21. Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Brynn
" T hank you for being so sweet. I know I was a complete stranger when I walked up to you outside, but I had nowhere else to go," Callie says as she runs her fingers across the condensation on her bottle of water.
"No problem. I am curious how you knew my name, though." I place a hand under my chin and give her all my attention.
Callie throws her head back and laughs. "Let me guess, when you asked, he gave you some bullshit about you wanting to murder him?"
"Sounds about right." I lean back in my chair.
"He mentioned you several times on our last phone call. I could tell he was curious about you. He did mention that you seem to hate him for no reason though. Deep down, he is a sensitive guy. If you tell him I said that, I will straight up deny it. "
"Secret is safe with me," I say with a wink. "So, tell me about yourself."
"I'm recently divorced, obviously. Colt is my big brother, and he has always tried to keep me safe. We didn't have the best home life growing up. We had to deal with watching our parents fight, our dad left when we were young. I don't even think Colt was a teenager yet. My mom worked all the time, several jobs just to keep us fed and clothed. Colt basically raised me. He took care of me and put me to sleep every single night."
I hum in acknowledgement. I have seen glimpses of this side of Colt. Like when he helped me out at Bessie's, and let me soak in the tub, when he checked on me after my nightmare and made sure I was fine. "I can see his protective side coming out over you and Millie. I love that you guys felt comfortable enough to come search for him here."
"I really didn't have anywhere else to go. We don't have any living relatives. I can try to rent a hotel or something in town."
"Nonsense. You guys can stay here. There is plenty of room in the main house, or you can stay with Colt. Since moving to foreman, he has his own cottage on the ranch. It has two rooms."
"Wait. He is foreman?"
"Yes, did he not tell you?"
"He has never mentioned it, but he has been sending me a lot of money recently." Callie looks to Millie, who is playing on her tablet in the living room. "I guess now I know why there have been gifts, clothes and groceries arriving at the house."
In the back of mind, I remember Colt saying he liked to spend his money on other things. I just assumed he meant beer and women. Guess he really isn't the type of guy I thought he was. I should probably try to stop judging him so hard and give him a break. Although, I think he really likes when I am a firecracker .
"I better go check on Millie. She is probably getting hungry and tired. If she misses nap time, she is grumpy."
"Maybe you should get Colt to nap too," I say with a laugh.
"You trying to get me in bed, Firecracker?" Colt's deep voice comes from behind me. I immediately smell his fresh, spicy scent.
"It wouldn't be hard."
"Oh, it most certainly would be," he whispers in my ear.
A throat clears behinds us and I see Whitney come into the kitchen. "Am I interrupting?" She asks, eyeing the both of us.
"Nope," I say as I get up from the table and start getting stuff together for lunch. "Help me get all this stuff ready for lunch," I say to Whitney as Colt takes a seat at the table.
His head falling into the hands. "She is going to be okay." He looks so defeated. "She can stay in the main house or in the cottage with you. Your choice."
"Thanks, I don't want it to be too much trouble. "
"No trouble at all. Just let her know the options, and I can get the rooms set up here if she decides to stay in the main house." I continue to prepare for the hungry men that are getting ready to come to the main house.
"Are you finally starting to believe me?" Whitney asks as she lays out bags of tortilla chips on the counter.
"Believe you about what?" I ask, trying to play coy.
"You know exactly what I am talking about. Don't judge a book by its cover. You are judging Colt based on the douchebags you know."
"I am woman enough to admit when I was maybe, just a tad-bit, wrong to jump to conclusions," I whine.
"Bet that wasn't the hardest thing to be in your mouth, huh?"
My eyes widen, Whit giggles. "Get a grip, girl."
"Gotta have a firm grip too," Whit says, her eyebrows jumping.
"Ahem." A throat clears behind us. "I was just checking to see if lunch is ready. I was going to radio to the guys in the field. If not, please continue your conversation." Colt crosses his muscular arms over his broad chest.
"The conversation is finished," I say with a pointed look at Whitney. She has the audacity to continue laughing. "Go ahead and radio to the ranch hands. It will all be on the counter when they get here. "
Whitney sets the large skillet of taco meat on the trivet I had already placed on the countertop. Colt leans in and takes a big whiff of the steaming beef. "Taco salads?"
"Yes. There is beef, tortilla chips, tomatoes, black olives, pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, lettuce. There is also shredded, queso and nacho cheese." I point to each bowl lined up on the counter.
"Boys are here," Blake hollers from the living room, where he is sitting with Callie and Millie.
"Go ahead and make your plate, Cowboy."
"I haven't been working hard today; those boys deserve to get in line first." Colt moves into the living room to join his sister, niece, and my oldest brother.
"I'm going to go check on dad, we have some appointments tomorrow and I need to be sure he is aware," I tell Whitney as I hear the mass of boots hitting the hardwood floors.
When I walk down the hallway to my dad's room, the door is shut. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly as I knock quietly on the door. I hear him say, "Come in."
Dad is sitting in the bed, reading a book. He looks so much older than when I left. I know it has been almost fifteen years, but I still can't get over how much he has aged. It has been a big adjustment to see my dad older and gray. Not to mention his side effects from the stroke .
"Hey Daddy. I was just coming to see if you needed anything. Momma Ann made some taco meat with all the fixings for a taco salad. Does that sound good?"
"Can I just have some soup instead?" Dad asks as I see him try to swallow.
"Sure Daddy. Do you want some yogurt too?"
"No, I think the soup will do. No crackers please." Dad returns to looking down at his book.
I step out of the room and run right into Colt. He puts his hands on my shoulders to steady me. "Sorry, I was just coming to give your dad a new book. We have been reading this series, and I finished it last night."
"So, you are his book supplier, huh?" I love the feel of his hands on me. They are so warm and big they wrap around my shoulders and his fingers are on my upper back. If he would start massaging, I would be putty on the floor.
"Uhm yeah, we started talking about books one day while we were out in the field mending fences. He said he used to read all the time, and he needed to pick the habit back up while he was having less and less work to do."
"Thank you. I am going to go make him some soup. I don't think he is feeling that well today. He sees the speech therapist tomorrow, so I am hoping we can get his therapies sorted out."
"Okay, I won't keep him long. Just want to drop off the book. "
I nod and walk away as Colt knocks on dad's bedroom door. "George, I got another book for ya," Colt says as he enters.
I am glad dad has found a hobby he can do while he is recuperating from his stroke. I enter the kitchen to find all the ranch hands have made their plates. Callie, Millie and Blake are in deep conversation at the kitchen table, while Whitney watches the show from atop the kitchen counter.
"Momma Ann is gonna get you for having your ass on her counter." I pinch Whitney on the arm.
"Hush. I am trying to hear what they are saying. I figured out I am not a very good lip reader."
I laugh at her antics and start to warm up dad some tomato soup Momma Ann made for him last night. "Why don't you just go sit at the table and listen?"
"Because I don't want to intrude."
"And eavesdropping isn't intruding?"
"Exactly. Now shush."
I mime zipping my lips and finish getting dad's lunch.