Chapter 24 Magnolia
“You’re just in time.” Logan smirks at me as I climb out of the truck, furrowing my brows in confusion as she hands me a coffee. “Someone’s getting punched today.”
My feet stop in the slush as panic floods me. “How–Ford… Oh god…” If somehow, someway he heard us in the barn or even saw us both, Bode and I are dead. It’s then that I hear Ford’s voice boom throughout the snow-covered trees. I can’t make out what he’s saying but it’s enough to get me moving.
Logan laughs and grabs my arm. “Slow down, sunshine. He doesn’t know. They’re fighting about something stupid as usual.”
She laughs at me again when I frown. “You could have started with that.” My fingers wrap gingerly around the warm paper cup as relief slowly washes over me. “What happened now?”
Her head tips toward the barn, and we head that way. The Cheshire grin on her face has me worried that it’s not stupid and she’s instigated something… again, but I’d never ask her outright.
Logan shrugs and sips her coffee without a care in the world. “Something about the barn.”
The further we get down the hill, the louder the guys get, and as soon as they come into view, my eyes find Bode.
His blue eyes are wilder than usual, and his hat is cocked to one side like they’ve already tussled.
“It’s way too early for them to already be at each other’s throats.
” I groan, not looking forward to the possible grump my cowboy will be later.
“The last time they got into an argument this loud, all three of them ended up tangled in the mud.” Logan sighs almost wistfully, taking another sip. “It was glorious.”
“Glorious?” I laugh and take a sip of my own. The warm liquid doing wonders for the chills racking through me from the thick flakes falling.
“Trust me. As much as Ford gets on my nerves, nothing has ever topped seeing all three of them covered in mud getting hosed down before they were allowed in Dot’s house.” She smirks.
“Your boyfriend is the size of a Mack truck, Logan. There’s no way.”
She looks over at me, thinking for a moment as if she’s remembering some dirty detail I definitely do not need the details of. Waving my hand and shaking my head, I mutter a “never mind.”
“We can’t afford to have shit breaking!” Ford starts stepping up to Bode, and for a moment, I’m worried that Logan is right and someone is going to get hurt. “You’re in charge while I’m gone. This is supposed to be your fuckin’ job to manage.”
Bode’s shoulders pin back his eyes, narrowing in on Ford. “I can’t manage every goddamn little thing, let alone a broken hinge when we’ve got cattle going missing!”
I glance at Logan, who’s having way too much fun watching these two go toe to toe, her smile only getting bigger behind her coffee cup as Crew moves to step between them, pushing them both back a step by their chests.
“Enough,” he bristles. “We’ll fix the damn door, focus on the cattle, and it’ll be fine.”
Bode lets out a laugh that sends a chill down my spine: cold and bitter. “We’re far from fucking fine.” His words are sharp and clearly sting because Ford lets out a low sound and pushes past Crew, wrapping his fingers into the collar of Bode’s shirt.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” His voice is low and more dangerous than I’ve heard in a while. “You wanna be all big in those ratty boots, speak.”
The mention of Bode’s boots makes my heart clench and wince as Bode swings first. “Fuck you, Ford!” The two of them fall to the ground in a mess of arms and knocked off hats.
Cursing each other as punches are thrown.
Crew groans and makes his move, trying to separate them both, but with little luck.
“Hey! Whoa!” Another voice chuckles from behind Logan and me. One I don’t recognize, but the chuckle that follows is warm and light. “If I woulda known this would be my homecoming, I woulda been here sooner.”
Logan and I both spin, and a younger-looking Bode stands with Dot, grinning wide and unbridled while he stuffs a mini muffin in his cheek. Dot’s brows are furrowed, and the worried look on her face softens when the man wraps his arm around her. “Hey dipshits! We have ladies present.”
Who, I can only assume, is Levi Walker hanging off Dot with rosy cheeks.
A faded oversized denim jacket hangs off his shoulders, a stark contrast to the tight half-unbuttoned shirt that is definitely a size too small.
Or the pair of brown jeans with shiny boots that look like they’ve never seen a speck of mud in their lives.
His hair is dark like Bode’s, the sherpa around the jacket collar licking at the soft curls around his ears, his eyes just as blue, but he sports a mustache that frames his sharp, goofy smile as he looks around at the commotion like everyone is having a good time.
“Shepard ain’t no lady,” Ford snaps and this time it's Crew that throws the next rough punch. She winces beside me, but the smile remains as Crew grabs Bode by the collar to take his turn on Ford.
