Chapter 11
Colter
Why hasn’t she given in yet? I know for a fact that Billy told her she needed to be out by Saturday afternoon, so why the fuck hasn’t she called me? Did she decide to go back to Illinois?
Fuck!
I wrench the cattle gate shut behind me, pulling it with unnecessary force that has it shaking precariously. It scrapes into the ground, pulling up the grass and leaving behind patches of mud. Saturn dances beneath me, ready to get to work.
“Calm down, Hulk,” Scott, one of the ranch hands, chuckles, thinking it’s funny. I don’t think it’s funny.
“Fuck off, Scott,” I snap, riding away from him.
“Grouchy,” he grumbles under his breath behind me, and for a moment I consider firing him. Unfortunately, Jake hires and fires the ranch hands. Apparently, I’m not a people person and shouldn’t be in charge of people. And I’m quoting him.
“Dude, what crawled up your ass?” Remy trots over to me, guided by her rider, who’s poking at a bear he doesn’t want to get into it with.
“Leave me alone, Jake.”
“What did I do?”
“You told me you could make sure Kayla had no other options but to move in here.”
“And?”
“And it’s Saturday, and I haven’t heard from her all week.”
“Well, jeez, Colter. I’m not God. I can only do so much.”
“You’re an asshole, that’s what you are. Now Ben is going to be back at square one with his math.”
“Oh fuck off,” Jake snaps, shaking his head. “This has nothing to do with Ben and his math.”
“Excuse me?”
“You like Kayla, but you’re too afraid to admit it.
Seriously, you’re borderline obsessed. If I were her, I’d get a restraining order.
Maybe that’s what she’s been busy doing.
” I hold up a finger, cutting him off mid-rant when my phone rings—probably saving his life.
At the bare minimum, he was about to get another swift punch to the face.
I check the caller ID on my phone, and the tension in my shoulders eases when I see Kayla’s name on my screen.
Mandy and Sylvie are out of town for a work event this week, so I have Ben.
He’s currently out with Finn, and while I trust Finn, I also don’t really trust Finn.
Hence why I’ve been glued to my phone all day.
I answer the phone so quickly that I almost drop it in my lap. “Is everything alright?”
“Do you ever just answer your phone with hello?”
My lips twitch, and I fight back a smile. “Kayla.” I just want an answer. Behind me, cattle moo, adapting to their new environment. This quarter of land has more hills and a large shallow pond, which I’m sure they’ll enjoy.
“Colter.”
“What do ya need?” My eyes cut to Jake, who decides now would be a good time to open the gate to the field—the one we’ve just moved all the cows into for safety precautions. “Jake! The gate! Jesus Christ, get the fucking gate, you dipshit!”
“Colorful,” Kayla mutters, and I’m not sure if she means for me to hear her or not. I can’t help but chuckle at her odd expression. I’d never heard someone call swearing colorful before, but I kinda like it.
“Sorry, I’m just working,” I apologize to the elementary teacher, feeling like a chastised kid.
“I didn’t mean to bug you.”
“You’re not.” For the first time ever, I think I’m thankful for the interruption from work. “What do ya need?”
“Um, well, I was wondering, if it’s still okay with you, and it won’t cause any issues with Ben, well—” She stumbles over her words, beating around the bush, and as amusing as it is, I do have to get back to work eventually.
“Spit it out, Kayla.”
“Is that room still available?” My lips press together, and I pull the phone away from my face, taking a moment to compose myself.
I mute the call, taking deep breaths. “Hell yeah! Jake, I take it back. You’re fucking aces, Man!” My brother and my employees watch me as if they’re watching a mental breakdown on the streets.
“Colter?” Kayla calls.
I unmute the call, nearly dropping the phone in the process. “Yes.”
“Did you hear what I asked?”
“Yes. The answer is yes,” I clarify. “Are you coming now?”
“Is that okay?” I hear the apprehension in her voice, and I know the sooner I get her here, the less likely she is to back out.
“Of course. Do you need help? I can’t get away, but I can send a few of the guys.”
“Oh, no, that’s okay. I don’t have much. The place came fully furnished.” I have to bite my tongue to keep from making a noise. Is that what we’re calling fully furnished these days?
“So you need a bed?” I ask instead. She can’t know I was ever in her apartment—that’s a total invasion of privacy.
“Crap, I didn’t even think to ask if you had a spare bed. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay, Kayla. I’m a grown ass man, of course I have a spare bed.”
“What a weird fucking brag,” Jake mumbles, pulling up beside me once again. I shove him away from me, urging Saturn forwards.
“Oh. Okay,” Kayla hesitates.
“Just come over. The door is unlocked since the guys come and go throughout the day. Make yourself at home, and we'll talk when I get home later tonight, okay?”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, Kayla. I’m sure.” There’s a pause. I wait on edge, wondering if she’s going to back out.
“Okay. Thank you, Colter.”
“It’s what’s best for the kids.” The words come out of my mouth before I even register the thought. It’s best for the kids? Really? That’s what I’m going with?
“It’s good for the kids?” Jake mouths, eyes wide and shoulders shaking silently.
“Shut up,” I mouth back, unamused. “Drive safe,” I tell Kayla, speaking at normal volume. “Okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. Okay.”
“Okay.” I wait for her to say something else, the silence dragging out. Finally, the call ends, after what must be at least a minute of neither of us talking.
“How did you do it?” I dare to ask, watching our employees check the fencing one last time.
“Do what?” Jake asks, taking a long swig from his water bottle.
“Get Carol to refuse service to Kayla.” Carol, the owner of the motel, is a stubborn old lady, but she has a soft spot for Jake. Always has.
“Oh, I told her you were in denial, and we had to plot to get you to pull your head out of your ass and admit you’re in love. She thought this whole thing was her idea.” He wipes his arm across his forehead, wiping away the sweat.
“What the hell, dude?”
“What?”
“The whole town is going to be talking about this by tomorrow,” I groan. “I told you I was trying to stem the gossip.”
“Did you?” He blinks. “Huh. My bad.”
“Jake.”
“What? The whole town already knows, and they’re all for it. Now you don’t have an excuse to deny your feelings.”
“I’m too old for her.”
“You can pretend that’s why you’re digging your heels in,” he shrugs like he knows me better than I know myself. It makes my fists curl instinctively.
“Jake,” I warn.
“Stop being an idiot, Colter.”
“It’s a bad idea.”
“See, this is why Carol and I have to plot against you.”
“Jake, I swear to God, you need to butt out.”
“You asked me to butt in!” Well, when he puts it like that, he might have a point. “Shit on a stick, you might be the most bipolar fuck I’ve ever met.”
“Just leave it alone, Jake,” I nudge Saturn into a trot. “And don’t use that colorful language around my son, you’re going to get us all in trouble!” I yell over my shoulder.
Who the hell says shit on a stick? That’s just unnecessarily vivid.