Love All Out - The Complete Series (A Stepbrother Romance)

by Ward, Alice

  “What are you talking about, Willow?” Matt asked, he eyes wide in surprise. “I know he’s been a bit distant since Cole and Renee busted the two of you out for trying to sabotage their engagement. But you seemed pretty determined to make him see things your way. Have you not had any luck?”

  Matt was my best friend and I wanted nothing more than to break down crying and tell him everything. But a little voice in my head told me that the fewer people who knew about what had happened on Eagle Point, the better.

  “No luck at all,” I said with a shrug. “And I’ve decided to give up trying. I’ve done a lot of thinking about it, and I’ve decided that James is right. We can’t date now that our parents are for sure getting married. It’s too much of a risk. There’s too much at stake.”

  “Willow, I know you’re both worried about what people will think…”

  “It’s not just that,” I interrupted, snapping at him, then lowering my voice. “James and I will be stuck with each other for the rest of our lives. It’s already going to be hard enough. Can you imagine how much worse it would be if we kept dating and broke up a year or two down the road? It would be a disaster. Our parents would take sides… it could split the whole family up. It’s better this way. I know it is.”

  Matt wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on top of my head. “I know this is hard for you. If you ever need to talk about it, I’m here.”

  “I know you are.” I gave him a tight squeeze and then pulled away. “But there’s nothing you can do about it right now. Let’s get back to work.”

  CHAPTER 2

  “The new guys seem to be settling in nicely,” Daddy said. He took a long drink of his coffee and set his mug on the table. “I stopped by the bunkhouse on my way in from the pasture last night. We haven’t had so many people living there since before I build the last two cabins.”

  I nodded. “They’re all pretty comfortable though. Harrison said it’s the nicest staff housing he’s ever lived in.”

  “That’s nice to hear,” Daddy replied, with a satisfied smile. “I’m so proud of you, pumpkin. I can’t wait until we go back to the Derby with a horse you own outright.”

  “Matt and I own outright,” I reminded him, giving him a little wink.

  “Of course,” he agreed. “I think that was a smart business decision. Hell, if Matt wants to move onsite, I’d be happy to sign an acre or two over for him to build on. We’ll have our own little commune going soon.”

  “Oh, honey. You know Matt likes to be close to his grandparents,” Renee reminded him as she carried a plate of sausage to the table. “And their little guest house is the perfect size for a bachelor pad.”

  It was Monday morning and Daddy, Renee, and I were gathered in the kitchen. I hadn’t heard from Matt since Friday afternoon and the fact that James hadn’t arrived for breakfast yet made me nervous. I was convinced he’d been gored half to death at the rodeo and was lying in a Denver hospital, stubbornly refusing to let anyone call and alert his mother.

  I took a sip of my coffee and tried to appear casual. “Speaking of bachelors, have you heard how James and Lucas did at the rodeo this weekend?” I asked Renee, trying to sound casual. She carried a tray of biscuits and a large bowl of gravy to the table.

  “They placed first in team roping,” she said, beaming with pride. Then the smile faded as she continued, “And James came in second on those godforsaken beasts he insists on riding. He should be here soon. I just talked to him about twenty minutes ago.”

  As if on cue, I heard the front door open. A few moments later, James walked into the kitchen. My attention was immediately drawn to a large, purple bruise under his left eye.

  “Good morning, everyone,” James said, his voice cheerful and light. “It’s a beautiful day outside.”

  “Good morning, sweetheart,” Renee replied. She pulled a butter dish from the refrigerator and turned to face us. Her eyes fell on the bruise and her smile disappeared. She let out a loud gasp and the butter dish fell to the floor and shattered.

  “Good god, James, what happened to your face?” she demanded.

  James moved to help her with the broken dish.

  “I got tossed and my face hit the bull’s shoulder on the way down,” he explained, keeping his voice light. “I promise it looks a lot worse than it feels.” James tossed the stick of butter into the sink and swept up the shattered glass. Renee grabbed a fresh stick from the refrigerator, her lips pinched in anger.

