Chapter 11 Atlee
ELEVEN
ATLEE
The past two weeks have gone off without a hitch while Devlin and I have settled into a routine.
We get up and get dressed as a couple. Sometimes we have breakfast, and then we leave at the same time—me in the used SUV that Devlin bought for me last week, and him in his truck.
He heads to the Grizzly River Ranch for the day, and I head into town.
Then, at the end of the day, we show up at about the same time. We cook dinner together, eat, and then spend some time out on the back porch before coming in to shower and then watching some TV.
I never knew that life could be this settled, this happy. I’ve never had this kind of contentment in my life, and I love it more than I’m willing to admit to anyone. I’m leaning over the counter at Murphy’s when I see Lennon walk in. “Hey,” I wave at her, moving out and running up to hug her.
She hugs me tightly. “Hey, yourself. I came to see if you wanna go to the Rusty Spur tonight? Aubree and I are meeting over there for a drink, and I haven’t been able to hang out with you much lately.”
She’s right. We haven’t been able to hang out. Part of that is me. I haven’t wanted to change my routine, because I’m in the honeymoon phase of my relationship with Devlin. The other part is that I’m still processing everything that happened with the robbery.
“I don’t know,” I hesitate, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “I should probably let Devlin know.”
Lennon rolls her eyes. “You can text him while we’re on the way. Come on, Atlee. I miss my sister. And it’s not like I’m asking you to ditch him for a week. It’s just a few hours.”
I feel a pang of guilt. I have been neglecting Lennon. The past few weeks have been like living in a bubble with Devlin, warm and safe and separate from the rest of the world. But Lennon has been there for me through everything. She deserves better.
“What time?” I ask, already knowing I’m going to say yes.
Her face lights up. “We’re meeting at eight. And before you start worrying about what to wear…” She holds up a hand to stop my protest. “I have clothes you can borrow. I’ll swing by your work when your shift ends, and we can get ready at my place.”
I glance down at my scrubs. “Yeah, these probably aren’t Rusty Spur appropriate.”
“Definitely not.” Lennon laughs. “So you’ll come?”
“Yeah, I’ll come.”
She pulls me into another hug. “Good. Because Aubree will kill me if I show up alone again. She says I’m a terrible wingwoman.”
“Aubree needs a wingwoman?” I ask, surprised. Aubree and Jesse are so totally together. Did something happen that I wasn’t told about?
“Not for herself,” Lennon says with a dismissive wave. “For me. She thinks I need to ‘get back out there,’ whatever that means.”
“Ah,” I say, understanding now. Lennon hasn’t dated anyone seriously since her breakup with Mark two years ago. “And how do you feel about that?”
She shrugs, trying to look nonchalant, but I can see the vulnerability in her eyes. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s time. But that’s not what tonight is about. Tonight is about me getting to spend time with my little sister, who’s been all wrapped up in her hot cowboy.”
I feel my cheeks heat. “He is hot, isn’t he?”
“Gross.” Lennon laughs, pushing my shoulder gently. “I don’t need to hear about how hot you think your boyfriend is. I’ll see you at five, okay?”
“Okay,” I agree, watching as she heads toward the exit. “Hey, Len?” I call after her.
She turns, eyebrows raised in question.
“Thanks for coming to get me.”
Her expression softens. “Always, sis. Always.”
After she leaves, I pull out my phone to text Devlin, letting him know about my change in plans.
Me
Lennon wants me to go to the Rusty Spur tonight with her and Aubree. Girls’ night. That okay?
His response comes a minute later.
Devlin
Have fun. Text me when you’re done, I’ll come get you if you want to drink.
I smile at my phone. He’s always looking out for me, making sure I’m safe. It’s still new enough to feel like a small miracle every time.
Me
Thanks. I’ll let you know.
The rest of my shift passes in a blur of prescriptions and customers. By the time five o’clock rolls around, I’m practically bouncing with anticipation. I haven’t been out anywhere besides work and Devlin’s cabin since the robbery. The thought is both exciting and a little terrifying.
Lennon is waiting for me in the parking lot, leaning against her car, scrolling through her phone. She looks up when I approach, a smile spreading across her face.
“Ready for a makeover?” she asks, waggling her eyebrows.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I laugh, climbing into the passenger seat.
At Lennon’s apartment, she immediately drags me to her closet, pulling out options for me to try on.
We settle on a pair of high-waisted jeans that hug my curves and a deep blue top that brings out the color in my eyes.
The bruising on my face has almost completely faded, needing only a light layer of concealer to cover.
