Chapter 10 Devlin
TEN
DEVLIN
I park next to the curb and go to get out of my truck, but Atlee comes running out before I can. She opens the passenger-side door and hops up. “Hey.” I reach over, grabbing her chin and pulling her gaze to mine. “You doing okay?”
“Yeah.” She smiles. “Today was a lot better than I expected it to be.”
The anxiety I’ve been feeling since I dropped her off lessens.
The tightness in my chest eases. “Good, I’m really glad to hear that.
My brother and Aubree invited us over to the big house for dinner tonight.
Are you feeling up to it? It’ll just be us four.
I told them if you weren’t, we wouldn’t do it. ”
My gaze follows her hands as she runs her palms up and down her scrub-covered thighs.
“That would be fun. I know Aubree, not as well as Lennon does, but I like her. She’s always been an amazing friend to Lennon, and in turn, to me.
Maybe it’s time we stop keeping ourselves hidden from everyone else? ”
“I don’t know.” I give her a grin. “I like keeping you to myself.”
She grins back at me. “Yeah, but it’s probably not completely healthy mentally.”
While she’s not wrong, I still just want the two of us to be with one another.
I’ve never been so obsessed with someone.
I thought about her all day today while I was working, wondering how she was doing.
I even texted her, but because of where we were, the text didn’t go through, which is probably for the best. “Probably not, but we only have to answer to ourselves, right?”
“True. Thank you for today, Devlin. Hell, thank you for everything.”
Did she think I’d be anywhere else? “There’s no other place I’d rather fuckin’ be, Atlee. For some reason, the two of us met each other, and you were pushed into my life. I’m not about to let shit go just because it got hard. That’s not who I am.”
“And thank God for that.”
I put the truck in drive and pull away from the curb, stealing glances at her as she settles into the passenger seat.
Relief washes over me seeing her so relaxed.
All day, my mind had been creating worst-case scenarios—her breaking down, having a panic attack, or worse, the guy who’d hurt her somehow showing up.
“So how was it really?” I ask, keeping my voice casual. “And don’t bullshit me. I want to know.”
She sighs, looking out the window. “It was hard at first. Walking through that door…I thought I might throw up. But everyone was so kind. Joseph rearranged the whole pharmacy section so it wouldn’t look the same, and Payton kept things light, which helped.”
“And the customers?”
“Some were awkward. Most were nice. A few pretended nothing happened, which was actually kind of a relief.” She turns to look at me, those blue eyes of hers catching the late afternoon light. “Oh, and I saw Deputy Noah Sanchez watching you this morning when you dropped me off.”
My hands tighten on the steering wheel. “Watching me?”
“Yeah, he was across the street. Didn’t even look at me, just had his eyes on you the entire time. It was weird.”
Shit. That’s not good. Noah has been poking around the ranch lately, asking too many questions. I keep my face neutral, not wanting to worry her. “Probably nothing. He’s always been nosy.”
“Maybe,” she says, but I can tell she’s not convinced. “Anyway, I just thought you should know.”
“Thanks,” I say, reaching over to take her hand. “I appreciate you looking out for me.”
She squeezes my fingers. “Well, it goes both ways, right?”
“Right.” I bring her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss against her knuckles. “Always.”
As we drive toward the ranch, she tells me more about her day. I listen, asking questions when appropriate, but mostly just letting her talk. She seems lighter with each mile we cover, the tension easing from her shoulders.
“So…this dinner,” she says as we turn onto the long driveway that leads to the main house. “Will it be formal? I’m still in my work clothes.”
I glance at her scrubs. “You’re fine. It’s just Jesse and Aubree. Besides, nothing at the ranch is ever formal. We’re lucky if Jesse remembers to take his boots off before coming in the house.”
That gets a laugh out of her, which was my goal. The sound of it warms something inside me. I’ve never been the type of man who needs to make a woman laugh, but with Atlee, I find myself wanting to hear that sound as often as possible.
The main house comes into view, a large two-story structure that’s seen better days. Parts of the exterior are being renovated, with new boards replacing rotted ones and fresh paint covering the peeling old layer. It’s a work in progress, much like everything else at Grizzly River Ranch.
“I forget how beautiful this place is,” Atlee murmurs, taking in the sprawling property. “Even with all the work it needs.”
“It’ll get there,” I tell her. “Truett and Aubree are determined to restore it to its former glory. Just takes time and money, neither of which we have in abundance.”
