Chapter 9
CASSIDY
“Show jumping is so different than barrel racing,” Katie said.
We were sitting on Katie and Bray’s back deck, our finished meal on the picnic table in front of us.
Bray and Katie were on one side, with Bray holding their three month old, Trace.
The beautiful baby had dark hair like both of them and was sound asleep on his shoulder.
Sage had told me there’d been five new babies born this year in the Wilder family, and Sage and Buck’s one coming in a few months would be the sixth.
“I’ve never done that,” I replied. “It looks like fun. Definitely less formal. Different breed of horse.”
“I didn’t do it,” Katie added. “Lainey and Taylor both compete. Or they used to. Neither have gone back to it after having their babies. They’re the ones to show you how.”
“We could add it here,” Bray said.
Katie had her hair up in a bun and in a white tank top and jean cutoffs. When Trace cooed in his sleep, she glanced lovingly his way. Bray patted his little butt.
“What? Jumping? We could put some obstacles up and make a course in the paddock, but that’d only be good for a few months in the summer. We’d need an indoor ring.”
“We’ll build one,” Bray said.
Katie’s mouth fell open. “Just… build a riding facility.”
Bray looked to Hayes. “She’s got money coming from the settlement, right? We can use it for that.”
“It’s not a given yet,” Hayes said.
“It’s gonna happen,” Bray added. “Conrad Trout’s a dick. After what he did to Ellie, plus he owes Katie for lost income and–”
I stiffened at the mention of my father. Yes, he was a dick. I knew it firsthand.
Katie set her hand on Bray’s arm. “He knows. We’ll wait.” Katie looked at me and smiled. “Hayes is my lawyer on a lawsuit. I don’t want to leave you out of the conversation, but it’s not a fun topic and we have more exciting things to talk about. Tell us about you.”
“Oh, um. Not much to tell. I graduated in May. As I said, I like to show jump and compete in dressage. But that was in school, not here.”
“Headed to college in the fall?” Bray asked.
Hayes stiffened beside me, as if the idea surprised him.
I shook my head. “There isn’t really any money for that.
” There was money–because my father was crazy rich–but I didn’t want to touch it.
I didn’t want to be beholden to him for anything.
It had been his choice to send me to boarding school instead of the local public school.
But that was behind me and I wanted to live a life without my father and brothers in it.
Going to my father for tuition money meant he had a say in what I did.
Katie looked sympathetic. “What is it you’d like to do? Cammie’s studying to be a teacher. Frankie’s a really good mechanic.”
I shrugged. “I really have no idea. I like horses. That’s why I work at your family’s ranch. Maybe teach jumping to little kids? I went away to school when I was ten so I have no idea how to cook. I never had my own room. Never cleaned. I don’t even have a driver’s license.”
I could feel my cheeks heat, ashamed. And young. Buck and Katie had a life they’ve built at this amazing ranch. People trusted them with their horses. And they had a baby!
“I guess I just want to live a little.”
“You don’t have to decide anything right away,” Bray said, then pointed across the table. “Hayes here, at eighteen, had–”
“Don’t you dare,” Hayes warned.
“What?” Katie gasped.
“He wanted to be a race car driver.”
“I’ll have you know I came in first in the demolition derby.”
Katie put her hand over her mouth to stifle a smile.
“You got a trophy and a broken arm,” Bray reminded.
“All he’s trying to tell you is that you don’t have to figure anything out now,” Hayes said.
“You can come here, though, and help build obstacles and a course in the paddock. We can test this summer about local interest,” Katie said. “Spread the news to all the ranches.”
“I’d like that,” I said, but inwardly panicked. I didn’t need the Two Rivers Ranch to hear about me helping the Wilders set up a jumping program. It was one thing to work the family ranch because no one there would talk, but the community would talk and my father would hear.
“Hayes can bring you over,” Bray said. “Since you’re together and all.”
I blushed and thoughts of my father fled because now all I could think about was the fact that I didn’t have on panties. That I’d actually taken them off in Hayes’ truck and handed them to him. And he’d sniffed them!
