Chapter Twenty-one
West
Colt and I are coming in from rounding up a few stray cattle, when he slows Knievel to a trot.
“Whoa,” I say to Miss B, gently pulling on her reins. “Why are we slowing?”
“Just thought it looked like the sort of morning to hold up and take it all in, don’t you think?”
I narrow my eyes at my best friend, as if he’s lost his damn mind.
Maybe he has. Ever since Lemon came home, he’s .
.. happy. And, yeah, I’m glad his grumpy ass isn’t still moping around the ranch like he was for the last twelve years, but now that he’s no longer drowning in angst, he and my sister have begun meddling.
Too much damn time on their hands. I can’t wait for her to finally give birth.
“So, how’s Daisy?”
I shake my head. I’d do anything to avoid this little ambush right now. “You’re subtle as a fucking sledgehammer. You know that, right?”
Colt shrugs. “I’m just a concerned friend.”
“Did Lemon put you up to this?”
“No. Your sister has nothing to do with this. I’ve thought of you as a brother long before I married your sister—”
I grin. “Which should’ve made her even more off limits, right?”
“Look, don’t shoot me for saying this, but I don’t really know that Daisy’s got anyone else in her corner ... so, just don’t hurt her. She’s been through enough between her mama and Eddie abandoning her.”
I glower at him. “You need to fucking drop it.”
Colt holds his hands up in a placating gesture.
“Okay. I will, but I’m gonna say this first, marrying your sister was the best damn thing I ever did, and not going after her in New York was the biggest mistake of my damn life.
Don’t be an idiot, West. You’re not getting any younger, and you’re sure as shit not getting any less grumpy in your old age, but Daisy’s stronger than you think she is. ”
Like he has to tell me how fucking strong she is. I’ve seen it firsthand. “I know it.”
“Yeah, but are you man enough to step up and be what she needs?”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“She might not know it now, but Daisy-Mae’s gonna land on her feet. I wanna know if you’re gonna be the soft place she needs or the rocky outcrop filled with diamondbacks and jagged peaks?”
“Says the man who held a twelve-year grudge.”
“I wasn’t holding a grudge, I was building a home for Lemon to come back to. If you’re gonna be Daisy’s soft place, stop acting like a dick, and just get to loving her already.”
“You know, I think all the cozying up you been doing with my sister is making mush outta your head.”
“Maybe, but I swear to god, if I hear you say once more that you’re ‘just friends’, I might strangle you myself.”
“Just friends is all she needs right now.”
“Is it? And is that what you need?”
“I need everyone to get off my fucking case.” Beneath me, Miss B nickers, low and guttural, as if she’s as impressed by this conversation as I am.
I lean forward and pat her crest. The small movement soothes me, and I feel her relax a little too.
“I want her. I fucking love her, but she needs me right now, and not romantically. She just had a baby. Her whole world needs to be about Waylon. I would never take that from her.” I grit my teeth and glance at Colt.
He grins like a fucking idiot and crows, “I knew it!”
I roll my eyes. “Daisy needs a friend, so I’ll wait. Maybe one day she’ll have feelings for me too, or maybe she won’t. I love her enough to not pressure her for more.”
Colt’s grin turns practically psychotic. “You lurrrve her,” he singsongs.
I shake my head and scoff. “Love is stupid.”
“Yeah, but it’s stupid good.”
As much as I give him shit for being moony-eyed over my little sister, he’s not wrong. Love is stupid good. I just wish choosing someone else’s needs over your own didn’t hurt so much.