Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 114068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 570(@200wpm)___ 456(@250wpm)___ 380(@300wpm)
“To pick up one horse?” I eye him. “I know what you’re doing.”
He yanks on his seat belt. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”
“You’re not as dumb as you look.”
“Dude, stop calling yourself dumb. Sawyer’s always telling Ella to be kind to herself, and I think you should too.”
Releasing the brake, I let out a sound that’s half chuckle, half groan. “I made an identical twin joke without meaning to. Ha.”
“Good thing your twin was smart enough to catch it.”
“Hey. I thought I was the smart one.”
Ryder lifts his Stetson off his head and runs a hand through his hair. “Can’t we both be smart?”
“I guess. But I’m smarter.”
He chuckles. “Still jealous I was the favorite, yeah?”
“You were the favorite only when Wyatt wasn’t.”
“Salty.”
I grin. “Honest.”
We bump over the dirt road that leads away from the equipment barn. Digging into his pocket, Ryder pulls out his knife and turns it over in his hands. He doesn’t release the blade; instead he admires the wood grain of the handle. “I was bored. Wanted to go for a little drive.”
The knife belonged to Dad, his initials stamped on the clip-point metal blade. It was a gift from Mom on their wedding day. Ryder found it in the plastic bag of our parents’ belongings that the hospital gave us after they died. He’s had the knife on him ever since. I mean that literally—not once in the past twelve-plus years have I seen him without it.
“You’re hungover and you want to see Billie, even though I keep telling you that Colt’ll rip you a new one if you so much as lay a finger on her.”
His grin stays put as he replies, “Only one of those things is true.” He glances at me. “How’re you feeling today?”
I blow out a breath. How do I tell my brother I tossed and turned all night, beating myself up over what I did—and didn’t—say to Wheeler at the Rattler?
I also woke up hard. Girl was so fucking sexy. Her sense of humor, her intelligence, those legs—
Christ, I’m dying just thinking about it.
I shift my hand on the wheel. The sun glints off the polished handle of Ryder’s pocketknife, making me blink. “Been better. Shouldn’t have had that last beer.”
“What the hell happened? Seemed like you and Wheeler were really hitting it off. Then poof, she just disappeared. Mollie said she slept in her room at the New House, which means she didn’t sleep in yours.”
Wheeler’s car was parked there when I headed that way for breakfast at half past four this morning. She didn’t come out to eat with us. But when Wyatt stopped by the New House to chat with Patsy an hour or so ago, he said the car was gone.
My lungs burn. Wheeler and I have chemistry. We were definitely having fun. I’m not making any of that up. Clearly she was looking for a good time. But the second I hinted that I’d be interested in more, she bolted.
Huh.
Makes me think that underneath her flirty exterior lies some kind of wound.
I’d know, because I got one too. Only mine seeks comfort, whereas hers seeks solitude.
“I don’t know what happened,” I say. “But I’m gonna find out.”
“You should. Ain’t seen you corner someone that way in an age.”
“We don’t get much fresh blood in these parts.”
He tilts his head. “Don’t pretend like it’s blood you’re after. Seems like she’s your equal. Y’all are smart and curious about the world, and you both like to pretend you suck at darts when in reality, y’all are scary good at it.”
“Awful observant for a guy who was ripping shots all night.”
“Hey. We had a lot to celebrate. And I was just trying to keep up with Billie.” He lets out a low whistle as he lifts his hips and tucks the knife back into his pocket. “Girl can drink anyone under the table. Colt says she came out of the womb that way—reins in one hand, bottle of tequila in the other.”
Billie is one of the Wallaces’ six children. Growing up with five brothers, she learned early to hold her own.
She also learned early that Ryder was the favorite in our family for a reason. He’s the baby for starters, a whole ten minutes younger than me. He’s got a big heart, although that means he’s easily hurt. He’s also smarter than he gives himself credit for.
Billie hides it well, but she’s been in love with my brother for as long as I can remember. Ryder likes the attention. Who wouldn’t? And I think he could fall in love with her too, real easy.
But because he’s so smart, he knows that’d just end in disaster. Colt, Billie’s brother, hasn’t had it easy—like Sawyer, he’s a single dad—so we’ve all made sure not to rock his boat any more than it’s already been rocked. Especially since Ryder and I have a bit of a reputation. We’re not playboys by any means, but we’re also no angels. I’m too restless to sit still and behave, and Ryder’s just got too much to offer the world to stay put or stay small.