Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 115683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
“Beck!” Mack calls, his eyes never leaving me. “Come here, would you? I think we have a problem.”
Beck’s shoulders sag with relief. He jogs over, shaking out his hand. No doubt it’s covered in maple syrup. We coat the bridle with something sweet when we know we’re dealing with a difficult horse. Makes a mess, but it usually works.
Unless you’re dealing with Polka-Dot here. Then it doesn’t do a damn thing to end the breaking process any faster.
Usually, shit like this really fucks with my day. By quitting time, I’m filled to the brim with rage.
But right now, all I feel is…light. Calm. Cheesy as that sounds.
I also feel very, very horny. And excited. Tomorrow is Friday. Which means I get to see Lainey again. Maybe get her naked.
Maybe finally kiss her even.
Get her under me finally. She went riding with Dean one day after he got home from school, so I saw her then. She was also in the stables a few times. We’ve flirted, but I’m always left wanting more.
“What’s up?” Beck asks, hopping over the gate.
Mack motions to me. “Look at him.”
“I’m lookin’.” Beck screws up an eye against the sun. “Wait, what am I looking for? He seems…fine.”
“Exactly!” Mack moves his hands up and down in front of me. “Have you ever known our fearless leader to be fine?”
Beck blinks. Blinks again. “You’re right. Colt, where is your scowl? And your mean little squint?”
“You have a mean little squint too,” I reply, starting to sweat.
“Mine’s not mean.” Beck sounds offended. “Hold up. Hold up. You’re not being mean either. And you’re not angry. You’re actually—”
“Pleasant.” Mack shakes his head. “Something’s up.”
Fuck me, I hadn’t thought about my brothers finding out I’ve been hooking up with Lainey. Well, I knew they’d find out because they’re gonna see me with her tomorrow night if they go out. I guess I just hoped they’d know to leave well enough alone. I deserve to have some fun, damn it. Everyone else in our family does.
You were an idiot to believe they’d not want to know.
Not because they care. But because they wanna give me a hard time about it.
Also. Let’s not forget Lainey is technically our employee. Sure, people hook up all the time on ranches. Proximity plus lack of other options equals lots of “commingling.” But it’s different when you’re the foreman and you’re a dad and the employee in question is seven years younger than you are.
Red flag, red flag, red flag.
How unlike me not to think this through. That does make me angry.
Then again, I feel like I’m always mad at myself, so what’s new? And that night, Lainey came over like one giant green flag. We played. We laughed. We talked about real shit.
“Wait. Wait.” Beck peers at me, his eyes going wide as recognition dawns. “Oh my God. You got laid, didn’t you?”
Mack’s mouth falls open. “You got laid? By who?”
“Why is that such a fucking shock to you?” I ask, knowing very well why it would be such a fucking shock that I did indeed fool around with someone. I can count on one hand the number of girls I’ve hooked up with in the three years since Abby passed.
“Holy shit, Colt.” Beck’s face splits into a shit-eating grin as he claps me on the shoulder. “It’s Lainey, isn’t it?”
“Lainey?” Mack, that jackass, is trying not to laugh. “I knew it! Age is only a number.”
“It is indeed,” Beck adds, looking at me. “I picked up on that tension the day y’all met. It’s like y’all hatin’ on each other was your foreplay or something.”
“Please never say the word ‘foreplay’ again when you’re with me, thanks. You’re also guilty of instigating shit by giving her my number.”
Beck just keeps grinning. “You’re welcome. And what’s wrong with foreplay? Nothing at all, if your good mood is any indication.”
“I mean, I get why you like her,” Mack adds. “She’s gorgeous—”
“Don’t.” I’m back to grunting. “And please don’t say anything to anyone else about…um, anything. Not that there’s anything to tell, but—yeah, Lainey’s an employee. She’s workin’ hard. Don’t wanna fuck with that, yeah?”
Beck puts a hand on his chest. “You got my word.”
Mack nods. “Same. But I’m just sayin’, she’s a lovely person. Not who I would’ve necessarily picked for you, granted. You know, her being—”
“Nice?” Beck tilts his head. “Smart? Different?”
Mack makes a pistol with his thumb and forefinger. “Bingo.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, dickheads.” I drape my forearms over the top railing.
Mack nudges me. “You know we’re just busting your chops. I’m actually pretty dang thrilled by this development.”
“Maybe different is good.” Beck squints at me. “Maybe it’s what you need.”
His unspoken words hang in the air between us. Lainey is different from Abby.
I’ll always love the mother of my son, but when we were deep in the trenches and I was debating whether to agree to a separation, I often thought that if I could go back and do things differently, I wouldn’t have married her. We were so young. So unaware of the larger world that existed outside the little bubble of Hartsville.