Somewhere Together (Sterling Ridge #2)

Prologue

Forest

The sun was setting and the sign read Sterling Ridge, twenty miles. I was beat; the drive from Missouri had been rough. I had hoped to be out of Colorado by this time, but it looked like I was going to have to stay the night.

A large sign for the Boozy Bandit caught my eye and I put my turn signal on to turn into the parking lot.

I needed a cold beer and some food after that long drive; I deserved it.

It was a little busier than I was expecting for a Wednesday in January, but hopefully that meant the food and drink were good.

I stretched as I got out of the truck, cracking my back and neck as I admired my surroundings. The fresh coat of snow was beautiful on the land as I admired the last few rays of sunshine. It was quiet, other than the noise from the bar, and I took a moment to revel in the calm.

A shiver racked my body as I grabbed my jean jacket, throwing it over my plain gray tee.

It was a lot colder here than in Missouri and I had missed the cold.

I slid my hands in my pockets as I walked towards the bar.

The warm air was welcoming as I opened the door, walking inside.

It looked like most bars in a small town, with cowboys, tradesmen, pretty waitresses and a country— no wait, that's Taylor Swift in the background.

“Hey, gorgeous, you can sit anywhere,” a tall, leggy woman shouted at me.

I nodded at her as I looked for a quiet corner, but decided to hit the bar. As soon as I sat down a menu was pushed in front of me.

“I’ll be right with ya.” A beautiful blonde woman smiled at me as she passed me with two beers in her hand.

I looked over the typical bar food and decided on a safe choice of a burger and fries.

“What can I get started for ya?” she asked.

“I’ll have the original with fries and an IPA,” I said, handing her the menu.

“Want those fries loaded?” she asked.

“Sure," I shrugged.

“Great.” She walked away, put my order in and handed me my IPA a moment later.

My food came out quickly and I ate as I observed the bar get a little more crowded.

“Another IPA, Suga?”

I nodded my head as I wiped my mouth. The burger and the loaded fries were actually really good.

She slid another beer in front of me.

“You passing through, or ya looking for work?” she asked, leaning on the bar.

“Could be both.” I took a sip of my beer wondering what she was going to offer me.

You’d be surprised by how often small towns needed workers.

“We got construction up in Monroe looking for people, an apple farmer out west needs help, and a local ranch needs a ranch hand,” she said, like she was a LinkedIn bulletin board.

“How far out west?” I asked.

Never worked for an orchard before, that might be interesting.

“About forty-five minutes to an hour from here,” she said, looking around the bar. “There’s also work down south.”

I was just supposed to be passing through. Montana had a good work lead, and I had never been to Montana.

“I’ll let you think about it,” she said, as another patron sat at the bar.

“Thanks,” I said, taking another sip of my beer.

“Is this seat taken?” a voice asked.

I look up to see a gorgeous man standing next me. He had reddish brown hair sticking out of a backwards baseball cap with hazel eyes. He was tall with wide shoulders, just the way I liked my men.

“Yup.”

“Sorry, I didn’t know,” he said, moving away.

“Sorry, I mean… Yeah, it's free.” I quickly recovered.

He smirked, taking off his jacket to reveal a broad chest with the logo of a Yeti. “Great, I was hoping so.”

“You live here?” I asked, as he waved down the waitress.

“Not full time,” he said. “What about you?”

“Might be passing through,” I said, as the waitress came and set a beer in front of him. “You're here enough that she knows your order.”

He chuckled. “I’ve been here a few times, the folks are nice and remember everyone. What brings you to the lovely town of Sterling Ridge?”

“Was passing through, but I hear there's lots of work around here.”

“Yeah, business is booming around here. She tell you about the ranch needing a ranch hand?” He took a sip of his beer.

“Yeah, and the work at the orchard and the construction in Monroe.” I smirked. “Though, I don’t know if that's enough to keep me here.”

“If you're just passing through, where you going?” He looked me up and down.

“Montana,” I said, looking him up and down too.

“Well, if you're not staying, can I give you something good to think about when you think of Sterling Ridge?” He leaned a little forward. “You know, good memories.”

My lips twitched at the need to smile, but I kept my face neutral.

“It never hurts to have good memories,” I said leaning closer, his spicy scent was intoxicating.

“I’m at the bed and breakfast down the street. Room 101,” he said, drinking the last of his beer as I saw his adam’s apple bob up and down, making me want to lick it up and down.

He set a twenty down on the bar, put his jacket on and waved at the waitress before leaving. He had a tight ass and thick legs that would feel divine around me.

“Another beer for ya, suga?” the waitress asked.

“Can I get a shot of tequila, the number for the ranch and my bill please?” I asked quickly.

“Sure thing,” she said.

What the fuck was I doing?

Being reckless, unpredictable and my usual self.

I took my shot, paid my bill and pocketed the number, leaving the bar to make more questionable choices.

“Have you worked with cattle before?” Theo, the owner of Aurora Ranch asked, as we stopped on the edge of the herd overlooking an enormous expansion of land.

“For two years down in Texas a few years ago, worked a dairy farm after that and then I worked the circuit,” I said, admiring the land, and feeling at home.

“Well, we don’t have an enormous herd. Our schedule isn’t as hectic,” he said, looking out at the land. “My boyfriend and I manage just fine, but it would be nice if we had more time off. We also might expand in the future, and I’d like to have a crew before that happens.”

Boyfriend? I didn’t expect that, but it did ease a part of me. Small town folks weren’t always the most accepting, but this was nice.

“I think if I had to work with my boyfriend, I’d end up single real fast,” I chuckled.

Theo didn’t laugh as I had expected, and just shrugged.

“I need to move the herd west, you up for the task?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m up for it,” I grinned, a little excited to be back on a ranch and riding a horse again.

The Australian Shepherd that came out with us barked, alerting us before we heard the horse.

We turned around and a man on a horse was trotting toward us.

Another gorgeous man in less than forty-eight hours.

What was Sterling Ridge pumping out, Stepford husbands?

This was unreal. Theo was good looking, and this man must have been related to him with the uncanny similarities and this man was breathtaking.

“Sorry, I’m late,” he said a little out of breath, looking at me a little warily.

“Perfect timing,” Theo said. “Jude, this is Forest, he might be our ranch hand.”

I nodded at him, tearing my eyes away from him because I could stare at him all day.

“Damn, are you actually hiring someone?” Jude asked. “Seems like Nova’s been good for you.”

I glanced at Theo, who was blushing. Wait, I thought he said he had a boyfriend?

“Come on, let's get these cows moved,” Theo said dismissively.

I clicked my tongue, getting my horse moving, risking a glance at Jude who was also looking at me.

My cheeks grew hot as I nodded at him. I trotted again to him wondering what the hell was going on.

Two men in two days that made me feel tongue-tied…

maybe staying here was a bad idea, except after we moved the herd and we got back to the barn, he asked if I wanted the job.

I was supposed to say no and continue on with my plan on going to Montana but I stupidly said yes.

Let’s hope staying in Sterling Ridge wasn’t a mistake.