  “I swear, your bull riding is going to be the death of me,” she told him, her voice heavy with frustration. She grabbed a small plate from the cabinet, set the butter on it, and carried it to the table. She took a seat next to Daddy, put her elbows on the table, and held her head in her hands.

  Daddy put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Now, now, sweetheart. It’s just a bruise. It could be a lot worse.”

  “It really barely hurts, Mom,” James assured her again. “You don’t have to worry about me. I know what I’m doing.” He emptied the dustpan into the trash and sat down next to me again.

  Renee snorted. “Maybe instead of praying you don’t get hurt, I should start praying that you get hurt just enough to quit.”

  “Look on the bright side,” James told her. “I’m too busy to go to most of the rodeos. You don’t have to worry about me again for months.” He split three biscuits in half, topped each half with a piece of sausage, and covered the entire plate with gravy. I did the same, but with only one biscuit.

  If Renee keeps cooking like this, I’m going to need bigger clothes.

  “James is right,” Daddy said after a large bite of sausage. “We have more important things to worry about than rodeos right now. What time is the security company supposed to be here?” he asked, looking down at his watch.

  “Nine o’clock,” Renee replied. “They want to tour the pastures, see where the fences were let down. They also need to see all the barns and houses, everywhere we might want to stick a security camera. I thought after we show them around, we can all come back here for lunch. We’ve got plenty of sandwich stuff.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Daddy agreed. “I almost hope that the bastard that let down the fences comes back. I’d love to catch him in the act.”

  I looked down at my plate and shoveled food into my mouth. I had a good idea of who was behind the vandalism, but I knew no one wanted to hear it. I had to keep my mouth shut until I had proof that Bradley was behind the sabotage.

  Renee nodded. “The security company assured me that regardless of the package we choose, they can have everything up and running by the end of the week. I’d hate to have the stock get loose again, but it would be nice to catch the culprit and press charges.”

  James ate silently next to me and I wondered if he suspected Bradley as well. We’d only exchanged a few polite words in front of our parents since the afternoon Bradley found us on Eagle Point, and I wasn’t looking forward to changing that anytime soon. But I knew we’d have to talk eventually. We had to come up with a plan to beat Bradley at his own game.

  James cleared his throat. “I have a suggestion that I hope no one will find offensive,” he began.

  Daddy looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “Okay, let’s hear it.”

  “I think it would be best if none of us mention that we’re having the system installed. I know there’s a good chance that some random stranger let the fences down as some sort of prank. But on the off chance that it was someone we know, I don’t think we should broadcast that we’re tightening security. The culprit will be less likely to come back if he or she knows we’re looking for him.”

  Daddy frowned. “I hate to think that someone we know was behind it. But you’re probably right. We shouldn’t let it get around that we’re installing the system. I won’t say anything.”

  Renee and I quickly agreed to go along with the plan and Daddy turned the conversation to racing.

  “Are you getting excited about Preakness, pumpkin?” he asked.
“I know I am.”

  My stomach fluttered with excitement as I thought about the second of the Triple Crown races. “I can’t wait,” I confessed. “And Matt and I should have all the new guys trained before we leave on Thursday. I hate leaving them alone so soon, but I think they can handle it.”

  “Actually,” Renee said, grinning. “I’ve decided to stay home this weekend. I knew you’d be nervous about leaving the new guys alone with the stock. I don’t want you to be distracted with worry when you should be enjoying yourself. I’ll oversee things here, and you and Matt can have a good time.”

  I was shocked, but also moved by her offer. “Are you sure? It could be a big day for the family. You should be there, Renee.” I was surprised by how much I meant those words. After accepting that Renee and Daddy’s marriage was inevitable, I’d grown awfully fond of Renee.

