CHAPTER TEN
Making love to Libby– against a door, at work, with his colleagues just a few yards away – hadn’t exactly been part of his plan to win her heart. But it had happened nonetheless and there was no taking it back now. He’d also be lying to himself if he even tried to deny that it wasn’t the hottest and best sex of his life.
Everything that had gone down with Libby this past week had shocked him. From the first nights they’d spent together, to the messages she’d sent him. Zach had just assumed that once they’d taken that next step, she would automatically try to withdraw from him emotionally. But that wasn’t the case at all. If anything, she’d opened up to him even more.
Even though he’d known from the beginning they had the potential to be something amazing, how quickly such a deep connection formed still took him by surprise. A good one.
It was now Sunday night. He’d spent three days and nights with Libby, only going home once, briefly, to pick up some clean clothes. And he couldn’t be happier.
Unlike last weekend, their time hadn’t just been restricted to the bedroom. On Friday night, they’d gone out to dinner to the little Italian place in town. On Saturday, after a diner breakfast at Molly’s, he’d taken her on a hike up Little Rock Falls. And today, after a quick trip to Farm n’ Fresh, they’d made a hearty Sunday dinner together.
The best part of it all though was that she never pulled away when he took her hand. Or kissed her. Public affection, unexpectedly, hadn’t been a hurdle at all.
A small smile tugged at his lips as Libby snuggled further into his arms, a satisfied hum in her throat as she rested her head on his bare chest. It was late and he was tired, but he couldn’t sleep. Instead of focusing on the good that was currently wrapped around him, his mind was on the bad.
“You okay, baby?” Libby sleepily asked, her hands now running up and down his torso in a soothing motion.
He didn’t want to lie and say yes. But he also didn’t want her to be offended that he wasn’t the happiest man alive after what they had just done. Because in a way he was.
“Just thinking, princess.”
“About?”
He still hadn’t spoken to his brothers about the ranch. Or his friends. Or anyone. It was coming up to two weeks now and he knew he couldn’t avoid his father’s calls for much longer. He’d had time to think and now he had to make some decisions.
“That weekend you met my family, well, my dad kinda ...” Fucked me over? “He gave me some pretty big news. News that’s been hard to process.”
“What kind of news?” Her soft, relaxed voice was just as calming as her hands on him.
“He announced he was retiring. He’s not been well. And he sort of wants me to take over. Take over the ranch.”
“What?” Libby’s head lifted until she was eye level with his chin. “But you have a job already. What about your brothers, they’re there full time, right? Doesn’t it make more sense to give it to them?”
“Yeah, it does. And that’s part of the problem. In terms of my job, I guess my dad just expects me to quit and move back. He says he wants me to keep his legacy alive. Whatever that means.”
He could see Libby scrunch up her nose, even from this angle. “I still don’t get why it falls on you. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m sure you’d make an excellent rancher and everything, but what about Wade and Jonah and Matt ... is there a reason your dad’s decided not to involve them in this?”
She was wrong. He would not make an excellent rancher.
“Apparently the ranch has been having some money problems that only I can solve.” The idea was ludicrous. He didn’t know the first thing about how to make a ranch profitable. “And as the oldest, he wants to leave the business to me, not my brothers. He said something about it being my birth right.”
Libby’s head dipped back down. Her gaze averted. And she remained quiet. So quiet, he knew something was on her mind.
“What is it, darlin’?”
“Nothing,” she lied.
“Nothing? Really?”
That was it. It was time to tickle the truth out of her. Easily flipping her over, he commenced his attack, running his fingers along her sides.
“No! Stop! Oh my God, stop! I’m gonna pee!” she screamed as she squirmed and pushed and giggled. “Okay, okay, I give! Stop, please! I can’t!”
He loomed over her, his grin stretching so wide it was bound to hurt soon. God, she was gorgeous. She even had a glow about her. A light that seeped out every time she smiled.
“I’m waiting,” he joked as one of his hands hovered over her sensitive spots. “You gonna tell me what had you going quiet on me ... or am I gonna have to tickle you some more?”
After a sassy eye roll and an exaggerated sigh, she conceded. “Okay, but you’re not allowed to get mad at me.”
“I promise, princess.” As if that were possible.
“Well, I guess, to me ... it sounds a bit like emotional blackmail.”
Although he’d been thinking the same thing, it was hard to hear it from someone else. Schooling his features, he urged her to continue.
