Chapter Two
West
Setting the razor down on the sink, I glance at myself in my bathroom mirror.
I don’t wanna shave. Shaving means I’m actually putting effort into this date that Lemon set me up on.
I don’t even really know why I’m going, except that I forgot all about it until I ran into Lemonade and Daisy, and it felt a little too late to cancel.
I’m an asshole, but I’m not that much of an asshole.
I spray on some deodorant, leave my hair damp and dripping around my shoulders before walking into my bedroom.
What I want is to change into a pair of boxers and my favorite Henley, and hang out with my pet steer.
Instead, I spray on a little cologne, rummage through the closet, and find a clean pair of Wranglers, and a fresh shirt.
The fresh part might be a bit of a stretch, since this one kind of smells like my closet, but a wrinkled, musty shirt is the least of my problems tonight.
I’m already late, and if I don’t leave soon, I’ll never hear the end of it from my little sister.
I run my fingers through my hair, put on my hat, and step out my front door, almost tripping on the highland bull sitting on my porch. He shoves his oversized gym ball toward me with a gentle nudge of his nose.
“Sorry, Ham. I can’t play tonight.” I scratch his giant head. “Aunt Lemon’s making me go on a date.”
Hamburger moos. He’s been with me every night since his mother rejected him as a calf.
I took him in, hand raised him, spoiled and well-fed.
He was supposed to go to slaughter two years ago, and I never thought I’d own a fucking pet steer, but there was just something about his big eyes and those long lashes that did me in.
Now he lives in the south pasture with me, and he makes the nights a little less lonely.
“I know, buddy.” I rub his dewlap and narrowly avoid kisses, because that would mean another shower, and I don’t have time for that. “We’ll play tomorrow.”
He bellows his protests and rolls his ball across my porch, barreling after it in a bull-sized tantrum. I’ll make it up to him later by sharing my snacks, but for now, I head to my truck and climb in. His big, brown eyes judge me as I peel out of the drive.
Twenty minutes off the property and Lemonade’s call flashes up on my phone. I sigh and decide to answer it in case—by some miracle—she’s cancelling on behalf of my date. “What?”
“What? What?” Her shrill voice just about deafens me in the cab of my truck. “Is that really any way to answer your phone?”
“Well, lil’ sis. When it’s you calling to pester me, I’m going with yes.”
“Where are you? It doesn’t sound like you’re at the restaurant.”
I take a deep breath before answering, so I don’t snap at my pregnant, hormonal, and overbearing sister. “I’m on my way.”
“Where on your way? Are you just leaving the ranch, because you know you’ll be late, right?”
I roll my eyes. I love my sister, and I’m happy she’s finally home on the ranch where she belongs, but she needs a goddamn hobby. “Why is this so important to you?”
“I like this girl. There’s just three people in all of Red River Canyon that I actually like, and one of them is Mama.”
“Is the other me?”
“What? No. Don’t be dumb, West. She’s sweet and she’s a nanny, or maybe an au pair.
I forget the difference. Oh, and she loves books.
She said something about also being a BookToker.
I’m not sure what that is, beyond someone who reads a lot and talks all about books, but she’s hot, West. And I like her. ”
“If she’s so hot, why don’t you date her?”
My sister doesn’t miss a beat as she says, “I already asked Colt. He said he doesn’t share.”
I shudder at the mental image that brings up. Bad enough I have to know my best friend impregnated my sister, I don’t want to know what the hell else they get up to behind closed doors. “Please stop talking right now. And if you really like her so much, why the hell are you setting her up with me?”
“Aww, are you fragile about your grumpy ass not being liked?” Lemon adopts a patronizing tone as she busts my balls some more.
“No. I don’t care if I’m well liked ... and I ain’t lookin’ to make Miss Congeniality at the Miss Denim and Diamonds Pageant. I’m not you, Miss Big City Artist.”
She gasps in mock horror, “You take that back. You know I would never be Miss Congeniality. I’d be crowned Motherfucking Queen.”
I chuckle and turn onto the main road. “Where’d you meet her, anyway?”
“At the bookstore. That’s something you two have in common.”
“Uh-huh. ’Cause I have so much time to read.”
“Oh, please. Wyatt told me all about your obsession with Romantasy. You’re not fooling anyone, West.”
“I’m gonna kill Wyatt. I told him to take that shit to his grave. Besides, they were Wade’s books anyway.” Up ahead, a blue vehicle that looks like it’s only big enough for Lego people glimmers against the dusty afternoon sun. “Lemonade, I gotta go.”
“Please tell me you’re there already?”
“Nope, but soon.”