  “Thank you for saying that, Willow.” She looked at me, her eyes soft and growing wet. “You don’t know how much it means to me that you want me there. But with the trespassing and all the new people on the ranch, I think it’s best if I stay home. I took your mother’s white suit to the cleaners on Friday. Cole told me that’s what she wore when Aces High won Preakness, so I assumed you’d want to wear it as well.”

  “Thank you so much, Renee. You were right. I just hope that the suit fits me after all of this food you’ve been feeding us,” I teased.

  “James and I will fly out Saturday morning,” Daddy added. “I’ll probably come home late Saturday night. I’m with Renee. I’ll be nervous about being off the ranch until the trespasser is behind bars.”

  “Okay… if you’re sure,” I agreed. I mopped up gravy with my last bite of biscuit and laid my fork on my empty plate.

  Daddy looked down at his watch. “It’s a quarter to nine. We should probably head down to the equipment barn and make sure the ATVs are gassed up before the security guys get here.”

  Renee and I cleared the dishes from the table and we all filled travel cups with coffee before heading out to the barn. We walked down the driveway and James’s phone let out a loud chime. Mine did the same a few moments later. I pulled it from the pocket of my jeans and looked down at the screen. My stomach twisted in knots when I saw Bradley’s name next to the text message: Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you. James’s cabin. Tomorrow. Four p.m. Be there or everyone will know your secret.

  I swallowed nervously, slid my phone back into my pocket, and glanced at James. His jaw was clenched and he walked with his hands balled up in fists.

  “Is everything okay, kids?” Renee asked, look at both of us in turn.

  “Fine,” I said quickly. “That was just a good luck message from one of my old college friends. I’ve been getting a lot of them since the Derby.”

  Renee turned to her son and raised an eyebrow.

  “My message was from Lucas,” he told her. “There’s a rodeo in New Mexico next week and he wants me to ride with him. I’ll message him later and tell him I’m too busy.”

  Renee and Daddy easily accepted that our simultaneous messages were unrelated, and we walked the rest of the way to the barn in silence.

  ***

  We spent the next three hours hauling David and Steve, the men from the security company, around the ranch on the ATVs. Daddy and Renee took David on one ATV, leaving me, James, and Steve on the other. James and I did our best to keep up the appearance that we were a happy blended family. But inside, I was a nervous wreck. I couldn’t imagine that James felt any better.

  “Well, you have a beautiful place here,” Steve said as James slowed the ATV to a stop in front of the house. “But it’s a daunting bit of ground to cover, security wise.”

  Daddy pulled his ATV up next to ours and Renee called out a game plan. “Why don’t we all go inside and talk about our options over lunch?”

  David and Steve were both overweight and drenched with sweat. It was obvious that they weren’t used to being outside for extended periods of time and they looked relieved that it was time to retreat to the air conditioning. I’d have gladly stayed out in the hot sun if it meant having a few minutes to myself, but I knew Daddy expected me to sit in on the rest of the meeting. We piled out of the ATVs and walked into the house. As much as I wanted to be anywhere else, I had to admit that the cool air felt good against my wet, hot skin.

  “The wash room is just down the hall, if you’d like to mop up a bit,” Renee told the salesmen.

  “Thank you, ma’am,” Steve replied. He stepped into the room and closed the door while David waited in the hall for his turn.

  I walked into the kitchen, poured myself a giant glass of iced tea, and sank down into a chair. James grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and sat down next to me. Daddy took his usual seat at the head of the table while Renee put together a platter of sandwiches.

  “I love your home, Mr. Rogers,” Steve said as he walked into the room. “I assume we’ll be installing camera’s here as well?” He pulled out a chair and sat down across from me.

  “I hadn’t really thought about it,” Daddy confessed. “I’m more concerned about the livestock, Willow’s horses, specifically.”

  Steve nodded and pulled a yellow legal pad and an ink pin from his well-worn briefcase. “That’s understandable. From what I hear, the value of your animals is increasing every day. What do you think Mondo’s chances are at Preakness?”

