by Vivian Arend
“Shut up.”
“Awww, you can do better than that.” Nicole rested her elbows on the table, eyes bright with interest. “Tell me all the dirty, dirty details. You and Rafe? I never would’ve guessed.”
“We’re just starting to date.” Curiosity struck again. “Rafe and I have been friends since way back. High school and before. Didn’t you know that?”
Nicole looked slightly embarrassed. “We’re good friends now, but back in school, I didn’t really know you were alive. Or that you were cool.”
“I’ve always been cool,” Laurel insisted. She pointed to her face. “See? No blushing. Therefore, not a lie. Therefore, I am cool, and always have been.”
Her friend laughed, looking a whole lot less stressed than even moments earlier. Nicole smiled as she spoke, the words tinged with amusement but also sincerity. “I’m glad you’re dating. I was getting worried there for a while that you were pining after me.”
“Well, if I did lean that way, you’d be the first to know,” Laurel told her seriously. “But since I don’t, you no longer have to worry about trying to set me up.”
“Huh.” Nicole pretended to pout. “But I’ve got a perfectly good twin brother who’s single. What am I supposed to do with him?”
Laurel shrugged. “I thought you were trying to set me up with that handsome firefighter you’re keeping on a string.”
Nicole waved a hand. “Back to the more interesting details, tell me about Rafe.”
“As if there’s anything I could tell you that you don’t already know.” Still, Nicole waited patiently, so Laurel went on. “He’s the youngest in the Coleman clan. He works at the Angel Ranch, and we’ve been friends since we were five. There’s not much else to say.”
“What about he’s tall, blond and built?” Nicole’s grin widened. “Yeah, I see that smile on your face. He’s one fine young man, and I approve.”
He was mighty fine. And he was a good friend.
“What’s that big sigh for?” Nicole asked.
Laurel blinked in surprise, waiting until the waitress had finished putting their plates in front of them. “Did I sigh?”
“Hugely.” Her friend glanced around the café then lowered her voice. “Something else is going on that you’re not telling me.”
“Turn in your accountant badge for a detective one. Something shiny, just like you.”
“That’s not a denial,” Nicole pointed out.
“Right.” She picked up her hamburger and took a big bite.
“Laurel…”
She took her time swallowing. “Yes?”
Nicole eyed her. “This whole strong, silent thing doesn’t work for me. And it’s totally not you.”
Maybe it hadn’t been her this summer, but she’d had more than enough practice staying quiet over the past three years about all sorts of things.
Credit where credit was due, though… “You’re right. You bring out the noisy in me.”
“I bring out the best in you, and don’t you forget it.” Nicole looked her over carefully. “You know what? After Troy’s home we need a night out. Girl time—I’ll make sure he’s happy with Netflix and junk food, and we can take off and talk until we’re sick of each other.”
Even though Laurel wished she could sweep everything under a rug and forget, it probably wasn’t a good idea. She wasn’t sure how much she wanted to share, but bouncing a few of her concerns off someone she trusted couldn’t hurt.
She nodded firmly. “Deal. You need me to help move stuff tonight?”
Nic shook her head. “Mike offered to box everything up first because I’m going to the hospital, so tomorrow and the next day we’ll move it and unpack.”
“I can bring something for supper tomorrow, then.”
“Sounds good. I have potluck planned for everyone who’s coming to help. If you bring your red velvet cupcakes for dessert, I’ll love you forever.” She batted her lashes.
Laurel smiled. “Five thirty?”
“Perfect.”
They chatted about inconsequential things as they finished their meals. Nicole hugged her tight before they headed off in different directions.
Laurel was struck by how much the world changed in a blink of an eye. For years she’d lived in the same town as Nic, crossing paths and never thinking anything of it, yet after one chance meeting three months ago, they’d become really good friends.
Rafe. He’d been a rock and a safe place to her forever, but the way she’d thought about him had changed in an instant.
And…Jeff. The whole situation with Jeff.
Another example of when one moment to the next, her world had changed.
