Chapter 34 Honey
HONEY
My heart pounds as I reach the Walker Ranch. Gravel shoots out the back of my tires as I take the turn to Beau’s cabin. When I get there, I spot my brother’s truck. He’s standing in front of it, aiming his shotgun at my boyfriend.
I throw my SUV into park, fling open the door, and run toward Beau.
“Stay out of the way, Honey,” Trig yells as I wrap my arms around my boyfriend.
“This is stupid! Go home, Trig.” I’m so grateful Beau’s still alive, tears spring to my eyes.
After Beau hugs me, he tells me to get behind him, but I shake my head. There’s no way I’m leaving him wide open for my brother to kill.
“Honey, please.”
“I’m not moving. Don’t try to make me,” I mutter into his chest.
He kisses the top of my head before he turns sideways to shield me. “Trig, I promise you, I have no ill intent here. I adore your sister. I want the best for her.”
“That’s bullshit. Stop lying to her.” Trig cocks his shotgun, and I squeeze Beau tighter.
“I’m not lying. Honey’s important to me. She’s why I told you I wanted peace between our families. I meant that sincerely.” He cups the back of my head. “You’re putting your sister in danger right now. That buckshot could go straight through me and hit her. Is that what you want?”
God, no.
From somewhere behind us, Rhett’s voice booms. “Trig McAllister, you’re trespassing.”
I’m so relieved he’s here, I could cry. I called Paige when I couldn’t reach Beau.
Rhett cocks a rifle. “If you’re gonna be an asshole, I suggest you go.” When my brother adjusts his aim, Rhett tries again. “Let me remind you that I’ve won three rifle competitions. I can shoot the whiskers off a gnat from a hundred yards. If you shoot my brother, I will end you right here.”
A second later, the sound of two more rifles cocking makes me hold my breath.
Rhett nods. “Hear that? Those are my ranch hands. If I miss, which I won’t, they’ll do the honors.”
Closing my eyes, I pray my hotheaded brother listens to reason.
Trig finally puts down his weapon. He shoots me a dirty look and spits a wad of chew on the ground.
“Honey, are you really gonna abandon us for the Walkers? They’ve slashed our tires.
They’ve salted our fields. They’ve vandalized our property.
And that fucker you’re holding on to for dear life broke my nose. ”
Beau snorts. “I wasn’t the one who slashed your tires, asshole. And we’ve never salted your fields or vandalized anything.”
Salting a field can ruin it for years. In our case, it was out of commission for almost two. But I can’t imagine Beau and his brothers would do something like that. I’ve always thought it was a former employee that Trig or my father pissed off.
I shake my head. “I know you’re not innocent, Trig. You’re drunk all the time. You antagonize everyone, even your friends. You’re not thinking straight right now. Go home.”
Trig opens the cab to his truck, pausing to look back at me. “When this goes south, Honey, don’t come crying to me. Because I promise it will.” Slamming the door, he starts the engine and speeds off.
And then I embarrass myself further by bursting into tears.
“Here’s some chamomile tea, Honey. This will help calm you down.” Paige’s kind eyes meet mine, and I try to smile, but I’m pretty sure it looks more like a grimace.
“Thank you.” I bring the hot cup to my face and breathe in the steaming liquid before I take a small sip. But it’s hard because I can’t stop shaking.
We’re sitting in the living room at Rhett and Paige’s house. Beau has his arm protectively around my shoulders. “It’ll be okay, princess. I promise.”
Will it? “I’m so sorry. I knew he and my dad would be mad, but I didn’t think Trig would go ballistic.
” I cover my face because I’m mortified.
“And I know Trig is an asshole, but he’s also been a good brother to me.
He said I didn’t have to marry Ian, that he’d have my back no matter what.
How do I reconcile that with the person who wanted to shoot you? ”
“Listen here,” Rhett says gently. “You have nothing to apologize for. You did the right thing calling Paige, and it was mighty brave of you to stand in front of Beau. Gotta say I appreciate that.”
Beau lets out a breath. “If anyone else points a gun at me, I’d rather Honey stand squarely behind me.”
I shake my head. “I shouldn’t have told my father everything today.
He and my mom are splitting up because… because he’s been cheating on her for a really long time.
She can’t take it anymore.” My eyes sting, and I sniffle.
“But you know what’s really crazy? I have a half-brother out there, and I don’t even know his name.
I can’t imagine what my mother is going through. ”
Paige, who’s sitting next to me, grabs my hand. “Did you just find out about the brother today?”
“I’ve known for a while. My mom has too, but I finally told my dad I knew about him when he called me disloyal. We had words.” I wince. “I might’ve poured his thirty-year-old bottle of Macallan down the drain.”
Rhett and Beau groan, and I hold up my hands. “I know. I should’ve just taken the bottle, but I was upset. My father’s been on dialysis for renal failure, and he’s sucking down whiskey like it’s water. It pissed me off.”
Beau chuckles. “That was pretty savage.”
“I’m just glad you didn’t die.” Leaning up, I kiss him.
“Aww, y’all are so cute,” Paige says as she claps.
Her genuine joy for me and Beau lightens my heart. “Thanks.”
“How ’bout we celebrate Beau not dying and Honey being a badass with some nachos? I could make some spicy homemade queso.”
Just then, Jace waltzes through the front door. “Did someone say homemade queso?”
Everyone laughs, and I have to say Jace’s robust appetite even makes me chuckle.
Although it’s been a rough day, I’m grateful for my friends, who don’t hold my brother’s behavior against me.
I can only hope Trig comes to his senses and stops seeing my boyfriend as a threat.