CHAPTER 4
MORGAN
As I plop down on the couch in the living room of my childhood home, I’m surrounded by all the holiday finery Mom can’t help but pull out every year. I’m not mad about it, far from it. I used to think Mom was some kind of secret elf because she always made the holidays special and full of cheer.
Now that I’m older and I help her decorate, I appreciate the effort she put in even more. Dad might have helped her when we were growing up, but I’m sure she did most of the work herself. It was a lot, but she never had anything other than a smile on her face when it was all said and done.
Honestly, decorating is exhausting and I’m glad I’ve already done my house. I don’t have nearly as many decorations as she does, but I try and grow my stash a little every year. One day, I’m sure I’ll have totes and totes of it like Mom does.
Mom bustles into the living room with a garland in her hands and I can’t help but tease her a little. “I’m not sure the mantle can handle one more garland,” I admonish her with a giggle. “You might, officially, have too many decorations, Mom.”
She makes a sound of disagreement. “It’s not possible to have too many decorations at Christmastime,” she shoots back as she artfully lays the garland on the mantle. “You know I love this time of year,” she muses.
“I know,” I agree softly. “You have always made the holidays full of so much family and fun. I’m not sure if we ever said it before but thank you.”
Mom’s head snaps toward me and her eyes brim with tears before she blinks them away. Her voice is thick with emotion, “Thank you, sweetheart.”
I beam at her and then groan as my head falls back against the couch. “It is magical, but please tell me we’re done now.”
Her laughter sounds like tinkling bells as she sits next to me, pride in her eyes as she looks around the room. The decisive nod she gives the space has me breathing out a relieved sigh. We’re done.
“I think this will do nicely.” The look on her face becomes thoughtful and I try to prepare for whatever wisdom she’s about to impart. “You know the holidays are for family,” she hedges before going in for the kill, “and I’m just wondering when you’ll be finding a nice boy to settle down with.”
Officer Walker Montgomery flashes in my mind and my face gets hot. Mom’s gaze is knowing, and I turn away from her and pretend like I’m looking around the room as if I haven’t been decorating it and the rest of the house for a few hours. I clear my throat, hoping she lets it go while knowing she won’t.
“What’s that look about?” She leans closer to me and studies my face before sitting back and barking out a laugh. The finger she points at me is accusatory even though her voice is filled with warmth, “You met someone.”
“No,” I scoff.
“Yes, you did,” there’s a sing-song quality in her tone and makes me giggle.
She might be my mom, but we’ve become more than just mother and daughter now that I’m an adult. We’re friends. It’s a transition I would have never imagined while I was growing up but am thankful for now. Since we are close, I know she won’t be giving up on this any time soon.
“Fine,” I sigh, my shoulders slumping slightly, “I might have met someone, but I have a feeling Jared is going to step in and do his whole big brother act and squash it before anything even happens.”
Mom frowns and her eyebrows pull together. “Who is it?”
“The new guy at the station,” I try and keep my voice light even though I’m wincing at the same time. “He pulled me over yesterday and gave me a warning. I wasn’t expecting to see him again, but then Jared invited him to have breakfast with us this morning.”
Mom purses her lips and studies me for a long moment before letting out a long breath. “If he’s the kind of man to be scared off by your brother then he’s not the right man for you.”
Her words are decisive and simple; I even know they’re true. Still, the thought of Walker bowing to the threat in Jared’s eyes this morning causes something to deflate in my chest. Something like hope.
When it comes to my brother and how he thinks he knows best, it’s dangerous to hope anything will be different when it comes to Walker. Every other guy who has shown interest in me has been run off. The only reprieve I had was when Jared was in the military. I couldn’t even fully enjoy those years because I was worried about my brother making it home in one piece.
“Yeah,” I admit on a sigh.
Mom, knowing I don’t want to talk about it anymore, switches the subject with zero grace. “I’m excited about Cove coming home for Christmas since she wasn’t home for Thanksgiving.”
“I’m excited to see her too.” There’s a wistfulness in my voice, “She always sounds so happy when I talk to her now, like she’s found the place she belongs.”
“She always had bigger dreams than Wintervale could fulfill,” Mom agrees. She wrings her hands in her lap, worry coating her words, “I’m just not sure what to do with a rock star staying in our guest room.”
Her eyes are big and round with worry and I can’t help but giggle a little. “I don’t think you need to worry. Langston will do anything for Cove.”
I rub my chest, right over where my heart beats, to try and relieve the ache. I’m happy for my sister, don’t get me wrong, but I also won’t lie and try to say I don’t want what she’s found. I do.
Maybe Santa will bring me more than a few presents under the tree this year. The way Walker focused on me during breakfast flashes in my mind, again, and I try to push away the warmth it brings me. Sometimes hope is a dangerous thing.
After chatting with Mom for a little while longer, I head out. When I pass where Walker pulled me over yesterday and don’t see him, I’m a little disappointed. I push the feeling aside because it’s ridiculous. Just when I get inside my place, my phone rings and I smile at seeing my best friend’s name.
“Hey, Audrey,” I chirp.
“Get ready, we’re going to The Range tonight,” she blurts without greeting me back. “I need to get out. Between the kids in my classes and my own, I’m done. I need a night with my bestie.”
