Chapter 35
It's all connected
Sophia
TheBigO: I need you. But your dad wants to talk to you first in the main house.
His little upside down smiley makes my belly tingle.
“I have to go see Dad. I’ll fill you in later.” With a wide smile, I grab my jacket.
“Wait, you can’t just drop something like that and not explain.” Libby stands, following me, while Char and Lori both stare on, slack jawed.
“Let’s just say—” I pull up the zipper and slide my phone in my pocket. “—if you want a really fun time, ask Blue to wear a mask.”
“Holy shit! I fucking love you,” Libby giggles, then closes the door after I leave.
I feel like I’m practically floating as I step past the mud puddles freckling the driveway.
As soon as I see Oliver, stretched out at our big table with a cup of coffee and his cowboy hat tilted back to reveal his smiling dark eyes, reality crashes in on me in a burning wave.
I really do love this man.
His fingers tap above his knee, beckoning me to him.
Without a glance at my dad, I beeline for Oliver’s thick thighs and slide onto his lap.
“Well,” Dad grunts from the other end of the table. “I guess that answers that question.”
“Was there a doubt?” Oliver’s chest rumbles against my side. Then he turns, almost tickling my cheek with his whiskers. “I don’t think he believed me.”
“About what?” This whole reveal is like Christmas.
“Us.” His palm tightens on my hip.
I’m so tempted to kiss him.
That might be awkward so soon in front of my dad and uncle. Maybe tomorrow?
“Soph?” Dad clears his throat. “Are you really going to be staying at his place now?”
I can’t tell if it’s excitement or pain pinching his temples.
“Yep.” There’s no hesitation in my reply.
We’re skipping steps, and I’m ready for it.
“I’m glad you’ll still be close.” Dad tilts his own Stetson up, then leans back. “Did you tell him about the shit that’s been happening here? And how it drifted over to Libby’s dairy?”
Oliver’s thumb snugs into my beltloop as I shake my head.
“Not most of it,” I admit. “I didn’t want to scare him.” I squint a side-eye towards Oliver when I see his features cloud.
“He needs to.” Dad props his elbows on the edge and threads his fingers. “We lost the north pasture contract. It’s the same LLC that Blue suspected of running our rustled cattle through.”
Shit.
I’ll never forget the day he landed that contract.
It’s when Lori and I were taken by Cash and Trevor.
“It’s all connected, isn’t it?” My words are barely a whisper.
Dad and Uncle Dixon nod silently.
“Okay, this has some sort of significance. Can someone please explain?” Oliver’s hand slides up my back and he readjusts us both to face Mason.
“How far would you go to save your family?” Uncle Dixon says gruffly, pursing his mustache.
Oliver’s other arm drops, circling my waist. “I’d do anything it takes.”
“Good man.” Dad’s hat dips, covering his gaze. “The day I landed that contract, I was down signing the paperwork when I got a call.” He pauses, swallowing hard.
I’ll never forget it.
“Two guys ambushed and took Lori and Sophia.” He raises his chin.
I can feel the tension in Oliver’s body against me.
“Ford and I got ‘em back. That pair of assholes, well, they didn’t quite leave in one piece.” Dad’s jaw clenches and his eyes burn into me.
I can see the pain flickering through him. But I’ll forever be grateful for what he did.
“These are the kind of people we’re dealing with.
Soph? Without that ground, we’re gonna be running real lean on browse.
I was running some ideas past Oliver before you got here, but the first thing we should discuss is your herd.
” When Dad reaches for the coffee pot to refill his cup, I can see the tremor in his hands.
That happens every time he talks about that day.
It rattled me, I can’t imagine what it did to him.
Well, I do remember him keeping us gathered together like we were a couple of bottle calves that needed constant babysitting. I think it was months before he didn’t look visibly shaken every time one of us would leave the house without him.
And knowing that Oliver had no problem dragging away that guy in Tacoma makes me feel safer.
He’s already stood up for me, long before I even realized he cared.
“What did you want to do with my cows?” I’ve grown up with them always being a part of the main bunch.
For some reason it never dawned on me that I could actually do anything with them.
Dad tips his brim towards Oliver. “He’s got the ground—”
“We.” Oliver interrupts him.
God, warm fuzzies explode in my chest.
The corner of Dad’s mouth rises. “—you both have the space to run them. I’ll supply the hands to tend them if I can run some of the ranch’s there too.”
I’m confused. Looking between Dad and Oliver, I finally turn to Ollie. “How many acres do you have?”
“We,” he grunts. “We have twelve-hundred.”
I blink at him. “Oh.”
His eyes fasten on my mouth, and I can feel his crotch swell under my hip.
Mmm, I might have to explore that later.
With heat rising in my neck, I try to maintain my composure and turn to face my dad. “How many cows do I have?”
“Over four-hundred.”
Oliver lets out a rapid exhale. “I suppose we’re both full of surprises.”
“Every year I gifted each of the kids a heifer, and then they got to keep any calves from them.” Dad’s shoulders rise and fall. “They add up. Sawyer opted to sell off some of his to pay for his house.”
“I’m doing the same.” Uncle Dixon gives one of his rare smiles. “Had to play a little catch up for Paisley.”
“That’s such a great idea.” Oliver’s mouth nears my cheek. “We should do that for our kids.”
Shit.
My spine stiffens as panic floods my system.
This time, Dad grins. “He told me, Soph. I couldn’t be happier.”
“Char quit racing for the same reason.” Uncle Dixon lets out a soft sigh that somehow doesn’t fit his imposing size. “We talked about no more kids after this next one so she could get back into it if she wanted to.”
“I should be fine for this last season though. Then I can quit.” My palm rests over Oliver’s knuckles.
Uncle Dixon’s forehead furrows. “Soph. When is your due date?”
A cool sweat tickles the back of my neck. “Um, I don’t know exactly.”
Shit, I literally found out yesterday.
Is there really a chance I won’t finish this season?
He leans closer, his dark eyes narrowing under the shadow of his hat. “You might want to get that checked. Doctor’s orders.”