“We’re not–” I began, but Hayes set his hand on my thigh beneath the table and started to slide it up. And up.
I pinched my thighs closed, but now his hand was trapped between my legs and I was sure he could feel my wetness on them. Gah!
“It’s new,” Hayes said, his voice tipped low. Yeah, he’d felt it.
“Meaning you’ll be married by Tuesday,” Bray said.
Hayes laughed. I gasped. Sage had said something really similar. Katie swatted him on the arm, gently so she didn’t wake Trace. “You’re scaring her.”
Hayes looked at me. Winked.
“We don’t know all that much about each other,” I admitted.
“You said you’re from here?” Bray asked.
Inwardly, I panicked once again. I didn’t want them to know who I really was. I had no real connection to my father or brothers other than by name and having nowhere else to go. But if Katie and Bray knew my real name was Cassidy Trout, they’d kick me off the property. Pantyless.
“My parents divorced when I was little. I went and lived with my mom until she died when I was ten. Then I went away to school.”
Hayes pulled his hand from between my legs and set it on my back, brushed his thumb back and forth.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Katie murmured.
I shrugged. “It happened a long time ago. I graduated and came back here. Heard about the job on your family’s ranch and I’m excited about the job.”
“Who’s your family? Do we know them?” Bray asked.
Shit. Shit. “Oh, um–”
Saved by the baby, because as I was trying to think of what to say–I didn’t want to lie to any of them but the truth was pretty bad–Trace squirmed, let out a piercing wail, then farted.
“They’re cute, but they don’t stop shitting their pants,” Bray commented.
“I’ll change my nephew,” Hayes offered, climbing from the picnic bench. Bray handed him off and Hayes looked like a pro cuddling the stinky baby like a football. He winked at me, then headed in the back door.
Bray popped to his feet. “He might do it wrong.”
After both men were inside, Katie laughed. “It takes two men to change one diaper.”
I glanced at the back of their house, then at Katie.
She frowned. “You okay?”
I nodded, wrung my hands in my lap. “Yeah. It’s, um… alot.”
“You don’t like Hayes?” she asked, lowering her voice.
I leaned in. “I do, it’s just… I’ve, um, never really dated before. Or whatever this is. I mean, I’m staying with him. Tonight.”
“I’ve known the Wilder family almost all of my life.
I’ve been best friends with Lainey since we were little.
I’ve been in love with Bray since I was eleven.
Last year, he finally saw me. Sure, I had to climb in his lap and kiss him, but he saw me.
After that, it’s like he was all–” she waved her hands around “–guns ablazing. I didn’t have any experience. Like, none.”
My eyes widened. She had to be mid-twenties, so that surprised me.
“Really?”
She nodded. “Don’t think, just feel. Do you like how it feels when you’re with Hayes?”
“I haven’t been with him. We’ve only kissed. Once.”
She smiled and I was thankful she didn’t laugh or make me feel like a kid.
“That’s okay. But how do you feel being around him?”
“Is it supposed to be like this? So… hot? So… scary?”
She tipped her head and her eyes held mine. “Good scary, right?”
I bit my lip and nodded.
“Then know this, the Wilders move fast when they know what they want.”
“That’s what Sage said,” I replied.
Katie nodded. “Hayes wouldn’t be here with you if you weren’t it for him. He wouldn’t want you out of the bunk house or want you in his place–”
“Or boss me around,” I added.
She laughed. “Or boss you around,” she confirmed. “If you like it, go for it.”
“Okay,” I said, not all that sure.
“Want to know a secret?” she asked, glancing at the house, probably expecting the guys to come back out at any time.
“Yes.”
“Bray spanks me. For fun. I like it.” Her eyes lit up and her cheeks flushed. “A lot.”
My eyes widened once again. “You do?”
She nodded, took a sip of her iced tea.
“I… I think I like it, too.”
She raised her hand and for a second I was confused, then I gave her the high five she was waiting for.