“I remember you saying how he was disappointed when you decided to leave. But he didn’t stop you. And now, all of a sudden, he tells you the ranch is yours, that he needs you, that only you can fix the ranch that you haven’t worked on for fifteen years? I just don’t buy it. Your brothers work seven days a week on that ranch, have done all their lives, they know that business inside out. No offence – you could be a financial whizz for all I know – but come on, it doesn’t sound fishy to you? No alarm bells are ringing?”
Everything she said had been everything he’d been thinking. But hearing it all out loud made him feel sick.
Slumping back down onto the mattress, he turned on his side. She did the same, until they were facing each other. Her hand then went straight to his hip where she lightly stroked. It was her way of trying to comfort him.
They both stayed quiet for a while. Something Zach appreciated as he tried his best to organise his thoughts.
When he did finally speak, there was no mistaking the helplessness in his voice.
“Yeah, I get what you’re saying, baby. I just don’t know what to do. I love my job. I don’t want to quit. But that ranch is my whole family’s livelihood. If something happened to it that I could have prevented ... I just don’t know that I could ever forgive myself.”
“I get that.” Libby continued to stroke him, her glides venturing further up his side before dropping back down again. “But, y’know, there are other ways you can help without quitting your job.”
“Like?” He’d take any advice he could get.
“Well, if it were me, I would start by talking to my brothers. Getting their opinion and maybe coming up with some sort of game plan to help secure the future of the business. They know it best, after all. Then, if I had some money I could invest in the business, I’d do that. Or if I didn’t have any or what I had wasn’t enough, I’d look at other ways I could help financially. Like, moving back home and putting the money I save in rent back into the business. You never know, little things like that could make all the difference.”
Damn. Beauty and brains. He’d never even considered other ways he could help financially. What she was saying made sense; quitting his job should be a last resort. And he agreed, talking to his brothers couldn’t be put off any longer. He needed to man up and go over there. He couldn’t do this on his own. He shouldn’t have to.
“You’re right. I kind of wish I’d talked to you earlier.” Capturing the hand that was already on him, he tugged. Then tugged again. Until she fell into him. He pulled her nearer still, until soft skin pressed against his. Dropping a kiss to her forehead, he thanked her.
“I’m smarter than I look, huh?” she joked as he held on tight.
“I don’t know, you look pretty smart to me.” He felt his lips curve into a smile. “Especially when you wear those sexy work glasses of yours. Speaking of which ... maybe you can bring those things up here and model them for me?”
“Perv,” she declared, despite snuggling further into him.
His chest tightened as she purred against him. He wanted to pinch himself. Check that she was real. This was real. It felt too good. And that scared him.
“Seriously though, thank you,” he repeated. “You’re right, I do need to talk to my brothers first. I can’t keep putting it off. I’ll drive down there tomorrow. Get it over with.”
“Want me to come with you?” Her voice was slightly muffled as she spoke into his chest.
“You’d do that?”
As she slowly lifted her head, his chin was quick to dip, allowing him to get lost in those sparkling eyes once again.
“Of course. I mean, I can’t stay all day – I do have to work at some point – but I want to be there in case you need me.” Almost as an afterthought she added, “I can hang out with your mom while you guys talk.”
Unaware she’d just blown his mind, she buried her head back into his chest. There was no way he was letting this woman go. She was everything he’d ever wanted and more. And she was worth fighting for. Although, he had a feeling the battle was going to be brutal.
***
Matt, Jonah, Wade andZach sat around the firepit in Wade’s yard. In silence. The only audible sound surrounding them was the soft crackle of flickering flames.
All of Zach’s brothers had made a home for themselves on the land their family owned, none of them too far from the main house where they grew up. However, it wasn’t often he found himself at one of his brother’s homes. Normally, they would gather at their parents’ place. So when he’d called Wade earlier and asked to meet at his, he wasn’t surprised his brother had been confused.
Nonetheless, like always, Wade took charge and gathered everyone for a meeting at Zach’s request. It didn’t mean that he couldn’t feel his brother’s apprehension and suspicion coming off him in waves, though. He did. And it was intense.
It had been five minutes now and Zach was still yet to speak. But he had managed to crack his knuckles until they throbbed. He was still deciding whether to just blurt everything out or ease into the subject slowly when his youngest brother, Jonah, was the first to lose his patience.
“Just spit it out, man.”
“Yeah, come on, Zach.” Matt was next to speak up. “We ain’t stupid, we know somethings going on. Just tell us already.”
Wade remained silent, his gaze fixed intently on him.
Looks like blurting it was.
Wanting to get this over with, he told them everything his father had said to him. Once everything was out there, he got down to the real reason he was there. To ask for help.