Levi almost squeals in delight, “Oh, Dottie, please let me referee the bear and the ass! At least now it’s a fair fight. My brother can’t fight worth nothin’.” His bottom lip juts out as he looks down at Dottie, whose worry has now turned into a frown.
“Language,” she scolds, smacking his chest softly with the back of her hand before bringing it to her lips and forcing an ear-piercing whistle out. The guys stop and turn to look at her, mud speckled across their cheeks and slush sticking to their hair.
Bode’s eyes finally land on me, the corner of his mouth twitching upwards and my belly instantly warms with thoughts of the other night. He shoves himself away from the guys and snatches his hat off the ground before raking dirty fingers through his unruly hair and sliding it over his head.
Quit it, I mouth and he only grins as Crew and Ford fix themselves and stand to wait for whatever admonishment Dot has for them. Logan nudges Levi with her elbow in a silent hello, and he moves from hanging off Dot to her.
“You boys have been at each other for far too long and quite frankly, I’m tired of refilling the first aid kits.” Dot sighs, watching her footing as she strides through the slush and mud. “Remember, you made me do this.” She raises her brow as she points at each man. “I’m calling a Dottie Dozen.”
Levi cackles behind me at the same time the others groan. Logan just looks confused, and I’m surprised that she’s clueless about what Dot has in store for them.
“What the hell is a Dottie Dozen?” she asks, looking between me and Levi.
“It’s something Dot used to give Ford when Wyatt tattled on him.” I glance back at the guys still grumbling but following Dot’s finger as she points towards the house. “Twelve minutes in a timeout, but they had to sit in the same room, silent.”
“That’s… brilliant.” Logan laughs.
“Yeah,” I sigh and follow them. “Ford got a lot of them.”
“That tracks,” she snorts, hooking her arm into Crew’s and disappearing up the hill with him.
Bode lingers, waiting for his moment to come say hello, only to be side-stepped by his brother. Familiar yet different blue eyes regard me, narrowing as he holds out his hand. “Levi Walker. You must be new around here because I know I’d remember a smile that pretty.”
I can’t help the laugh that leaves me as I take his hand. “Magnolia Mae–Maggie, and I actually grew up here.”
“On the ranch?” he asks, letting out a low whistle, “Which one of these doofi ran you off?”
“Levi,” Bode warns. “That’s not even a word.”
“Yes, it is.” Levi argues, frowning at his older brother, “Doofi is the plural of doofus.”
Bode lets out a heavy sigh, shaking his head, tilting it back. “No, it’s not.” He groans.
“No, doofus,” I laugh, ignoring Bode’s exasperation, and let go of Levi’s hand. “Just school.”
“Ah,” Levi nods, “big dreams and all that.”
“Something like that,” I smile.
“Walker boys!” Dottie hollers from the porch, leaving no room for argument in her tone. “Get your behinds up here now!”
“You'd better get up there before she gives you a Double Dottie.” I grin over at Bode.
“Funny,” he grumbles and waits until Levi links his arm into mine, dragging me up the hill, to stalk behind us.
We shuffle into the warm house, stripping off our jackets and boots before meeting everyone in the spacious living room.
It’s always been one of my favorite parts of Dot’s home.
Large wood-framed windows that follow the roof line look out over the ranch and Whiskey River land, a stone fireplace set perfectly in the center of them, wood beams that line the ceilings and low-lit lamps that create a warm glow throughout the room.
I settle down on the sectional that's definitely older than me and takes up most of the living room. It’s inviting, and I remember on more than one occasion when Ford and I built blanket forts that took up most of the space.
Wyatt hated them, but he was always mean, and we never gave him the password unless he was nice, which was rare.
“Now,” Dot says, crossing her arms over her chest and standing in the center of the room, looking over all the men as Levi plops down next to me. “Either you can sit here in silence for the next twelve minutes or–”
“Gingerbread contest,” Levi blurts with a laugh.
I bring my knees to my chest and cover my mouth with the back of my hand to stifle the laugh building in me at Dot’s glare. For a second, I swear she’s going to dish out his own Dottie Dozen before she grins.
“I think that’s a perfect plan.” She chuckles as Bode, Crew, and Ford all start to protest.
“I call Maggie as my partner!” Levi throws his arm over the back of the couch behind me, and even though I shouldn’t, my eyes flicker to Bode.
His eyes have turned into a blue so dark that a part of me wants to let Levi down easy, but another part of me, one that I haven’t felt in a while, claws at my chest. Eager to tease the man who makes puddles out of me every time he’s near.