Stealing Hearts (Wild at Heart #1)

18. PAIGE

18

PAIGE

“Here’s another blanket,” Rhett says as he slips his thumb through his belt loop on his jeans.

I now have four. “This is great. Thanks.”

He scans my side of his bedroom like it pisses him off. “When I get that loan, I’ll buy you a better couch. This one’s crap.”

“It’s really okay.”

He motions to the bathroom. “Wanna use the facilities first?”

“Sure.” Ugh, this is so weird. We’re married. We’ve seen each other totally naked. We’ve gotten each other off. But we’re acting like two people on a blind date.

One thing is clear. I don’t understand Rhett Walker at all.

As I go to brush my teeth and wash my face, I’m still not sure what to make of tonight. Rhett had every opportunity to go live his best married life—as a single man. I tried to give him space. I offered to only come over if he needed me to meet with him and Harlan. I kept my emotions at bay so he wouldn’t feel bad or guilty.

And he still wanted me to return home with him.

I consider the man in the other room. He’s covered in mud, hasn’t slept in forty-eight hours, and he spent the last fifteen minutes fussing over me and my sleeping situation. My heart melts a little.

Awkward Rhett is adorable, but I definitely prefer asshole Rhett. Because that version of him will be easier to leave in six months.

When I’m done, I head back to our bedroom.

I find him passed out, muddy boots and all, on his bed. He’s leaning against the oak headboard with his arms crossed over his chest, like he was so tired he needed to sit down while he waited for me and fell asleep.

His thick hair looks like he raked his dirty fingers through it more than once today. He has sexy scruff on his chin like he hasn’t shaved in a few days. He’s wearing an open long-sleeved button-down over a t-shirt I suspect might’ve started out white.

Does he really want to sleep like this? He’s going to get mud everywhere.

“Rhett.” I gently shake him, and he doesn’t budge. “Rhett,” I say a little louder.

Nothing.

Poor guy. He’s exhausted.

Now that I know what he was up against last night and today, I feel bad I wasn’t more understanding. I still think he was wrong to leave me at the cabin by myself, and I was humiliated he sent his brother this afternoon, but I get it. The Amber situation was really bad, and the boys were so upset, her yelling made Austin physically ill. Or at least that’s what their pediatrician explained to Rhett when it happened before.

I’d been stewing all night and morning, and when I saw Beau at the cabin, something in me snapped. I don’t do well with humiliation. I suppose no one does, but after what happened in high school where the whole town made fun of me, it’s definitely one of my buttons that’s easily pushed.

I let my eyes wander over Rhett. Even when he’s asleep, he’s sexy. His arms are roped with muscle. His waist is lean, and underneath his clothes, I know it’s stacked with ridges. His thighs are perfectly encased in those worn jeans.

Let’s not forget about that loaded weapon in his denim.

Why does he have to have a perfect body? Now that I’ve seen every square inch of it, keeping some distance will be harder. Heaven help me, I can’t be lusting over this man for the next several months, or I’ll go crazy.

I head to the foot of the bed and tug off his boots before I fold the comforter over him and turn off the lights. Then I sit on the couch a few feet away.

“Goodnight, husband. Sleep tight.”

Bright sunlight pouring through the window wakes me close to ten. Yawning, I look for Rhett, but the bed is made. Maybe he’s in the kitchen. After I use the bathroom, I grab one of his long-sleeved flannels from his closet and throw it on. Then I wander down the hall. I find him and his brothers speaking in somber tones at the kitchen table.

“Morning. Can I make y’all some breakfast?” Might as well make myself useful.

Rhett gives me a soft smile, then shoots Jace a dirty look when he laughs and says, “Breakfast was hours ago.”

I tuck my hands deeper into the sleeves of Rhett’s flannel. “What time did you get up?”

Beau sips his coffee. “Around five.”

My eyes widen. “Oh, wow. Okay. I’m sorry. I’ll set my alarm clock early tomorrow.”

Rhett heads to the kitchen, and I follow him. “No sense in that, wildflower. You might as well get your beauty sleep. You don’t need to rush to the office. I can’t get in there till about noon anyway. Want some coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

“You still take it with extra cream and two sugars?”

He remembers how I took my coffee when I was fifteen. Why can’t this man be mine? It takes me a second to catch my breath. “No sugar, just the cream, please.” He stills for a moment, and I chuckle. “Ignore the innuendo. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I know, honey.” He winks.

Actually, I would love to mean those words, but we promised we’d be platonic. And that’s a solid, adult decision because I don’t think my heart can take getting naked with Rhett again and leaving him in a few months.

Which it looks like I’ll have to do because the man does not want to stay married, and no amount of wishing will change him.

Jace and Beau shoot each other a look. I suppose I should get used to that. I’m the interloper here.

Rhett hands me my cup. “Thanks for taking off my boots,” he says.

“I felt bad you fell asleep like that after chasing all those cattle.”

Reaching out, he tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. “A long day in the saddle is good for a man’s constitution.”

Ugh, I could get lost in his beautiful dark brown eyes.

Beau coughs. “I hate to interrupt, but we need to discuss those contract terms.”

“What’s there to discuss?” Rhett heads back to the table and sits in front of a stack of paper. “I’m gonna sign it. Where else are we gonna get the money?”

“It’s twenty percent interest.”

My eyes widen. “How much is the loan?” I ask the question before I can think better of it. Really, it’s none of my business.

