by Tessa Bailey
I roll out of bed before my alarm even goes off. There’s too much excitement streaming through me at seeing Zoey again. Not to mention, I have an assload of chores to do before Rowan’s surprise party today.
After lunch, the plan is to get Rowan to the bar without suspicion, and I have the perfect idea. What I didn’t prepare for was having to introduce Zoey to everyone in the family. I doubt my parents told anyone already, though it’s possible, considering the rumor mill in this small town.
I’m not trying to steal Rowan’s spotlight, but I know the questions will be never-ending. After I get dressed and make some coffee to go, I burst inside Diesel’s room being loud as fuck.
“What’s wrong with you, asshole?” He throws a pillow in my direction, groaning. “I still have an hour of sleep. And I was dreaming about your sister. She was just about to—”
“I wouldn’t fuckin’ finish that sentence,” I warn. No matter what time it is, he knows how to aggravate the piss outta me. “I’m getting started early, fuckface. Text me when you’re up and ready so I can tell you what I took care of,” I say before ripping the covers off his body.
He rolls over without a care and shoos me away. I leave with a grin on my face as I drive to the other side of the ranch and check the water troughs and feed the working horses that the ranch hands ride when they’re herding cattle from one pasture to the next. After I quickly muck out the stalls, I stop and take care of the chickens, then drive over to meet up with my dad. Without a doubt, he’s already in the office, mapping out what needs to be done for the day before Rowan’s party.
Ranchers never stop working. Tasks always need to be done.
As soon as I walk in, Dad’s busy drinking his coffee and writing in a notebook. I clear my throat, and he looks up at me. “Mornin’,” he says, seeming more tired than usual. “You’re here early.”
“Just takin’ after you.” I snicker. He’s the best role model I could’ve ever asked for, and I hope to be exactly like him when I have kids. Mama keeps telling me I’m the spitting image of Dad as if it’s a warning, but I see it as a compliment.
“Your mother’s still in shock that you’re a married man.” He gives me a somber expression. “I think I am too,” he admits, but then he smiles.
“I know. I blame Diesel, but then again, I’m not mad about it,” I say, refilling my mug with coffee.
“Marriage is important, Riley. It’s not a game. It’s not something you do on a whim.” He looks at me with soft eyes.
“I know, Dad. But it could be worse. I could’ve gotten her pregnant, and she could’ve shown up at the ranch with a Bishop baby bump,” I remind him of his own story. “But I didn’t. We’re trying to be responsible and see if we should be together. There’s something special between us. I knew the moment I met her.”
“I felt the same way when I met your mother too. So I get it, more than you know.”
His words are comforting.
“Us Bishops have a way of falling head over heels the first time we meet a woman. Guess it runs in the family. And I can’t fault you for it. Just be smart. Don’t want you getting hurt, son. I saw the way you looked at her.” He arches a brow, smirking.
I stare out into the barn, replaying everything that happened in Vegas and how shocked I was to see her at the B&B, but I’m determined to give us a chance.
“Your grandma is gonna be pissed,” he warns. “But I’m lettin’ you deal with her.”
I roll my eyes. “Thanks, Dad. So what’s the plan today? I already fed the horses on the north side.”
“That’s my boy,” he says, proudly. “Taking charge. I like that. Since you already took care of the horses, the utility barn is in need of some repairs. I noticed some of the panels were corroding at the bottom, and before it becomes a mess, I thought we’d change ’em out. There’s enough time to get it done before ten since you got a head start.”
I sip my coffee. “Yep. Shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll text Diesel and tell him to meet me, and we’ll get it done.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Dad says.
I get up to leave, but he stops me.
“Son.”
“Yeah?”
He’s smirking.
“Try not to give your grandmother a heart attack today. We did that enough growing up.”
I snort and shake my head before walking out. I’ve heard many stories of how much trouble my dad and uncles would get into, how the sheriff was around regularly, and how they caused mischief everywhere they went.
Before I get in the truck, I text Diesel and tell him our job for the day and where to meet me. I have no doubt we’ll be able to finish even sooner than expected.
