Chapter 4
four
. . .
Ronan
Iknew I was at the bottom of the ladder.
My paycheck would tell me the same thing, but I planned to make myself invaluable to the project and work my way up.
There might have been something to Dad's tough love strategy, although I wasn't going to give him full credit.
I'd had a long talk with Nev about my situation, and she let me know that I was the one fucking up.
I always liked how blunt she could be. Of course, if Zander had told me the same thing, I probably would have bristled and told him to fuck off.
Somehow, hearing it from Nev, made me absorb the reality easier.
I'd been drinking and partying and fucking around so much, I'd lost sight of any future. This job was my new start.
I picked up the debris-filled wheelbarrow and rolled it behind the office trailer where the giant trash bins were lined up.
As I came around the corner, someone grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back hard enough that I lost my grip on the wheelbarrow.
It wobbled but didn't fall over, thankfully.
Seconds later, I was smacked up against one of the bins, and Sam and his two sweat-stained buddies surrounded me.
I was getting pretty fucking tired of metal trash bins.
Sam glanced back toward the trailer once to make sure Doris wasn't near the window, then Sam's two pals each grabbed an arm.
Sam threw his fist into my gut. They released me, and I bent over in pain.
It took me a few seconds to catch my breath. I figured this was coming.
I straightened and grimaced in pain. "You done?" I asked.
"Never liked a smart alec." Sam pointed his thick, callused finger at me. "You might think you made a pal with Doris, but that's not going to help you out here in the trenches."
"I was just trying to keep you from making an ass of yourself.
Or did you seriously think she was going to appreciate being groped by a leathery old dick like you?
" Jameson always told me I never knew when to quit.
I used to get in trouble with Dad and then my mouth would triple down on the trouble.
I braced for another fist. I was sure he'd go for the gut because the face would be too obvious.
Doris would ask questions. I'd calculated wrong.
He motioned for his friends to grab me again, and this time his fist cut up and clipped my chin hard enough to make me bite my tongue.
"Nothing I hate more than a pretty boy. You pull your weight around here, keep to your own business and don't ever fucking interfere with me again. Got it?"
I spat a blob of blood so that it landed just an inch from his shoe. He stared down at the blood, then looked up at me with a look that told me I'd earned another fist. I was saved by the trailer door opening and snapping shut.
Sam motioned for his buddies to follow. He stopped at the wheelbarrow and pushed it over with his foot. "Better clean this mess up, pretty boy." They walked away.
"I'd do it again," I said to his back. He spun around with a look of fury that made me ask myself what the hell I was doing.
But I knew exactly what I was doing. "I don't regret stopping you from touching her.
I'd do it again, even knowing I'd end up with teeth marks in my tongue. " And I knew it was true.
I waited for him to march back toward me, but Doris was out on the site, and as tough as Sam liked to think he was, he wanted to stay on the good side of the boss. I knew it killed him to have to answer to a woman, and that little nugget of reality made me like Doris even more.
I spit out some more blood. I'd really done a number on my tongue. I wasn't going to be eating salsa for a week.
Sam didn't so much as look my direction for the rest of the day. I had no problem with that. The end of the first workday left me with a sore back, tired feet and a swollen tongue. The last part was my fault, but it had been worth it.
A cold drizzle started just as I sat on the bus stop bench.
The diner lights were dim. It was closed for the night.
I thought about earlier when Rachel brought me the sandwich.
I wondered if she went home to some lucky man who probably didn't deserve her.
Or maybe he was awesome and rich and he pampered her.
I hoped that was true, but the fact that she worked at a diner and mentioned recognizing my look of hunger told me that probably wasn't the case.
I sipped water from the bottle I'd bought at the vending machine. It was cold and felt good on my tongue.
My phone rang. I pulled it out of my sweatshirt. "Hey, Colin."
"Uh-oh, you sound down." Colin and I were fraternal twins, but we had that weird connection that let us know when something was up with the other.
"Nah, just tired. Had my first day on the construction site. Now I'm sitting in a shitty, cold rain waiting for the bus. What's up?"