  I cleared my throat. “I feel pretty confident that he’ll win. Denver’s Pride and Jupiter’s Starlight are both sitting the race out. Their owners decided to rest them for Belmont since they’ve already lost their chance for the Triple Crown.”

  Steve shook his head. “I hate when they do that. In a way, it seems like cheating.”

  “I know,” I agreed. “But there’s nothing I can do about it. And I think Mondo’s chances will still be pretty good at Belmont, even though it’s the longest race and he’ll be up against rested horses. He has more endurance than any other horse I’ve worked with.”

  Steve raised an eyebrow. “So you think he’s got a shot at the Crown? I read a pretty in depth article that claims that’s now an impossible feat. The last time a horse won all three races was 1977, wasn’t it?”

  “1978,” I corrected him. “And people have always insisted that the Crown is an impossible feat. But every now and then, the perfect trainer, the perfect jockey, and the perfect horse meet, and the impossible happens.”

  “Are you talking about racing?” David asked. He walked into the room and sat down next to Steve.

  “Yeah, Ms. Rogers says this Mondo is really something special,” Steve answered. “We may have to place a few bets this weekend.”

  “We may indeed,” David agreed. “In the meantime, let’s figure out the best way to keep those champion horses and the rest of the livestock safe.”

  David pulled a stack of glossy papers from his briefcase, and we spent the next two hours going over the pros and cons of various security equipment. Fortunately, my horses were the easiest to protect since their barn led directly into their pasture. Protecting the rest of the livestock would be much more difficult. Three thousand acres was a lot of ground to cover, and the security cameras weren’t cheap. To make matters more difficult, most of the pasture land didn’t have access to electricity. We finally agreed to put cameras on the houses, barns, and different access points around the perimeter of the ranch. Monitors would be installed in my barn and the main house.

  “We’ll have the installation team out tomorrow,” Steve said as he and David packed their briefcases. “They’ll have everything up and running by Wednesday.”

  We all rose to our feet and exchanged handshakes.

  “I’ll walk you to the door,” Daddy told the salesmen.

  “Let me,” I insisted. “I’m heading to the stables anyway. I’m going to ride up to Eagle Point and make sure the plants are all still alive.”

  “I’ll join you,” James offered quickly. “Seven could use some exercise.”

 
“Mr. Rogers, Mrs. Parker, the two of you must be doing something right,” Steve said with a smile. “I wish my son and my wife’s daughter got along half as well as your kids.”

  I blushed and looked down to the floor. I’m sure everyone else thought I was being modest about the compliment, but all I felt was embarrassment.

  If you only knew…

  Daddy and Renee beamed back at him, their faces full of pride. “Thank you,” Daddy said. “We’ve had a few bumps in the road, but I think we’re all starting to feel like family.”

  James shifted his weight and gave me an impatient look. I knew he was as anxious to leave as I was, so I started walking towards the front door. Steve and David took the hint and followed me, with James bringing up the rear. We walked the men to their company truck, exchanged goodbyes, and then continued on to the barn in a tense silence.

  ***

  “Willow, you’re going to have to talk to me eventually,” James insisted. He stood in front of the stall and watched as I strapped Mayhem into his headstall and slid the bit into his mouth.

  “Please, James, I can’t do this right now,” I told him, feeling my face grow warm with the effort not to cry. “I just need a few hours to myself. Is that too much to ask?”

  “Lucas didn’t text me this morning,” he continued, completely unfazed by my pleas. “And I don’t believe for one second that your message was from an old college friend. We have to talk about how we’re going to deal with Bradley.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about, because there’s nothing we can do,” I argued. “We’ll meet him tomorrow and find out what he wants. We can’t make any plans until we know what we’re up against. And who knows? Maybe he won’t ask for anything too terrible. Maybe it will be easiest to just give him what he wants.”

  James narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice, gritting out, “Willow, the best defense is a good offence.”

  “Don’t quote sports clichés to me,” I hissed as I pushed open the stall door and moved past him. I walked to the opposite wall and heaved my saddle over one shoulder.