Chapter 1 #3
Heather met his gaze, her lips parting slightly as if to respond to the compliment, but the sound of a phone vibrating from her back pocket pulled her attention away. She dug out her phone, glancing at the screen. “It’s Frank. Speak of the devil.”
Lyle leaned against the table, crossing his arms. “Guess I’ll let you escape this time, Firefly, but don’t think I’ve forgotten we’re due some catching up.”
Heather raised an eyebrow at him again, slipping her phone back into her pocket without answering the call. “You’ll have to catch me first, Vet.”
“I like a challenge,” Lyle shot back, his grin widening as Heather turned on her heel to gather Biscuit, who was now snoozing peacefully. And then, unexpectedly, Heather parried back over her shoulder.
“Good. Because I’m not easy to keep up with.”
As she carried the pup toward her waiting SUV, the soft pink of the setting sun casting a glow over her, Lyle found himself rooted in place.
That was a side of Heather Prescott he hadn’t seen before—one full of quiet fire and boldness.
The shy little girl-next-door he remembered was long gone, and in her place was a woman who might just make him break his own rules.
Mike’s voice interrupted the moment. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” his brother’s playful tone drawled behind him.
Lyle turned to find Mike leaning against the barn door with an exaggerated smirk on his face and his arms crossed casually. Why in the world were his brothers showing up in the barn all of a sudden? “Which thought would that be, exactly?”
Mike pointed after Heather’s retreating figure. “That sexy lady might be just what this tired ranch needs. Shake things up a little. Or is it just you she’s got all tied in knots?”
“Get out. She’s Frank’s kid sister.”
“Don’t look like no kid to me.”
Lyle shot him a look. Because he’d just be thinking very similar thoughts and he felt testy. “Don’t you have a dude ranch to run?”
Mike shrugged, walking into the barn and throwing an arm around Lyle’s shoulders. “Sure, but watching you squirm is way more interesting.”
Lyle sighed, brushing Mike off playfully. “Go burn some chili why don’t you?”
“Careful,” Mike teased, heading toward the back of the barn where the dude ranch’s overflow food pantry was located. “I’ve got my eye on you, little brother. Just remember—when Heather Prescott sets a barn on fire around here, it won’t be from training dogs.”
Lyle chuckled, shaking his head as Mike disappeared, but the humor faded quickly as he glanced back to where Heather had been just moments ago.
Mike wasn’t wrong—there was something dangerous about the spark she lit inside of him.
But he had enough chaos to handle with Charlotte, and the last thing he needed was to get tangled up in something he couldn’t control.
Still, as he walked back to check on Charlotte and finish closing up the barn for the evening, one thing had become crystal clear. Heather Prescott was no longer his best friend’s off-limits little sister.
And despite himself, he was interested.
Later that evening, a faint electronic hum filled the Watkins’ kitchen as Joe sat at the table, laptop glowing and meticulous spreadsheets magnified on the screen. Mike was polishing the counters, the lingering aroma of chili still in the air.
“I noticed you high-tailed it out to the barn when Heather showed up. Keeping tabs on Lyle?” Mike asked over his shoulder, watching Joe’s steady hands move over the keyboard.
Joe didn’t look up, his voice calm and measured as always. “Maybe. Noticed you moseyed on out there too.”
Mike smirked. “You’re not the only one who can act on curiosity. Heather’s a hell of a good-looking woman.”
Again, Joe didn’t bother to look up. “Lyle’s always had a soft spot for her. And now she’s all grown up.”
Mike’s grin widened. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
Joe finally sat back. “For Lyle? No. But if Heather gets her heart wrapped up in him and he decides to bolt again, we’ll have more than hurt feelings to clean up. Mark my words—there’s more fire between them than either of them realizes yet.”
Mike leaned on the counter, amused. “Oh, so you are meddling.”
Joe shrugged one shoulder. “No more than you. You know he’s only home because he made a promise to Jeff and Sherry.”
Mike sobered and he nodded. “He’ll settle. And speaking of home, we need to find time this week to go over the quarterly expansions. The dude ranch’s guest list is growing. We’re going to need to think about hiring more help soon. Branching out.”
Joe gave a quiet nod. “Tomorrow morning. After sunrise.” He turned his laptop off, placed the spreadsheets he’d printed into a folder, and stood, his tone dropping into something more thoughtful as he glanced toward the hallway where Charlotte’s room was.
“For now let’s make sure our little family doesn’t fall apart. ”
Mike let the gravity sit between them for a moment before clapping Joe once on the shoulder. “We’ll hold it together, brother. We’ve always been better together than apart.”