Some changes were good, some not, and yet there didn’t seem to be any way to control the outcomes of those small, all-important moments. All she could do was the next thing. React, and hope she picked the right path at each fork in the road.
Laurel returned to the library, clinging to the good sensations Rafe had sparked the night before. Chatting quietly with him had been like old times. Comfortable, fun. No unanswerable expectations.
He was Rafe—she knew him. A slow peace returned to her soul.
Peace, plus a whole lot of quivering anticipation for the next time they’d be together. Thinking about his kisses and his touch wasn’t a bad way to distract herself and pass the time until she could go home and make official sixth-of-September contact.
It was totally working. Most of the afternoon passed before she rounded the corner of the stacks to discover her father at the front counter, chatting quietly with her coworkers.
He glanced up as she approached, and that’s all it took for her calm to evaporate. She knew that look. It was the same long-suffering expression she’d seen every time he’d been called to the office after one of her and Rafe’s scrapes had landed them in hot water.
Funny. The world could change in an instant, but some things? Like instantly reverting to feeling like a naughty child about to be chastised?
It seemed some things never changed.
Chapter Six
Never had a day passed so slowly.
After his wake-up session with Jeff that morning, Rafe ended up wandering over to Gabe’s far earlier than expected. There hadn’t been enough weeds to destroy, and he was still uptight, and he stomped his way across the barn floor to where Gabe was measuring feed into bags.
His brother stood, offering a hard hug and a firm pat on the back. “Good to see you. I figured you wouldn’t show up for another couple hours.”
“Had a rough morning,” Rafe admitted.
“Shit.” Gabe caught him by the shoulders, worry on his face. “What did Ben—?”
“Not him this time. Although it’s pretty sad I have to say that.”
“Yeah, well.” Gabe returned to his task, Rafe slipping into position to hold the sack open. “We both know how it is.”
“Has it been bad this summer?”
“No worse than usual.” Gabe shrugged. “In fact, he’s been out of sight more often than not. I hired a few extra hands to help, and we’ve been trading off more tasks with the Six Pack and Moonshine clans, and neither of those choices sat well with him.”
“But you got to make them, right?”
Gabe nodded. “You know he signed control over to me years ago, so there’s nothing he can do except be miserable about it. I give him a list of tasks to help with every week like always, and he does them or not, depending on his mood.”
It was screwed up, and it was wrong, but like Gabe said—it was just the way it was for them in the Angel clan.
“Mom okay, though? I worried about her all summer.”
“She’s fine.” Gabe hesitated. “Miserable, but fine. Allison goes over as often as she can, but Ben scares her, and she really doesn’t like having Micah around him, either.”
This was more than screwed up, to have a family like this. “How can he stand to have his own daughter-in-law frightened of him? How can he stand having his sons barely a
ble to look at him?”
“I have no idea what goes on in that stubborn brain of his, but I know this.” Gabe tied off the final bag at his feet and gestured Rafe toward the door. “I refuse to let Ben be more than a passing thought. I’ve got too many things to be thankful for to get dragged under by him and his issues. You need to do the same. Get out of that yard, Rafe. We might have to work with him occasionally, but the less we see of him, the better.”
“Funny. I’m sure you were the one to suggest I move into the loft.”
“You were seventeen years old at the time,” Gabe snapped, “and it was better than living under his roof.”
“And now it’s better that I’m close enough to be there if Mom needs me,” Rafe bit back before taking a deep breath. “Enough—this is not what I came over here for.”
Gabe caught him by the shoulder again and squeezed. “Me, neither. I missed having you around, bro.”
“Didn’t miss you one bit,” Rafe lied. “Or Allison. Or that kid you guys found under a cabbage leaf. He seems to have doubled in size since I left. What the heck are you feeding him?”
“Organic growth hormones,” Gabe gibed, but he positively beamed with pride as he led Rafe toward the back of the barn. He paused, tilting his head toward the second barn where they kept the horses. “Want to go for a ride? I can tell you most of what we’re working on while we’re out. I need to check a few fields.”