As I drive over, the early morning sun starts warming everything up. It’s going to be a hot one, so I start chugging water because dehydration out here can be deadly. And I don’t want my mother to worry.
It’s just past seven by the time I make it to the barn, and Diesel’s already removed his shirt and is sweating his ass off.
“’Bout time you showed up,” he harasses. “I’ve already got all the metal cut and ready to place if you can just help me get this corroded shit removed. It practically crumbles when it’s touched.”
“On it,” I say, putting on my work gloves. After I carefully remove the sheets, he puts the new ones in place. The bright silver metal is much newer, so the barn’s gonna need a fresh coat of paint. We’ll have to save that for another day, but I know Grandma Bishop won’t allow the eyesore to stay like this for long.
Just as Diesel and I attach the last of the metal, I see long legs heading our way. It’s not uncommon for tourists to book the B&B for a real country escape, but I could recognize those legs in the dark. Zoey.
I remove my gloves and wipe the sweat from my brow.
“Hey, husband, it looks like you’re working hard.” She unscrews the top of the bottle of water she’s holding and hands it to me. I run my eyes down her body, admiring the tempting curves I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. Right now, she’s the only thing I want to drink.
“Thanks, wifey.” I flash her a wink before removing the steps between us and planting a sweet kiss on her lips. She sinks into me, and I have to force myself to pull away because if I don’t, I won’t stop.
“Mmm,” she hums against my mouth, wrapping her arms around me.
“Arizona!” Diesel calls out with a half-cocked grin. “Where’s my water?”
I take a sip of the one she gave me and then hand it to Diesel, who drinks it in three gulps.
“We’re almost done here. I gotta call my sister and shower, then we can go to the bar where they’re setting up,” I tell her, my fingers brushing against hers, tempting her to kiss me again.
“I’m really nervous,” she admits. “What if they all hate me?”
I snort-laugh because that’s not possible. “What if they all love you, then you leave me? That’s what you should be more worried about.”
The truth seems to fall out. Her smile fades, and she searches my face. “The last thing I want to do is hurt you, Riley.”
“Get a room!” Diesel yells, interrupting us. “And come help me finish up this bullshit!”
She leans forward and slides her lips across mine. I love how freely she shows affection. “Better get back to it.” She nods at Diesel, who’s growing more frustrated.
“I’ll pick you up in an hour. Be ready to meet the entire town,” I warn with a laugh, but I’m not joking.
“You’re not helping my nerves!” she shouts as she walks toward the B&B.
“I’m gonna kick your ass,” Diesel tells me.
When she’s out of sight, I get back to work, and we finish the task. I suck in a deep breath, realizing I’m anxious to make the announcement. It’s scary bringing a girlfriend around everyone, but it’s absolutely terrifying to introduce my wife. The word almost seems foreign, but damn, it feels so right.
After we’re done with the repairs, I text Dad and let him kn
ow, then we head straight to the house to shower. While Diesel hogs the hot water, I make a sandwich and call Rowan.
“Whatcha doin?” I ask, purposely not mentioning her birthday. Every year, she thinks I forget, but I never have.
“Nothing much. Putting away some laundry and cleaning. Why? What’s up?”
I focus on giving the best performance of my life. “I just finished talking to Uncle John, and he said they were doing inventory for the bar around two since it’s a slow time. He mentioned you wanted to learn how to do it, so he told me to let you know.”
She laughs. “That means I need to be there.”
“You know they don’t really give us a choice to do anything, right?” I’m smiling, and I know she can tell.
“Mmhmm. Got nothing better going on other than maybe watching paint dry or something.” She sounds somewhat disappointed, but what she doesn’t know is fifty people will be waiting for her to show up today.
“I understand. Anyway, I gotta eat. Talk soon, okay?” I make sure to keep my tone chipper.
“See ya,” she says, then hangs up.
As I sit at the table and devour my food, I almost feel bad, but then again, I don’t because I’ve never had a surprise party. It was Ma’s idea, and she even went through the trouble of secretly inviting some of Rowan’s best friends from school. Considering we live in the age of social media, though I’m not on it much, I’m surprised the party hasn’t been ruined yet.