My sister groans. “West, my Life 360 app says you’ve barely even left the ranch.”
“Why the fuck are you tracking me?”
“I have everyone on it. That way, when someone goes missing, we know where to search for the body. This is a big ranch, we can’t be out here willy nilly looking for your corpse for days before we cash in on your life insurance.”
“Bye, Lemonade.”
“Be nice to her. She’s the only other friend I’ve made here except Zadie and Daisy-Mae. One more and I can start a team for trivia night at Earl’s.”
I hang up on my sister and focus on the car ahead.
It’s parked haphazardly on the shoulder.
I can’t see the driver on the other side of that raised bonnet, but I know exactly who this little tinker toy belongs to, because she was almost running me over with it an hour ago.
I pull up alongside, and Daisy-Mae jumps.
“West Winchester,” she presses her palm against her chest. “You scared the life outta me.”
“Sorry, darlin’. You need a little help?”
“I think my car just up and died.”
“Hold on a minute,” I say, resting my arm on the windowsill. “I’ll pull in.”
Daisy nods and steps back off the road. I drive ahead, do a U-turn and line up our bonnets in case we have to jump start it, though from the way it’s smoking, I’d say it’s the radiator causing her all that grief.
“What happened?” I ask, jumping out of the truck and coming up beside her.
“I’m guessing she got jealous of my smokin’ hot bod,” she says, and I have no clue what the hell that means, but Daisy just shrugs.
“You heard it when I left work earlier, she did not want to start. Come to think of it, this car didn’t want to start this morning or yesterday either.
I just thought she was being temperamental. ”
“When was the last time you put water in it?”
She just stares at me blank faced. “You’re supposed to do that?”
Daisy might’ve been the butt of plenty of blonde jokes back in high school, but I know this woman is sharp as a tack. She was in Wade’s year, but sat through math, science, and English a year above her grade. How the hell does she not know what it takes to run a car?
“I’m kidding, West. I know you have to put water in it. She’s always thirsty, but with this pregnancy brain, I can’t remember when I last did it.” Her face contorts with a frown.
“Sounds like a busted radiator.”
“Sounds like it’s expensive to fix.”
“You’re just lucky we know a guy.” I head back to my truck and pull out the walkies—we use them a lot on the ranch, since we don’t always get cell reception. I hold down the microphone. “Wade?”
The radio in my hand crackles with static. “What’s up, mother fucker?”
I grimace and look at Daisy. “I’m sorry. He really was born in a barn.”
She shrugs. “It’s not like I haven’t heard it before.”
“I’m with Daisy-Mae,” I say and then whisper, “so I’d appreciate it if you could keep it clean, asshole.”
“My asshole is always clean.” Static crackles. “Sorry, ma’am.”
“Listen, I’m out on Resolute Road, just past mile marker fifteen. Daisy’s car has broken down.”
“Well shit. What do you want me to do about it?” Wade asks.
“I want you to come and get it.”
There’s a long pause of static, and then Wade whines, “But it’s Friday night. I’m headed to Earl’s.”
“Hmm. You can head to Earl’s after you and Wyatt come tow this thing to the garage.”
“Alright, alright. Don’t get your panties in a wad. I’ll be there.”
I smile and turn back to Daisy-Mae. “We’ll leave the keys, but I’m gonna take her home.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Daisy says.
“Like hell I don’t. You’re a million years pregnant. I’m not having you wait out here on your own, Dais.”
“Okay, you don’t have to get so bossy,” she grins. Something tells me she likes bossy.
“Go get your belongings and get in the truck.”
“Yes, sir.”
I wait until she walks away before I say, “I’ll cover whatever needs doing, but we gotta take care of this for her ASAP.”
“Yeah, I hear ya. Wait, don’t you have a date to be on? You wanna tell Daisy to wait for me and I’ll run her home after we tow her car.”
Fuck no, I don’t want that. “She’s pregnant, you braindead asshole. I’m not leaving her by the side of the road. Lemon can yell at me for being late all she wants.”
“Alright. I was just asking. No need to get all territorial and shit. I’m not gonna make a move on Daisy-Mae.”
“You bet your ass you’re not,” I snap, and then wonder why the fuck I’m treating her like that’s my baby in her belly. Not that I’d be opposed. Okay, West. What the fuck has gotten into you? All that jacking off alone has done something to your fucking brain.
Daisy closes her car door, and I wonder how much of that conversation with Wade she just heard.
She scoots around the truck to the passenger side and climbs in, though she looks a little like she’s having to work at it.
“Just be here within the hour, before the coyotes decide to rip it up to make a new den.”