"Damn, talk about down on your luck. Well, I've got good news. Zander called and said that Dad kicked you out."
"Yep. That night was a story in itself. You know Dad. Always the supportive parent."
Colin chuckled. "Yeah, if only there was a need for a second Santa.
Dad would fit the bill perfectly. Well, I just signed a lease on an apartment, and it's not far from where you're working.
I'm going to be working remotely for the company.
It's a sweet gig. I'm mostly the face and spokesperson for their new line of snowboarding gear.
I get tons of free shit, bonuses, free travel. It's gonna be awesome."
"Well, as usual the lucky star is hanging over your head, and the death star is over mine. Congratulations on the new gig and the apartment."
Colin scoffed through the phone. "Holy shit, get out the tiny violin. I'm calling you, dickface, to let you know there's a spare room if you want to rent it. I know you're broke right now, so I'll give you the first month rent free. How's that for awesome brotherliness?"
The shambling bus hissed and burped diesel as it came around the corner. "Shit, bro, you sure? That's fucking awesome. Yeah, I'll take the room."
"Woo-hoo, the Wilde twins back as a team. Should be cool. And I'll even sweeten the deal. I'm hardly going to need my car cuz I'm working from home, and when I'm not, I'll be out of town so—"
"If you tell me I can use your car, then I might just cry." I said it as I stepped onto the bus. The other passengers, also wet and tired from work, all looked up at me. "I'm also going to kiss you right on the lips next time I see you." There were a few snickers from my audience.
"You try that and I'll send you back to the old man's place."
I sat in an empty row and groaned as my sore back hit the hard seat, and my bruised ribs adjusted to the new position.
"What the hell, Ro, you sound like you're in pain."
"Nah, I'm good. So, when do we move in? I think Zander's getting sick of me on his couch."
"Yeah, he mentioned that. I get the keys on Friday, so you'll have to stay with him a little while longer. I've got to go. We'll talk later."
"Hey, Colin, thanks."
"Yeah. Hey, I'm looking forward to it. It's gonna be the Wilde bachelor pad of the century."
"Sounds good." I hung up and put my phone in my pocket. A kid who appeared to be a few years younger than Rio was looking around the edge of his seat. His mom was busy scrolling through her phone.
"Were you talking to a hot girl?" the kid asked.
I smiled. "My brother."
He grimaced. "Yuck. You kiss him on the lips?" He turned forward again.
I rested my head back and closed my eyes. It had been a long day, but aside from the pain in my ribs and tongue, I was enjoying that feeling of exhaustion that came with working hard. Maybe I'd finally found a way forward. It was about fucking time.
It was a two-mile walk to the ranch from the bus stop.
My work boots weren't exactly cozy and comfy for a long walk, but at least the rain had stopped.
I could see lights on in the barn as I walked up the gravel drive.
Lights were on in Dad's house, too. I didn't feel any need to stop and check on him.
Indiana's car was parked near the barn, and I could hear Rio's voice inside.
My brother, Jameson, had found out just five years earlier that he was a dad from a short summer romance.
Rio's mom decided she was bored of motherhood and handed her daughter off to a father she'd never met.
We were all shocked at how easily Jameson stepped into the role of Dad.
It wasn't as if he ever had a good role model, yet he was pretty fucking awesome at it.
All of us adored Rio, and we pitied the boy who ever set his sights on her because one protective dad was bad enough, but add in four overprotective uncles and the kid didn't have a chance in hell.
Zander had started teaching Rio how to ride a horse a few years back, and there had been plenty of arguments and tears, even from Rio, but they stuck it out. Rio was a damn good rider now.
The warm stink of sweaty horses and hay pelted me as I walked into the barn.
Rio was just leading Irish into her stall, and Zander was apparently clunking around in the tack room.
Indi was sitting on one of the tack trunks wrapped in a green coat and matching beanie.
She was the first to see me. In high school, people called Indiana the school jewel and you only had to see her and talk to her one time to know why.
My brother Jameson had loved her forever, but sometimes love came out in funny ways.