After Diesel’s out of the shower, I hop in and scrub the sweat and dirt from my body. Though I only worked half a day, I’m tired. Drinking and dancing the night away with Zoey, on top of waking up an hour early, is starting to catch up with me. But I don’t regret spending time with her. It was all worth it.
I dress in my favorite jeans and a dressier blue shirt, spray some cologne, and comb my hair before throwing on a baseball cap that’s got the Circle B Ranch cattle brand in the middle. I’m proud as hell to be a Bishop.
“So your sister think anything’s up yet?” Diesel asks before he chugs a bottle of water.
I shake my head. “Nope. I didn’t even tell her happy birthday when we spoke. Didn’t want to make her suspicious. She actually sounded sad, so I think when she shows up, she’ll be real surprised and happy.”
Diesel flashes a mischievous grin. “And you even hired a male stripper!” He undoes his button-up shirt as he thrusts his hips like he did in the Vegas show.
“Oh, really?” I lift a brow. “You’d strip in front of my grandma?” I challenge, knowing he’s full of shit.
He instantly starts re-buttoning his shirt. “Damn. Forgot your whole family’s gonna be there. Maybe I’ll give her a private show instead,” he muses.
“Do it and you’ll be limping with my foot in your ass,” I threaten.
“Fine, fine.” He chuckles. “You nervous about bringing Zoey?”
“Yes and no. I think they’ll be shocked but will love her,” I admit, convinced she’ll have no problem fitting in.
Diesel smiles. “You know, she could’ve at least brought her friend with her for me. Crystal?”
“Chelsea,” I correct, snickering. “You ass. You slept with her and don’t even remember her name.”
His laughter echoes off the walls. “Trust me when I say we didn’t do much sleeping.”
Shaking my head, I grab my keys and the birthday presents I got for Rowan in Las Vegas, then head over to the B&B to pick up Zoey. She’s sitting on the porch in a rocking chair, looking gorgeous as ever.
“Howdy,” I say, and she instantly smiles. “Ready to go, wifey?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I wrap my arms around her as soon as she meets me and take her lips in mine. Is it really possible to feel this way about someone I barely know?
Yes, yes, it fucking is.
“You look stunning. But hell, you always do.” I wink, tempted to skip the party and take her to my house even though we’re taking it slow.
“Thank you. I need to make a good impression after all. I like how you can go from all sweaty and dirty cowboy to sleek and sexy cowboy in only an hour. It’s like being married to two men…” she quips, biting down on her lip.
“Well, I hope you don’t mind the dirty one because he’s who you’ll see more of,” I tease.
We climb in the truck, and the conversation flows easily. I tell her more about my sister and how Diesel always taunts me about her. Once we turn onto the main road, I share the ranch’s history because the land goes on for miles. She’s intrigued by the size and how many generations have kept it alive.
“It’s a working ranch too, not just a vacation destination for tourists. We actually raise and herd cattle, brand them, and even train horses.”
She grins. “And you guys own a bar, a bed and breakfast, have a massive garden, and your grandma basically runs the town.”
I smile with a nod because it’s true. My family’s well-known ’round here. “Something like that. Grandma Bishop knows everything about everyone. She’s active in charitable work too and does a big bachelor auction fundraiser every year for the food bank, has for decades. You only cross her if you have a death wish. The woman’s a spitfire, but she’s extremely loyal. She also makes the best blueberry muffins I’ve ever tasted in my life,” I tell her random facts, then park the truck a block away from the bar.
I turn and look at Zoey, and she seems more relaxed than before.
“Well, it’s now or never. Ready?” I ask, grabbing Rowan’s gifts.
We sit in silence for a few seconds before Zoey lets out a laugh. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
After we climb out of the truck, I grab her hand and lead her in through the back door. The room is already crowded with people helping decorate with balloons and streamers. As soon as I set the presents down, I run into Uncle John and Uncle Jackson. They look at me, then at Zoey, mirror images of one another.