“God, yes.” That was exactly what he needed to settle his soul.
They saddled up quickly then met in the yard. Rafe patted Belle’s withers fondly before mounting and following Gabe up the narrow trail leading to the ridge.
Even after Gabe’s comment about catching him up on what needed to be done, they rode without speaking for the next fifteen minutes or so, just taking in the morning. Brothers who had worked together for most of their lives, sharing a time of wordless communication. They alternated taking the lead. Gabe dismounted to open a gate. Rafe walked Belle through, Hurricane bumping his nose into Belle’s flank as he followed along so Gabe could close the gate behind them.
His brother swung into the saddle, his eyes flashing for a moment as he glanced ahead. Rafe clued in fast enough—both of them still silent, but the challenge was blatant. They were only a few steps away from the path that led to the lookout, and a shot of good-natured competitiveness flared.
Gabe oh-so-casually tapped his fingers on his thigh. Rafe didn’t bother to hide his grin, counting down with each motion.
Three, two—
The instant Gabe’s fingers struck one they both shifted forward in the saddle, urging their horses into a run as they took off over a path they’d raced more times than Rafe could count.
That was when he knew everything would be okay. That moment when he felt almost weightless, Belle’s muscles bunching and stretching beneath him as they flew up the trail.
Rafe gripped tightly with his thighs as he leaned over Belle’s neck, no longer glancing beside him, completely focused on his forward flight as familiar territory whizzed past in a blur. The cool morning air brushed his cheek like the stroke of a lover.
As if the Coleman land were personified and caressing him, letting him know this was where he belonged.
They reached the finish line together, pulling to a walk to allow the horses to cool before descending into the coulee where the Whiskey Creek meandered.
Rafe rocked in the saddle. Comfortable, easy. “We have an amazing place, don’t we? We’re lucky to live here.”
“Luckier than a man can explain.” Gabe’s low rumble was tinged with emotion.
Rafe stared across at his big brother, the fierce sensation of hero worship toward him as strong as it had always been. It wasn’t that Gabe could do no wrong, but that he kept trying, and he’d been rewarded because of who he was deep inside.
“I really want what you’ve got some day,” Rafe shared.
“You’ll get there,” Gabe said seriously before his face twisted into a teasing grin. “Except for the annoying little brother part. That’s my joy to experience, not yours.”
“Shut up,” Rafe muttered without heat. He was glad to be Gabe’s little brother, annoying or otherwise.
They picked their way along the creek as cool air swirled around them, talking through plans for the rest of the month. It was pretty much familiar territory, which was fine by Rafe. Familiar didn’t mean boring.
A loud whistle drew their attention across the creek where a group of three horses broke clear of the trees. Their cousins Karen, Lisa and Jesse waved, pulling to a stop on the opposite bank.
Gabe and Rafe forded the creek at the shallowest part, joining the group on the other side. The horses settled next to each other with soft nickers and head tosses.
“You running trail rides on our land now?” Rafe asked Karen. She’d been using the Whiskey Creek horses in a camp in the Rockies for the past couple of years.
“Once you crossed Whiskey Creek you hit our land, but now that you mention it—” Karen winked. “Are you offering to be trail cook if I do?”
Rafe shrugged. “Better me than Jesse. I at least know the major food groups.”
“Beer, beans, steak and tequila,” Jesse drawled, lounging lazily in the saddle, his smile wide.
“Good breakfast menu—what’s for lunch?” Rafe taunted.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Rafe made a rude noise. “Yeah, that explains so much about you.”
“Why I’m so awesome and worshipped by all I meet?”
“I was thinking about the smell.” Rafe leaned forward and sniffed. “Yeah. Explains so much…”
“Jerk,” Jesse offered with a grin.
“Stinker.”
“Asshole.”
“Butthead.”
Karen rolled her eyes. She pulled a wallet from her back pocket and handed over a twenty to her smirking sister.
Gabe snorted in amusement. “What was the bet?”