In high school, Indi and Jameson were constantly angry at each other.
It didn't help that Jameson had to sit by as Indi dated his best friend Zach.
He watched, brokenhearted, from the sidelines.
A string of bad luck brought Indiana back to Rockhurst, and the two finally realized they were meant to be together.
Indi had stepped into the role of Rio's parent as easily as Jameson.
"Hey, Ronan, I was hoping we'd see you." Indi put her phone away and walked over to give me a hug. "You look tired." She tilted her head slightly. "Is your lip swollen?" My tongue hurt so badly, I hadn't realized my lip was fat until I saw my reflection in the scratched-up bus window.
"Yeah, it's fat and ugly. How'd the ride go?"
"I told Jameson he's going to need to buy her a horse." Zander walked out of the tack room. "Irish needs to retire from the saddle for good."
Indi turned around to reply. "We're going to start looking this week. I just hope we can find a horse that's safe and reliable like Irish."
"There are plenty out there. I'll look around, too," Zander said. He looked at me. "Shit, Ro, did you already get into a fight at work? It was your first day. How the fuck did that happen? Did they fire you?"
I let him finish. "Jeez, you're like an old nag. No fight and I'm still employed." I patted my stomach. "Are there any leftovers from dinner? I'm starved."
Zander looked at Indi. "You didn't tell him?"
"I was about to until you walked out with your hurricane of nosy, judgmental accusations," Indi said. She rarely got mad, but when she did, it was fun to watch.
"Tell me what?" I asked just as Rio slid shut the stall door.
"RoRo!" Rio was the only person allowed to call me RoRo. She'd come up with the nickname, but when Jameson tried to use it, I made it clear that it was never going to happen.
Rio came running over. She was wearing new cowboy boots. She hugged me. "We're going to have so much fun."
I looked at Indi, deciding she was my best bet for figuring out just what the hell was going on.
"We were hoping you'd come stay with us this week." Indi added in one of her classic school jewel smiles to help soften the blow that my big brother was kicking me out, just like Dad had done.
I looked at Zander. "So you're sick of me?"
"Not sick of you. Just want you out."
"Sounds like the same thing only using different words." I had no idea being kicked out hurt so bad. It wasn't the first time. I was just getting tired of it. I couldn't wait to move in with Colin.
Rio wrapped her arm around mine. "You belong to us now."
"Sort of feeling like a stray dog but thanks, kiddo. I've just got to get my stuff." I turned back to Indi. "Wait, does Jameson know, or am I going to get the same adoration and love from him as I got from Z?"
"Yes, he knows."
"So do my friends, so a few of them will probably just happen to drop by for a visit." Rio rolled her eyes. "Dusty and Brittney are Team Ronan."
"Team Ronan?" I asked. "Didn't know I had a team."
Rio blew out a frustrated sigh. "I've told you this a million times. Two of my friends are Team Ronan and two are Team Colin."
"I thought Dusty was Team Nate?" Indi asked and then shook her head. "How do I get so easily drawn into this?"
Rio laughed and hugged Indi. "Cuz you're cool, and just for the record—everyone is Team Nate."
Indi nodded. "Yeah, that makes sense."
Zander scoffed. "What happened to Team Zander? You know, the uncle who taught you to ride a horse?"
"Oh, you're too big, and my friends think you're grumpy." There was nothing like having a teen in the family to hear hard truths without a filter.
"I'm not grumpy," Zander said in the grumpiest tone ever.
Rio looked at Indi and me and shrugged. "We should get home. I've got a ton of homework."
"You should have mentioned that first," Indi said. "Let's get going. We'll wait for you to get your stuff, Ronan. Thanks for the riding lesson, Z."
"Yeah, thanks." Rio ran over and hugged him. "It's all right. I don't think you're grumpy. At least not all the time."
Zander and I headed to the house. "Look, Ro, I'm not kicking you out. It's just—Nev and I only just moved in together and—"
"You can't have sex wherever you want when you've got someone sleeping in your spare room," I added for him.
He smacked me solidly on the back. "See, I knew you'd understand."