she’d managed to land on her feet. She had a warm place to stay now. Good food in her belly. She even had the company of a kind family that had welcomed her with open arms. Maisie felt more positive about her life than she had in ages. The only thing that would’ve made it better is if any of it had actually been real.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
“Here. Wear this.”Drew held out a black hoodie for Maisie, the standard attire for visiting the cows out in the pasture. Though, as it was Drew’s hoodie, it would dwarf the petite woman standing close by.
Adorably so, Drew added in her mind before she had the good sense to think better of it. The rush of warmth that engulfed her was most annoying, and it was her own damn fault. If she was going to survive Maisie’s time on the ranch, Drew was going to have to master all those gooey emotions that kept leaking out and toughen the hell up. If only she could figure out how when even a hoodie could make her go soft.
Nose wrinkling, Maisie took the hoodie between a thumb and forefinger. “Is this the one you wore yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re wearing an identical one today?”
Drew shrugged. If black hoodies offended the city girl’s fashion sensibilities, that wasn’t her fault.
“Why?” Maisie demanded. “I know there must be a reason. If you want me to learn about ranch life to help with marketing, I’ll need more than shrugs. Words. Non-ranch people live by them.”
“This is why ranchers prefer cows to people,” Drew told her, although it wasn’t exactly true in this particular case. In the days since Maisie had arrived, Drew had been in better spirits than she could remember in quite some time. “Cows are by far the best coworkers. Well, unless one tramples you.”
Maisie’s eyes grew wide, and it was clear she was rethinking her request for an up-close tour of the ranch and its animals. “Does that happen a lot?”
