Chapter 11
COLT
The problem with small towns is that they notice everything, and the bigger problem is that they love to talk about it.
After Lily and I had pillow talk, as she calls it, and an amazing half hour in the shower together, I left her at the Brambles and Bloom, and headed back to the ranch.
First problem? I pull in just after noon, which is very unlike me. And everyone noticed. With my truck still smelling like rain and my mind still on our hot and heavy kiss, I’m shocked at how alive the ranch is.
Levi’s truck is there, Dad’s tractor is running, and Mom is serving lunch to what looks like a couple of our old sponsors. Plus, there are a bunch of kids from the NextGen Bull Riding group practicing in the corral.
Great, a full fucking house.
I climb out and barely make it three steps before Levi’s voice hits me.
“Well, well, well.”
I close my eyes and slowly turn around. He’s leaning against the barn door with his arms crossed and a grin that could only mean one thing.
He knows something.
“How was your night, big brother?” he asks sweetly.
“I got all the cattle in with no help from you,” I say flatly.
“You did all that by yourself?"
“Levi.”
“Your truck didn’t come home,” he replies. “Which means either you slept in it out in the field or–”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” I warn him.
“You slept with Lily.”
I hold his stare, and his grin explodes.
“Oh my God.” He laughs. “You did. You absolutely did.”
I rub my face. “You’re dead.”
“I knew it!” He points at me. “I called it! I literally called it!” He claps his hands, and I step into his space. “I told you what would happen if you’re nice.”
“Lower your voice,” I grind out.
“Oh, no,” he says louder. “We’re announcing this.”
“No, we’re not.”
He cups his hands around his mouth. “MOM—”
I lunge for him, and he dodges me. Stealthy motherfucker. We look like idiots as we chase each other around, side-stepping one another and taking swings into the air.
“That sunshine sure is hot!!” he yells.
Mom steps away from the small patio where the men are eating and walks toward me, hands on her hips, and her lips rolled in, one eyebrow raised. That look of “I told you so” written across her face.
“Well,” she says calmly, “that explains the tension.”
I close my eyes.
Dad comes around the side of the house, wiping his hands on a rag.
“What explains the tension?” he asks.
Levi points at me. “Colt and Lily.”
Dad blinks. “What about them?”
Levi grins wider. “They did it.”
Mom lets out an exaggerated gasp. “Already?”
“Maria,” Dad mutters.
“What?” she says, laughing. “I told you she’d be good for more than the rodeo.”
I open my eyes. “Can everyone stop talking about my sex life like it’s community property?”
Levi laughs. “This is absolutely community property.”
I stalk toward the barn, and they follow me, Levi never shutting his mouth once. “She works for us, ya know? We probably should all be brought up to speed on this budding relationship.”
“Shut the fuck up, brother.”
“You gonna deny it?” Levi asks.
“Yes.”
“Too late,” Mom says. “You’re blushing.”
“I am not.”
“You absolutely are,” she counters.
Dad just watches me quietly, which is worse. We’ve never been discreet about these types of conversations. Sex was freely talked about, and Mom just rolls with the punches. She raised two cowboys for god’s sake; she knew she had to be open with us or risk trouble by us hiding it.
“You haven’t slept with anyone in years. You must be serious about her.” Levi says, suddenly less joking.
I pull up short, not at him outing my dry spell, but because he hit the nail on the head. I wouldn't have done it, had I not felt something more than lust.
“Mind your business,” I say.
He nods. “That’s a yes.”
“It’s not anything,” I snap. “It was—”
“What?” Mom presses. “A mistake?”
I don’t answer, the silence stretches, and the teasing stops.
“You don’t look like a man who regrets it,” my dad says as he walks closer. I stare at the dirt. Don’t they know this is hard enough without them interrogating me?
Mom steps up beside Dad and lays her hand on my arm, all joking aside now.
“Colt,” she says gently, “you’ve been carrying everything alone for too long.”
“I’m fine.”
“I know there’s more to it. Doc called us,” she says almost in a whisper, like even she’s afraid to say it out loud. “It’s okay to change direction now, say, to a beautiful blonde who makes you laugh.”
I scoff. “She annoys me.”
“She challenges you,” Levi says.
“She doesn’t treat you like you’re going to break,” Dad adds.
“And she doesn’t treat you like a hero,” Mom finishes, and I look at her, seeing that damn eyebrow still raised to the sky.
Levi smirks. “Also, she’s hot.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m just saying. Lucky you got her first. I think she likes me better.”
I swing at him half-heartedly, but still mutter, “She’s complicated.”
Mom smiles. “So are you.”
Dad nods. “Good match.”
I glare at all of them. “You’re all insane. Get back to work, I got shit to do.”
I head toward the stalls, and luckily, they leave me alone. Except for Levi, because, of course, he can’t let me be for ten minutes. This line of questioning, I wasn’t prepared for. And now my mind is swimming. I need space from my own damn thoughts.
“So,” he says casually, “is she staying?”
“To do her job? Yes.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t know. Gotta ask her.”
He grins. “You like her.”
I don’t answer, and like always, no answer is the answer. We reach the stalls and the horses shift, sensing our presence. The hay smells familiar, and it makes me realize how much I need constant. I bet Lily could bring constant.
If she was staying.
Levi leans on the rail. “Before we get into the deep emotional crap that I’m supposed to ask and support you with, you know, according to the brother's handbook, can we be guys for a minute?”
“Levi,” I breathe out.
He puts his hands up. “Come on, I've been dying for this conversation for like three years. Ever since that last buckle bunny you found when we were in competition, in San Antonio.”
I sigh, knowing he won’t let it drop. And if I’m being honest, I miss this part of our chats, too. “You get two minutes.”
He laughs. “Hope that’s not what you told her!” I shake my head and laugh, and he continues, “Tell me. How did it happen? Where were you? Was it good? I hope you made the Callahan name proud.”
He fires the questions, and I let myself go back to last night. “We got caught in the storm last night, so I drove her back to the B she’s here to change me. Now I have to decide if I'm ready to let her or if I fight the fall.