I tease her, “You’re trusting Grant with the kids?”
She scoffs before her voice drops dangerously low, “He’s their father. He’s not a babysitter or something ridiculous like that.”
I deadpan, “You’re having his mom stop by aren’t you?”
“Yes,” she snaps, “but it has more to do with not wanting him to accidently burn down the house than the wellbeing of our children. He’s a good dad but a shitty cook.”
I can’t keep my laughter inside and she joins me soon after. Grant is a good guy and an amazing father, actually, but Audrey is right when it comes to cooking. She’s tried to help him, but after he ruined a second pot trying to boil water to make the girls mac and cheese she gave up. Then she started buying the microwaveable single serve mac and cheese.
After making plans for her to get picked up by Larry, who drives for all the rideshare apps and is the only game in town, and then coming to get me, I start to get ready. Audrey might be all about going out right now, but I know her, and she won’t last much past ten. Not like I blame her. If she hadn’t called and demanded that I join her then I wouldn’t be going at all.
I’m kind of in awe of my best friend considering she works with kids all day and then goes home to raise her two girls. One day, maybe, I’ll be the kind of mom she is. She’s so present and even if she’s had a bad day, she works hard to put it aside for her girls.
Which means she deserves a night—more like a few hours—out on the town.
By the time she comes to pick me up, I’ve had a sandwich and am ready to get some snacks and a drink or two. The Range Bar and Grill is basically the only option in town if you’re looking to cut loose for a night. The brothers who own it make it a happening spot.
Not only do they have good food, but they have live music and a karaoke night. The moment we open the door, it’s clear that tonight is a live music night. I’m more than a little excited to get out on the dance floor.
While I’m not the most outgoing person, I do love to dance. Audrey looks over her shoulder at me and grins while I try to stop myself from shimmying in place. She’s been my dance partner for years and it’s not going to change tonight.
“I knew I made the right decision to pawn off my devil spawn on my hubby and drag you out for some fun,” she shouts as she looks around for a table.
While shaking my head and giggling at my best friend, I look for a table as well. The last person I expect to lock eyes with is Walker. My face heats at the big grin on his face and the hunger in his gaze. It’s kind of amazing that I don’t even need to be close to him to know he wants me.
It’s a little surprising though. I would have thought that Jared had pulled the big brother card and told him to stay away from me. The whole overprotective thing has worked in the past, why wouldn’t it work now?
Because Walker Montgomery is a man, and those guys were just boys playing pretend.
My panties become instantly soaked at the thought of Walker not taking Jared’s bullshit or letting my brother come between us. Because there is something there. That is, of course, if he’s feeling the same thing I am.
Audrey leans closer to me and talks out of the side of her mouth, “Who’s the new guy hanging out with the Burns brothers?” I glance at her and bite my lip and her eyes widen. “Yeah, you clearly have been holding out on me. How could you? You know I call dibs on living vicariously through you and any escapades you get up to.”
“I don’t get up to escapades,” I insist.
“I know,” she sighs dramatically, “which is why my whole living vicariously thing has been very dry.” She eyes me before she looks between Walker and me like we’re the most riveting tennis match there ever was. Her tone is smug, “Looks like it won’t be for much longer.”
“Audrey,” I groan, “you’re the one who fell in love at fifteen and married your high school sweetheart. Isn’t it enough?”
“I love Grant. He’s my soulmate,” her eyes go dreamy before her focus snaps back to the here and now, “but that doesn’t mean I can’t get a little side action through you.”
My mouth falls open, but I don’t get the chance to react because she grabs my wrist and expertly maneuvers us through the people and toward an empty table. Our table is, conveniently, very close to where Walker is hanging out with the three Burns brothers.
I’m not surprised he knows them considering Jared is best friends with Noel who is the middle Burns brother, but the second born of the family. Their sister, Carson, was born after him but is older than Huxley, the baby of the family. Then there’s Fletcher, the oldest. All three brothers work at Limitless Ranch which has been owned and operated by their family for four generations.
Noel and Jared enlisted in the military together. Thankfully, they came home together as well.
Somehow, Audrey and I missed having any of the Burns siblings in our grade, but Carson was a year ahead of us and Huxley was two behind. They’re one of those families in Wintervale which has deep roots. It helps that they’ve always been good people.
The brothers working the ranch didn’t come as a surprise. Neither was Carson leaving town to follow her dreams by going to art school. From what I’ve heard, she’s found her calling and became a tattoo artist. She was always talented. We were friendly, but not close, and I sometimes got the feeling like she felt a little left out when it came to her siblings.
I look around the bar, hoping I don’t see Jared grabbing their group another round. The last thing I want is for him to pop up. Not with the way Walker is looking at me right now.
Even as I try to ignore him and enjoy the drink which is delivered to the table while Audrey puts in an order for some appetizers to share, I can feel his eyes on me. It makes me feel wild, which is something I’ve never felt before.
I’m used to being the more reserved one, the one who plays it safe. The way Walker is watching me makes me feel like I’m falling. It’s almost like freedom and I have a feeling he’ll catch me before I hit the ground.