“You look amazing,” Lennon says, stepping back to admire her handiwork after helping me with my makeup. “Devlin won’t know what hit him.”
“Devlin’s not going to be there,” I remind her. “Girls’ night, remember?”
She gives me a knowing look. “Sure. And I’m the Queen of England.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means Aubree is dating Jesse, who is Devlin’s brother, and the Rusty Spur is where all the ranch hands go after work. So unless Devlin is planning to sit at home alone while his brother and all his friends are out having fun…”
I hadn’t thought of that. “Oh.”
“Don’t worry,” Lennon assures me, applying a final coat of mascara to her own lashes. “I’m not going to get mad if your hot cowboy shows up. Just don’t ditch me the minute he walks in, okay?”
“Deal,” I promise, feeling a flutter of anticipation at the thought of seeing Devlin in a social setting. We’ve been so wrapped up in our own little world, I haven’t really seen him interact with many people besides Jesse and Aubree.
The Rusty Spur is already crowded when we arrive. Country music blasts from the speakers, and the dance floor is packed with couples two-stepping. Aubree waves to us from a table near the bar, and we weave our way through the crowd to join her.
“You made it!” she exclaims, standing to give me a hug. “And you look fantastic!”
“All Lennon’s doing,” I say, gesturing to my outfit. “She’s the fashion expert.”
“Well, she did good,” Aubree says approvingly. “First round’s on me. What are you having?”
“Just a beer for me,” Lennon says.
“I’ll have the same,” I add.
Aubree flags down a waitress and orders three beers. “So,” she says, turning back to us once the waitress leaves. “How’s life with the mysterious Devlin? Still going well?”
“Really well,” I admit, unable to keep the smile from my face. “It’s…easy being with him. I never expected that.”
“The Nelson men can be intense,” Aubree agrees. “But they’re good guys under all that brooding. It just takes the right woman to bring it out of them.”
“And you’re definitely bringing it out of Devlin,” Lennon adds. “I’ve never seen him so…human.”
I laugh at her description. “He’s always been human, Len.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” she mutters, but there’s no real heat behind it. “Before you, I don’t think I ever heard him string more than three words together.”
Our beers arrive, and we clink bottles in a toast. “To girls’ night,” Aubree says. “Long overdue.”
“To girls’ night,” Lennon and I echo.
One beer turns into two, and then someone orders a round of tequila shots.
The music gets louder, the crowd gets rowdier, and I find myself relaxing in a way I haven’t in weeks.
It feels good to laugh with my sister, to exchange stories with Aubree, and to just be a normal twenty-something woman out with friends.
“Oh my god,” Aubree suddenly says, her eyes fixed on the entrance. “They’re here.”
Lennon and I turn to look. Jesse and Devlin are making their way through the crowd, and with them is Carson, Jesse, and Devlin’s younger brother.
Devlin’s eyes scan the room, and when they land on me, his whole face changes.
The hard lines soften, his lips curve into a smile, and something warm and possessive enters his gaze.
My heart does a little flip in my chest. Two weeks of sleeping beside him every night, and he still has the power to make me feel like a teenager with her first crush.
“Told you,” Lennon says, nudging me with her elbow. “Predictable.”
But I notice she’s sitting up a little straighter, running a hand through her hair as the men approach, and her eyes aren’t on Devlin or Jesse. They’re fixed on Carson.
Interesting.
“Ladies,” Jesse greets us, bending to kiss Aubree briefly. “Hope you don’t mind us crashing your party.”
“Not at all,” Aubree says, making room for him beside her. “The more, the merrier.”
Devlin slides into the seat next to me, his thigh pressing against mine under the table. “Having fun?” he asks, his voice low enough that only I can hear.
“Yeah,” I say honestly. “It’s good to get out.”
His hand finds mine under the table, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You look beautiful,” he murmurs, and I feel heat rise to my cheeks.
Carson, meanwhile, has taken the empty seat beside Lennon. “Lennon,” he says, a slight drawl in his voice. “Didn’t expect to see you here tonight.”
“Why not?” she challenges, but there’s a playful glint in her eye. “I do leave the office occasionally.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” he says with a grin. “Last time I stopped by, Shawn said you were chained to your desk reviewing depositions.”
“Well, I’m here now,” she says, taking a deliberate sip of her beer. “And I’m off the clock.”
The tension between them is palpable, charging the air like lightning before a storm. I catch Aubree’s eye across the table, and she gives me a smirk. What the fuck is going on with my sister and Carson?