“Nah, I’m good. I have work to do here.”
Zander’s smile falters. It’s a crack in his rock star façade that makes my chest ache. Reminds me of the man I thought he was.
Get a grip. He’s probably just upset his super fan isn’t starstruck in his presence in front of her family.
“Okkkaayy,” Scarlett says, her gaze searching out Lottie once again. “This was my birthday present to you, so I guess I’ll have to go shopping now. Hope you wanted some wool socks.”
A few of my family members laugh at Scarlett’s rare show of humor.
Dread washes over me—guilt, more precisely—because no one in this room knows my history with this man. They don’t know how much I thought it was some sign that Zander and I were meant to be the night he had DeSoto pluck me out of the crowd to go backstage. I inserted myself into the plot of one of the romance books I read, thinking that I was the special one he’d want to keep around.
They turn to leave, and my mom gives me a disappointed look over her shoulder.
“Sorry. I’ll go,” I say before my brain can catch up and ask me what the fuck I’m doing.
Zander circles back around. He holds out his hand for me, and my mom coos as if it’s romantic. I ignore his outstretched hand and unwind myself from Lottie, walking around them toward the door.
“Me too.” Lottie’s playing protective sister although she has no idea what she’s protecting me from. But she obviously must sense that something is up.
DeSoto steps in front of her.
Oh, this isn’t going to be good.
“We don’t have room,” he says in that stern voice he likes to use to intimidate people.
I was never on the other end of it, but I heard it plenty. When he denied me entry, there was a sadness in his eyes and a gentleness in his tone. Hell, he offered to get me a ride back to the airport or wherever I needed to go.
Now it makes me wonder how many times Zander had put him in that position.
“Sorry, big guy, but this here.” Lottie circles her finger in the air. “This is my family’s ranch. So, I can go wherever I want, and this whole bodyguard act isn’t necessary. I doubt anyone knows Zander is even in town, and if they did, there’s only one person you would’ve had to protect him from, but she doesn’t seem as interested as she once was. So why don’t you take the afternoon off and go feed our chickens or something?” Lottie breezes past him out the door, leaving DeSoto with his mouth hanging open.
Her husband, Brooks, saunters over. “Yeah… she’s gonna do what she wants when she wants. Get used to it, and if you have a problem… well… you can talk to me, but it won’t do you any good. I’m on her side every damn time.” He follows her out.
“I’m good, DeSoto. Why don’t you go settle in at the lodge?” Zander gives him a meaningful look and waits for Scarlett to lead him out.
DeSoto glances at me before he follows.
No chance in hell he’s going to just head off to go chill at the lodge.
The sun hits my eyes, almost blinding me, and the chill of fall lingers in the air.
Sure enough, DeSoto is in his own UTV with my mom as the driver.
God help him. I shoot him a sympathetic smile because she’s going to talk his ear off, and based on my experience, he’s not a talkative guy.
By the time I reach the UTV, only one seat is available. The one right next to Zander. Lottie is in the third row with Brooks. I guess I was wrong about her sisterly intuition.
Scarlett and Poppy are in the front seat, leaving me no choice but to sit next to Zander.
His jean-clad thigh brushes against mine even with me pressing my thighs together to give him as much room as I can.
Scarlett presses the gas, and we all fly back in our seats.
It’s going to be a bumpy ride for more than one reason.
Chapter Three
Zander