She narrows her eyes. “Am I seeing double?”
“They’re twins,” I say. “And nosy as hell.”
I try to walk past them, but Uncle Jackson grabs me by my collar and pulls me back. “Don’t be a punk. We deserve a proper introduction to your new lady friend.”
Zoey snickers, and I know that as soon as I tell them, the entire town will know. Jackson is a loud bastard.
“Uncle John and Uncle Jackass, oh excuse me, I mean Jackson, this is Zoey, my wife,” I tell them proudly.
They look at each other and shout, “Wife?” at the same time. That’s when the entire room falls quiet, and I feel all heads turn to look at us.
We’re in the spotlight, and I’m about ready to shit myself when Grandma Bishop comes storming through the crowd. “What did y’all say?”
I grab Zoey’s hand and bring her forward, and while fifty people are looking at us, it’s so quiet one could hear a pin drop. “Zoey, this is everyone. And everyone, this is Zoey, my wife.”
My heart pounds hard in my chest when Grandma Bishop bolts toward me. Before she speaks, she stops and addresses those who are staring. “Well, carry on, everyone. We still have a birthday to celebrate.”
Then she turns back toward us, a stern expression on her face. “Now, tell me how this happened…” She looks at me, then at Zoey. “You’re pregnant, sweetie?”
I burst into laughter as Zoey shakes her head, blushing. Why does everyone think that? As if that’d be the only reason this gorgeous woman would marry me? “No, Grandma. I didn’t take after my parents completely.”
I explain how we met in Vegas a month ago and had an instant attraction but left the fine details out because that’s too awkward to discuss. Then I tell her about the wedding and how Zoey’s here to see if we can really make this work.
Zoey smiles and agrees with everything I’m saying. When I’m finished, she meekly speaks. “It’s really nice to meet you.”
Grandma pulls her into a big hug. “Honey, ’round here, we hug when we meet new people. So you might as well get used to it.” She pulls back but
grabs Zoey’s hands. “Welcome to the family. You caught a good one here.” Grandma gives Zoey a wink, causing us to smile. If Grandma accepts Zoey, the rest will, too, because that woman sets the precedent for everything.
We walk away, and Zoey leans in and whispers, “I like her a lot.”
“Were you scared?” I tease.
She snickers. “Just a little. The woman is a little intimidating.”
I grunt. “You have no idea.”
We try to help with decorations but get bombarded at every turn, and I’m forced to personally introduce her. By the time my cousins come over to give me a hard time, there’s no way Zoey’ll remember anyone’s names. Between all the aunts and uncles, cousins, neighbors, family friends, and church members, even I’m a bit overwhelmed. They have no filter and say the first thing that comes to mind, regardless if it’s embarrassing or not. It’s a relief not to hide being married, but I don’t tell anyone it was all based on a dare from Diesel. What they don’t know won’t hurt them.
Eventually, Diesel arrives with a wrapped present for Rowan, and I’m half-tempted to ask him what it is so I can make sure it’s nothing inappropriate she can’t open in front of our family.
Someone yells that Rowan’s parked in the front, so I grab Zoey, and we hide behind the bar. I lean over and kiss her, not caring who’s watching now that people know. When the bell above the door dings, we all pop up and scream, “Surprise,” and I watch as my sister beams and shrieks in shock.
I glance over at Zoey, and she’s wearing the biggest most genuine smile I’ve ever seen. She looks so happy here, and everyone loves her just as I knew they would. I know what we have is real, and as crazy as it sounds, I don’t want her to leave.
Chapter Ten
Zoey
The surprise party for Rowan was amazing, and twenty-four hours later, I’m still buzzing. I was worried I wouldn’t fit in, concerned they wouldn’t approve of our rushed marriage, but I quickly learned how incredibly supportive Riley’s family is. Every person I talked to was so sweet and genuinely interested in learning about me. I chatted about being a hairdresser, and instead of feeling like I wasn’t good enough, they were impressed. They accept me for who I am, and that’s something I’ve never really experienced. Even though I’ve only been here for a day, I already love his family so much.