“Look. This isn’t my business,” Zach stated. “I’m not a rancher and to be honest, I’ve no intention of being one. Which is why I need your help figuring out what to do next.”
Matt stood, spitting out a string of curses as he kicked the dirt. “Why the hell would Dad leave it to you? It’s bullshit. That’s what it is. Bull. Shit.”
Jonah was just as angry, grinding his teeth as he too cursed their dad.
Zach had been expecting this reaction. They weren’t the only ones mad at their father. But this wasn’t constructive. This wasn’t what anyone wanted, but it was happening and now they needed to deal with it.
“Guys, trust me, this isn’t what I want either.” That was an understatement. “Which is why I’m here. We need to figure this shit out together. And in terms of ownership ... I say we work something out. Without Dad.”
“Talk straight.” Wade finally spoke up.
“Honestly.” Zach’s gaze landed on Wade. “I think we should split it. Equal shares. If he really is giving me the ranch, then I should be allowed to do what I want with it. And that means signing over most of it to my brothers.”
That seemed to placate Matt and Jonah at least. And saved the dirt from the good kicking it was getting.
“What happens if Dad finds out your plan and decides to sell the land instead?” Wade asked, his efforts to control his temper evident.
Zach hadn’t even considered that. “You think he’d do that?”
“Well, he obviously has his reasons for not wanting to leave it to us. So, who’s to say he wouldn’t do just that.”
Another chorus of curses came from his other brothers.
“Okay, well fuck it,” Zach exclaimed. “We make sure he doesn’t find out. Once the ranch is signed over to me, it won’t be an issue.”
“What happens when you don’t quit your job or move back here? There’s a chance he’ll delay signing it over.” Wade was killing him with these imaginary scenarios.
“Look, I don’t know the fucking future, man. All I can do is what I’m doing now. Telling you guys what’s up. Figuring out a plan. And trying my goddamn best to make sure this ranch survives. We can go over what ifs all fucking day, but it ain’t gonna solve shit.” Even Zach was losing his cool at this point.
His words hung in the air, doing nothing to cut the tension surrounding them. But he was done explaining himself. So, he waited. If his brothers had a better idea on how to handle this, he was all ears.
After a few minutes, a brooding Wade let out a sigh and began to pace. The others remained quiet. They were waiting on Wade. He would have the final say. Zach may be the oldest, but it was Wade who acted like it.
Finally, his brother came to a halt and spoke. “Okay. Let’s do this. Let’s make a plan.”
Now we’re talking.
***
You would think thebest part of his day was finally talking to his brothers and sharing the burden that had been piled upon him. But it wasn’t. The best part was going back to his family home and finding Libby giggling with his mom on the porch.
He’d never considered himself a mama’s boy before. It certainly wasn’t that important to him that past girlfriends bonded with his mom. But there was something about seeing Libby and his mother together that stirred something inside of him. It was hard to explain.
The truth was everything about his feelings for Libby was hard to explain. From the moment he’d laid eyes on her, something had just clicked. Then the more he got to know her, the harder it was to deny that this was different. She was different. Now they were sleeping together, it had just become even more confusing.
It also didn’t help that his vivid imagination had decided to run wild. The first thought he’d had when approaching the house was, how amazing would it be to sit on that very porch and watch their kids run around the ranch?
You’ve lost your fucking mind.
He had. That was some scary shit. He’d actually had to physically shake himself afterward. It had been, what, five weeks since he’d met this woman? And already he was marrying himself off to her and adding a couple of kids.
In contrast, Libby had told him outright, many times, that she didn’t want a relationship. Ever. In short, he was screwed.
Looking down at his lap, his heart jumped for the second time that day as he admired a peaceful Libby. She’d fallen asleep just twenty minutes into the movie and there was no way he was waking her.
For the first time in forever, he wasn’t looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. Four days of not sleeping next to Libby felt wrong.
He wasn’t a complete idiot. He realized how insane that sounded. How he’d turned into a stage five clinger after only a week of being in a woman’s bed. But he didn’t care. That was how he felt. For better or worse. It was clear what he had to do now. He had to try to convince Libby to be his girlfriend. For real.
Yeah, good luck with that.
Zach sighed as he stroked back the silky strand of hair that had made its way onto Libby’s face.
Fuck.
Enough. For now, he was going to take what he could get. And enjoy the hell out of it. Tonight, he was going to enjoy sleeping next to the Disney princess currently purring on his lap. He’d worry about the rest tomorrow.
Picking up the remote, he turned the television off and began gathering the princess in question into his arms. Standing up as carefully and quietly as he could, he held on tight. It was time for bed.