Chapter 48
FORTY-EIGHT
Levi
“Thanks for bringing this over.” I greet Bishop when he walks in the back door of the ranch house with some paperwork Grant needs me to look over.
Bishop decided to stay on with us temporarily while I’m recovering and we’re sorting through the aftermath. I’m grateful for it because he’s one of the few people outside of the Kellys I feel like we can trust to do this kind of work, but doubly so because he’s such an old friend.
I spent the years since my parents died so focused on making things right that I lost a lot of the guys I was close with.
If they weren’t family or they didn’t work with me at the casino, the friendships all but vanished.
Not that I blamed them, grief changes people, and for me, it wasn’t for the better.
“Not a problem. Was heading this way anyway and thought it would save you a trip. How are you feeling?” Bishop looks me over.
“A lot better. Up and moving around. Not that I’m allowed to do much around here.”
“Zephyrine keeping an eye on you?” He grins at my distress.
“I’d call it more of a prison watch than an eye, but yeah. Between her and Aspen, I’m on lockdown.” I laugh.
“Your sister’s around? I didn’t think she lived out here anymore. Thought she was back East with the husband.”
“Trouble in paradise, I guess. She’s back in Colorado right now. Looking at a job up in Denver. She came down when she heard I got hurt. Never misses the chance to tell me I have to stop doing dangerous shit,” I explain.
“Ah, well, I’m sorry to hear that. But glad she’s keeping an eye out for you.”
“Yeah, they’re having a girls’ night tonight, I think.
Zephyrine, my brother’s fiancée, Dakota, Aspen, and her daughter.
So if you want to stay and have a beer, I’m short a couple of wardens for the next few hours.
We’ve got a couple of pizzas coming.” I’m excited about the prospect of being treated like something other than a patient, and Grant is busy with work this evening.
“Yeah, actually, that sounds good. I wouldn’t mind sticking around if I’m not in the way.”
“Not at all. Fuck, you'll be giving me some entertainment. What kind of beer do you want?” I open up the fridge.
“Whatever you got’s good. I’m not picky, and you all always had the good shit anyway.” He flashes another grin in my direction, and I toss him a longneck and a bottle opener.
I hear footfalls down the steps, and I turn to see Aspen coming down them already dressed in short cotton shorts and an oversized Highland State T-shirt, her hair up in a bun, and blowing on her freshly manicured nails. She sees me first and grins.
“You’re up! Feeling okay?” Her eyes run over me in survey to make sure I’m not doing anything I shouldn’t be.
“I’m great. You need something?”
“Just gotta get some snacks for the girls,” she explains, and I grin at how well Zephyrine’s already fitting into the family that she’s already considered one of the girls.
When I close the fridge to let Aspen pass, she stops short. She’s frozen as her face goes deathly pale, and I’m just about to ask her what’s wrong when she speaks.
“I thought you were dead.” She’s staring at Bishop like he’s a ghost.
“Well, whoever told you that exaggerated.” His signature swagger is still thick in his tone, but the way he’s staring back at her has my attention.
“Apparently.”
“Heard you’re back in Colorado.”
“Sort of. I needed a change of scenery.”
I’m so distracted watching this bizarre game of verbal tennis that I don’t hear the second set of footsteps coming down the steps until they hit the last one.
“Hi, Uncle Levi.” My niece, Fallon, greets me.
“Hey, kid. You pick out a movie?” I smile down at her. She’s fifteen already and talks like she’s going on twenty-one half the time, but to me, she’s still a kid.
“Still deciding. Mom won’t let us watch anything rated R, so it’s narrowed the options.
” She huffs as she rounds the corner, but just like her mom, she misses the interloper in the room until she almost runs into him.
She gives Bishop a once-over and finds him wanting as he stands next to her mother.
It’s unclear whether it’s the distance between them or his general existence that puts her off. “Who are you?”
“Manners!” Aspen chides, immediately straightening her spine and standing a little taller as she shifts on her feet. “He’s a…” Aspen looks at me to fill in the gap, like she doesn’t remember all the time he spent on this ranch.
“Family friend,” I fill in, raising my brow at her like it’s me who needs to be concerned about her health. Nothing is a challenge for that woman, and right now, she seems to be struggling just to have a normal conversation.
“Sorry. I didn’t expect a stranger in the kitchen.” Fallon side-eyes her mother and Bishop before she steps around them.
“He’s not a stranger. He’s working with us,” I chime in when Aspen doesn’t correct her. My sister and I exchange frowns. I’m still trying to suss out the reason the room’s managed to drop to twenty below, and I’m somehow expected to read her mind in the process.
Bishop holds out his hand in Fallon’s direction. “My friends call me—”
“Bishop. His name is Bishop.” Aspen cuts him off, and Bishop looks at her with an arched brow.
“Well, you have a good name at least.” Fallon follows up, not noticing or not caring that her mother’s behaving oddly.
“Thanks.” Bishop chuckles. “What’s your name?”
“Fallon.” My niece carries on like nothing is amiss.
Bishop’s eyes drift back to Aspen, but hers stay glued to the candy drawer in front of her like it’s the most interesting thing she’s ever seen.
“So you’re Uncle Levi’s friend?” Fallon asks, glancing between us.
Bishop shifts his focus back to her and clears his throat.
“Yep, and I used to work for your grandad on the ranch.”
“Were you a cowboy or a horseman?” She asks the pointed question, and Aspen’s eyes slowly close in embarrassment, the only sign she’s still listening and not reading every label in the drawer.
“A bit of both.” Bishop winks at her.
“I bet Grandad loved you then.”
“Your grandad was a good man.” Bishop sobers a little.
“I miss him. He used to take me riding when I was little. He had good jokes that made Mom mad and made the best chocolate shakes too.” Fallon’s mood shifts with the memories, and then she looks at her mom. “Oh! Mom. That sounds good. Can we make some? Aunt Hazel still has the milkshake glasses.”
“Let’s stick to ice cream bars and not make a mess of the kitchen right now.”
“Chips?” Fallon pouts.
“That’s fine,” she answers, and I see her eyes drift to Bishop again now that he’s not looking at her.
“Can you bring up the dip?” Fallon asks as she grabs a bag from the counter and then bounces to the fridge to grab a pop before turning on her mom again. “Mom?”
Aspen snaps out of her thoughts and nods, coughing before she speaks again.
“I’ll bring it with me. Take these Sour Patch Kids to Zeph, and tell Dakota I’ve got our drinks coming right up.”
“Got it!” Fallon calls back. “Night, Uncle Levi! Night, Bishop!” Her voice fades as she climbs higher.
“Sorry,” Aspen apologizes, head down like she’s just trying to sneak past us. “I just need to get snacks for movie night.”
Bishop’s eyes are locked on her like he’s in a trance while she pulls things out of the fridge, and color me fucking fascinated.
“Can we join, or is it a girls’ night?” I ask because now I’m dying to watch this play out. Bishop looks at me, his brow raised in curiosity.
“I think it’s just us girls tonight. You guys have fun.
The pizza should be here soon. Just call for me, and I’ll come get it.
Don’t hurt yourself trying to do it all!
” She shakes her head and walks past me without looking at Bishop again, the sound of her retreating footsteps echoing on the stairs.
“I can get the pizza,” Bishop says, taking a swig of his beer like nothing at all odd just happened.
“You’re not going to tell me what that was?” I ask, but before Bishop can answer, the doorbell rings with our pizza.