Lisa put the money away. “That the children here would end up exchanging single-word insults within five minutes of seeing each other.”
“Children? I’m older than you,” Jesse complained.
“And it’s oh-so-obvious by your behaviour, isn’t it?” Lisa teased. “You guys are too predictable.”
Karen turned to Rafe. “We missed having you around this summer. Did you enjoy seeing more of Canada?”
“Back dirt roads and cheap motels,” Jesse offered. “Yeah, I’m sure he hit all the bright lights of our great country.”
Rafe ignored Jesse though his cousin wasn’t far off the mark. “I had a good time, but I’m glad to be back.”
“I bet he spent his summer sleeping in cheesy hotels watching lots of bad late-night cable.” Jesse leaned in slightly. “How’s your love life, cuz?”
Now that was a taunt Rafe could deal with. He offered an ear-to-ear grin. “Just fine, and about to get a whole lot better. What about you? Anyone left within a three-hour radius of Rocky willing to date you?”
Karen and Gabe let out hisses of approval at the cut. Lisa lifted a hand to her mouth and laughed.
Jesse glanced at them. “What? You think I’ve been striking out?”
Lisa whistled innocently.
“Hey, just because you’re a girl doesn’t mean I won’t punch you,” Jesse informed her. “You’re my cousin, and that means the rules go out the window. Be warned.”
Lisa shifted her horse away a few paces. “I was going to agree with you.”
Jesse looked even more suspicious. “Why does that not reassure me?”
She grinned. “Striking out would imply you got up to bat. Last I heard you’d been benched pretty hard.” She stuck out her lower lip. “Poor wittle Jesse. Did my friend Liz tell you to go away?”
Rafe joined in the laughter as Jesse’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “Who told you that? And I’m not saying it’s true.”
“You don’t have to admit it,” Lisa assured him, pulling out her phone and cli
cking through a few screens. “Oh good, I wasn’t imagining it. I’ve got video. I was thinking of posting it to YouTube.”
Jesse snatched at her, trying to nab the phone out of her hands, but Lisa pulled back and his horse skittered sideways, and the two of them circled until they got the horses back under control.
Karen rolled her eyes at her little sister. “This is very entertaining, but it’s not finding those runaways. If you don’t mind, could you leave off the taunting for a while?”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Lisa and Jesse spoke at the same time, and Rafe and Gabe lost it, both of them laughing full-out. Jesse offered a long-suffering sigh then winked before they moved farther downstream.
“What are we looking for?” Rafe asked.
Karen explained. “Couple of my new mares are pretty wild. They’re due to foal and they’ve gone missing. I think I know where they’re hiding.”
The group broke in two, Lisa and Jesse lazily exchanging taunts as they headed with Rafe toward the far side of the trees in the hopes Gabe and Karen could push the runaways their direction.
“So. You and Laurel Sitko.” Lisa changed topic and focused her attention on him. “Tell me more.”
He didn’t try to deny it. Number one because he didn’t want to, and number two, denial would be totally useless in this family. “I’m a little surprised it took you this long. It’s been over twelve hours since I kissed her.”
“You kissed Laurel Sitko?” Jesse demanded. “What the hell?”
Lisa tilted her head toward Jesse before clicking her tongue. “So sad. Some of us aren’t quite as observant as others.”
“I noticed that,” Rafe answered.
“Of course, since we’re talking Jesse here, he has an excuse. He’s probably a little stunned from that massive blow to his ego that didn’t happen on Friday night.”
“Shut up, Lisa,” Jesse muttered.
“You know, when he didn’t strike out with my friend.”
“I’m going to end you.”
“Man, I have missed a lot.” Rafe reached his hand toward Lisa. “Let me see your phone. Who did Jesse strike out with?”
Jesse moved in close enough to punch him in the shoulder. His cousin was no lightweight, and the blow landed hard enough to nearly send him flying out of the saddle, but Rafe didn’t care. He laughed and pulled up on the reins, ushering Belle forward.