I park near the front porch, cutting the engine. Before I can come around to her side, Atlee is already out of the truck, stretching her arms above her head. The movement pulls her scrub top up slightly, revealing a sliver of skin at her waist. My mouth goes dry at the sight.
“You ready?” I ask, my voice rougher than I intended.
She nods, dropping her arms. “Lead the way, cowboy.”
We don’t even make it to the front door before it swings open, revealing Aubree with her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, wearing jeans and a flannel that probably belongs to my brother.
“You made it!” she exclaims, stepping forward to envelop Atlee in a hug. “I’m so glad you could come.”
Atlee returns the hug, a genuine smile crossing her face. “Thanks for having us.”
Aubree pulls back, looking Atlee over with a critical eye. “You look good. How was today?”
“It was okay,” Atlee says simply. “Better than expected.”
Aubree seems to understand not to push for more details. Instead, she links her arm through Atlee’s. “Well, you’re in for a treat tonight. Cookie heard you were coming for dinner and insisted on making something special.”
I follow them inside, immediately hit with the smell of fried chicken and fresh-baked bread. My stomach growls in response. I’d been too distracted to eat lunch, worried about how Atlee was faring at work.
“Cookie made this just for me?” Atlee asks, sounding surprised as we enter the kitchen.
“Sure did,” Aubree confirms. “Said every girl deserves her favorite meal after a hard day. Hope you like fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and cornbread.”
Atlee’s eyes widen. “That’s…that’s actually my favorite. How did he know?”
“Cookie knows everything,” I say, placing my hand on the small of her back. “It’s a little unnerving sometimes.”
“It’s because I listen,” comes a gruff voice from the pantry. Cookie emerges, a stout man in his sixties with a perpetually flour-dusted apron. He’s been with the ranch since before I was born. “Something most men could stand to learn.”
He gives Atlee a once-over, then nods approvingly. “You look like you could use a good meal, young lady. Dinner’ll be ready in ten.”
With that, he disappears back into his domain, leaving Atlee looking both touched and slightly bewildered.
“Don’t mind him,” Aubree says with a laugh. “He acts gruff, but he’s got the biggest heart. Come on. Jesse’s in the dining room, setting the table. Or at least he better be, if he knows what’s good for him.”
We follow Aubree through to the dining room, where my brother is indeed placing silverware at each setting. He looks up as we enter, his face breaking into a rare smile when he sees Atlee.
“Well, look who it is,” he says, coming around the table to give her a quick, somewhat awkward hug. Jesse has never been big on physical affection. “Heard you went back to work today. That takes guts.”
“Thanks,” Atlee says, seeming a bit surprised by the warmth of his greeting. “It wasn’t easy, but it had to be done.”
“Still, it takes a lot of guts and strength. If anyone knows, it’s us,” he says with a nod. “Sit, sit. Cookie’s been fussing over this meal all afternoon.”
We take our seats around the old oak table that’s been in our family for generations. It’s scarred and worn, but solid, a bit like the ranch itself. I notice that Aubree has added fresh wildflowers in a mason jar as a centerpiece, a touch that makes the room feel more welcoming.
“Beer?” Jesse offers, already heading toward the fridge.
“Please,” I say, while Atlee nods her agreement.
He returns with four bottles, passing them around before taking his seat beside Aubree.
“So,” Jesse says, clearly steering the conversation away from Atlee’s first day back at work. “I was thinking we should show you around the property sometime, Atlee. Devlin says you’ve never seen the whole ranch.”
“I’d like that,” she replies, taking a sip of her beer. “I’ve only ever seen it from the road. I’ve never seen all of Grizzly River or Dark Skies. At some point, I’d love to see both, but no pressure.”
“It’s beautiful in the fall,” Aubree adds. “The aspen trees turn this amazing gold color, especially up by the north pasture.”
The conversation flows easily from there, with Jesse and Aubree taking turns telling stories about the ranch’s history and their plans for its future. I’m grateful for the way they’re including Atlee, making her feel welcome without putting her on the spot about recent events.
“We’re hoping to have the barn renovation completed before winter sets in,” Jesse explains, gesturing with his beer. “It’s been a long time coming.”
“The original structure dates back to the 1800s,” I add, mostly for Atlee’s benefit.
“That’s amazing,” Atlee says, genuine interest in her voice. “So the ranch has been in your family all this time?” she asks Aubree.
Aubree nods. “It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s home,” she finishes. “You’ll learn a lot about it if you stick around.”