“Hundred grand.” Beau waves at the stack in front of his brother. “We need the cash, but that’s a steep price to pay.”

I grab a seat next to Rhett and turn to him. “That’s a lot of interest, right?”

“We don’t have a choice. We have a major cash flow problem. And because of that drought last year, our cattle weren’t heavy enough for market last month.”

Jace chugs his water. “Our trailer broke down and needs work, so even if we wanted to sell a few heads to get by, we couldn’t swing it.”

Rhett taps on the table. “Yeah, the interest sucks, but the bridge loan allows us to hold off on making any payments until the due date. That’ll help me get caught up on the mortgage, make payroll, fix the trailer, get extra bales of hay—the list goes on and on. The only downside besides the interest is the collateral.”

I lean forward. “Which is what?”

“Our horses, our trucks, and all our machinery.” His voice gets quiet. “And if we lose that, I’m not sure how we keep the ranch.”

My eyes widen. “And if you don’t take this loan?” There has to be another way.

“We lose the ranch later this month, thanks to a second mortgage we didn’t know about.” He explains that his father took it out while at the nursing home. “I only found out about it a few weeks ago when I went to pay the final bill at Shady Pines and they finally gave me our father’s belongings. That’s how we missed the notice of default and the bank’s other warnings.”

“So if you hadn’t gotten those items, the bank could have foreclosed, and you wouldn’t have known until it was repossessing the ranch?”

“Pretty much. Because all of the invoices were being mailed to the nursing home.” He lets out a weary sigh. “Dad signed a power of sale clause that means the bank has a preauthorization to sell the property without taking us to court. It expedites the process.”

“Is there any way to contest the loan itself? Your dad was in a freaking nursing home. Did he have the mental capability to know what he was signing?”

“That asshole was playing poker with his old buddies every week,” Jace says. “He seemed sharp to me.”

This whole situation is so messed up. “I thought Harlan was a family friend. Why’s the interest on your loan so high? Why did he make you jump through hoops just to hit you with twenty percent?”

Rhett leans forward and presses his face into his hands, then shrugs. “Had I known that was the price, I wouldn’t have dragged you into my mess. But that’s what I get for not asking the terms. I just figured it would be fair, and I suppose it is. Some banks are charging twenty-five percent interest for a personal loan right now. I got twenty percent because this is a four-month loan. Besides, it’s not like we have great credit.”

I feel like I’m not seeing the whole picture. “Did Harlan’s bank give your father the second mortgage too?”

He shakes his head. “Different bank. Harlan would’ve given us a heads-up.”

Rhett looks so tired, like he’s just hanging on. I cover his big, rough hand with mine. “Are we going to be able to repay the loan and all that interest?”

He squeezes my palm. “Gonna try my damnedest. I’ll go through the books this week and see what we can cut back on, but we gotta stop losing cattle.”

“How many have we lost?” I let go of his hand and grab my coffee.

Beau sighs. “One wandered into a field with moldy sweet clover, and we didn’t get to him in time. And we never found two, though where those fuckers went, I’ll never know. It’s like they disappeared off the planet. If we wanna cover our nut this fall, we’re gonna need every one of those beautiful beasts.”

“Do we know who’s cutting the fences?”

All three brothers say the name at the same time. “Cash McAllister.”

Damn. “Cash is behind this mess? Are you serious?”

The McAllisters and Walkers have had a long-standing feud for decades. I can’t imagine how hard this must be for Rhett, especially after Amber cheated with Cash.

Rhett rakes his hands through his hair. “It’s either the McAllisters or the mayor. You know how Eileen Gold wants to run a highway through town? She offered to buy up half our property. Where the hell am I supposed to graze our cattle?”

I didn’t know about the highway. Wild Heart has changed a lot since I graduated high school. Locals used to want to keep this place off the map. “I’m guessing you turned down her offer.”

He scowls. “I told her to shove it up her chimney. That woman offered us a quarter of what it’s worth.”

As I sip my coffee, I think about Mayor Gold. I went to school with her sister. The Golds are one of those founding Wild Heart families who always think they’re entitled to make decisions for the entire community. “So you think she hired some guys to do it?”

“It’s possible.” He crosses his arms. “My money’s still on the McAllisters, though. They’re the most likely assholes. I’m thinking it’s time to visit those fuckers again.”

Beau nods. “I’ll get the shotguns.”

What the hell? “Y’all are not going to show up on their porch with shotguns.”

Rhett stands. “This is Texas cattle land. Of course we are.”

Alarmed, I grab his arm. “Please don’t do this now. Wait a few days and see if the sheriff gets any leads. A few head of cattle are not worth dying over.”

“Paige, if we let this go, this could escalate, and we can’t afford to lose more steer.”

“Just… It’s not worth getting shot.” Because the McAllisters have shotguns too. “Please. Let’s see if the sheriff gets any leads.”

He stares at me long and hard before he blows out a breath. “We’ll see. I can’t make any promises.”

At least he’s not charging over to Cash’s house.

The back door slams, and the boys race in. Rhett’s eyes immediately light up, and he sits back down and holds out his arms. “How’re my favorite cowboys?”

“Good!” the older one shouts.

They crawl up into his lap, and he turns them to face me.

My heart thumps hard in my chest. I can’t believe this is the first time I’m meeting his children.

Oh, my God. I hope they like me.