Chapter 13 #2
At first Nev reaches for the red spot on her neck, then she drops her hand. "You know what, Doobie, you got dressed up for nothing." She turns to leave.
I'm always a pro at acting and speaking impulsively. I reach out and take hold of her hand. "No, don't go. I take it back. None of my business."
She turns around and stares down at my hold on her hand, then we both let go as if our palms are burning.
"You're right. It's none of your business, Zander.
Do you know how many times I had to listen to tales of the great Zander Wilde and his incredible skills?
" She lifts air quotes and then laughs. "Shit, I'm in the twentieth century, too.
Really. What I do in my personal life—it's none of your damn business. "
"I know. I forget. It's just—we've known each other for so long, and you—well, you know a lot about me and the shit I went through cuz sometimes the only people I had in this whole fucking world were El Honey … and you, Nev. You were always there, too."
Nev's hazel eyes have sprinkles of gold.
I know what kind of light makes them look green, bright sun.
I know they look golden brown in shade, like under the roof of the barn.
They turn a dark forest green when she's sad.
The day of her grandmother's funeral, they were mossy green and so dark I couldn't see the pupils.
And when she's laughing or having fun, they turn pale and golden.
It's never easy for me to open up or share my feelings unless I'm with Nev. She's always been a great listener. She says nothing about what I said, proving my point. I know she listened to every word, and I know she absorbed my meaning. There's nothing more to say.
"Let's ride and no bucking bronco shit out on the trail," she says.
I point at Doc. "Did you hear that, buddy?"
We lead the horses out to the yard. I built a short mounting block for Rio. Nev uses it to climb on.
We ride in silence for a few minutes as we head out of the barn area toward the part of the ranch that is mostly overgrown with shrubs and grass.
It was our playground growing up, the "perfect amount of space filled with things that couldn't be broken" Nate's mom, Stevie used to say.
She stayed with us longer than the other moms, and we all got used to having her around.
She was the closest thing to a mom any of us ever had.
She'd even bake cookies at Christmas and fill stockings with treats.
But even she could only take so much from Finn.
When he came home stoned and drunk one night, with a hooker on each arm, Stevie packed her bags and walked out.
None of us cried except Nate. It wasn't something we did … often … but we sure as hell wanted to.
"Remember that time when Ronan, or was it Colin, decided he could climb to the top of that pine tree to check out the hawk's nest," Nev says.
For a moment she steals my breath. The sunlight illuminates just how incredible she is.
Nevada has always been the prettiest girl in town, only it's a title she hates.
She much prefers to go unnoticed, but it's hard not to notice someone like her.
She easily steers Doobie around some rocks with just the slightest movement of her hands.
She's a good rider considering the only experience she's had is riding around on our ranch horses for fun.
She's that girl, the one who excels at everything, but she never brags or bullshits about it.
She just goes through life being excellent at everything without fanfare or bragging or bullshit.
"I think it was Ronan. He's a much bigger idiot than Colin. I mean they're both idiots, but Ronan's got an edge on the crown. He got stuck up there as I recall."
Nev nods. "Kinsley and I left while he was still stuck halfway up but a good twenty feet from the ground. Is it true your dad made him stay up there all night?"
"Yeah, that story got blown up to legendary proportions.
The last time I heard someone bring it up, he was up there for three days, and it snowed and a black bear climbed up behind him.
Not sure if Ronan started that long, twisted tale or if it was just the natural story order in our gossipy town.
Dad came out and helped him down around one in the morning.
" I'm about to add the shitty part at the end where Dad gave him the belt so hard Ronan couldn't sit down for a week, but I didn't need to add that.
Nev knew, too well, about my Dad's darker days.
There was a time when Dad could walk into the hardware store or the coffee shop and everyone would hurry with their purchases and leave just to avoid being in the same place as Finnegan Wilde.
Age softened his edges and his reputation.
It's hard to fear a man who breathes hard and coughs just ordering a cup of coffee.
"We do have a gossipy town," Nev says. She looks over. "Seems like the horse is calmer out here than in the arena."
"Yeah, that's cuz I'm giving him plenty of rein and freedom.
I think he just doesn't like to work, so he makes a nuisance of himself in the riding arena.
" We reach the pond. Like so many places on the ranch, the pond is filled with memories.
"Remember the start of summer party where I canonballed into the water and pretended to drown? "
Nev looks over at me with an arched brow. "Funny you bring that up. I was just thinking about that day."
I chuckle. "You were so pissed at me."
"I waded in in my clothes, you asshole."
"God, you were such a hot lifeguard, even in wet clothes. Although I preferred that red one-piece suit and the cute little whistle you used to wear."
"Yes, that's lifeguarding in a nutshell. Cute one-piece bathing suits and whistles. The rest of it is just fluff."
I laugh again. "Hey, I saw you save a couple of kids, and I was damn impressed. But then I was used to it."
"Used to what?" she asks.
"Used to being impressed by you, Nevvie."
She rolls her eyes.
I laugh. "I forgot the number one Nevada rule—no compliments. Most people eat them like they're candy, but for you, they're like sour grapes with seeds."
"Not true. We should turn back. I've got some paperwork waiting for me."
I turn Doc's head, and Doobie and Nev follow.
"Seems to me, that day at the pond didn't end all bad." I look at her pointedly. "I mean—"
"I know what you mean, and I have no idea what that was.
I guess heat of the moment or whatever." She speaks about it casually as if it was a silly, meaningless kiss, and I'm stunned at how fucking hurt I am by that.
For me, it was a kiss that I never, ever forgot.
For a few amazing seconds, I had my mouth pressed against Nevada Mason's plump lips.
"I thought it was a good kiss," I say, offhandedly.
"It was fine," she says plainly, but I see a tiny smile on her lips. "Can we lope once we get to the dirt path? I haven't ridden fast in a long time."
"Sure thing."