“No promises!” he called back, already climbing into his truck. “And Diego? Thanks for fixing the fence. It looks great.”
I watched him drive off, dust kicking up behind his tires as he headed back toward the main house. The man was like a damn tornado. He blew in, stirred everything up, and then left you wondering what the hell just happened. No wonder Beau had gotten so swept up.
I finished my sandwich in the relative quiet, listening to the cattle lowing in the distance and the whisper of wind through the grass. This was what I loved about ranch work. The peace of it. The way you could lose yourself in simple, honest labor and forget about all the complicated shit churning around in your head.
But Lucas’s words kept echoing.You’re family now.
I’d been telling myself for months that this job was just like all the others. Good pay, decent boss, nice enough place to land for a while before the itch to move on got too strong. But somewhere along the line, things had shifted. Jack had started asking my opinion on everything from cattle breeding to what brand of coffee to stock in the kitchen. Beau had gone from polite but distant to actually seeking out my company, asking about my day, remembering details about my life that I’d mentioned in passing. And even Mabel treated me like one of the boys that she loved taking care of.
And Lucas... well, Lucas had appointed himself my personal matchmaker, which was annoying as hell but also kind of sweet. Like he actually gave a damn about my happiness.
When was the last time anyone had cared whether I was happy?
I shook my head, draining the last of my beer. This was dangerous territory. I wasn’t built for putting down roots, or for getting attached. That was a one-way ticket to heartbreak, and I’d had enough of that growing up.
I tossed the beer bottle into my toolbox and wiped my hands on my jeans. The fence was done, but there were still a dozen other items on my to-do list before sundown. No time for dwelling on things that couldn’t be changed.
When the time came, I’d move on from Turner Ranch and Sagebrush. And that was all there was to it.
Chapter 3
Hayden
“Ican find it, Aunt Dolly. You don’t have to?—”
“Nonsense, sugar,” she said, patting me on the shoulder in a way that saidstop arguing with me. “I can’t be a bad host. That’s a sin right up there with cheap perfume and lukewarm biscuits!”
I furrowed my brow, wondering where the hell she’d come up with that saying. “You’re not being a bad host. It’s just a room. And I can find the door.”
“Honey, it’s not just a room,” she said, steering me toward the back of the diner with a grip that was surprisingly strong for someone who barely came up to my shoulder. “It’syourroom. For the next month, anyway. And I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let you wander around back there like a lost puppy on your first day. That just ain’t right.”
She pushed through a door marked “PRIVATE” and led me down a short hallway that smelled like cleaning supplies and something vanilla-scented. The walls were painted the same cheerful yellow as the diner’s exterior, and there were framed photos hanging everywhere, mostly of Dolly with various people I didn’t recognize, all of them grinning like they’d just won the lottery.
“Now, I know it ain’t much,” she was saying as she fished a set of keys out of her apron pocket. “But it’s got everything you need. Kitchen’s fully stocked, bathroom’s clean, and the bed’s got a memory foam mattress that cost me more than my first car.” She paused, glancing back at me. “I made sure to give it a deep clean after that rascal I had to drive off with a shotgun.”
I wasn’t sure if she was telling one of those Texas tall tales or the truth, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. We stopped at a door at the end of the hallway, painted white with a little wreath hanging on it that was probably left over from last Christmas. Dolly unlocked it and pushed it open, then stepped aside to let me go first.
I walked in and immediately felt some of the tension in my shoulders ease. It was small, sure, but it was... cozy. The living area had a worn but comfortable-looking couch, a small TV, and a kitchenette with everything I’d need to avoid eating every meal at the diner. Through an open doorway I could see a bedroom with that promised memory foam bed and a quilt that looked handmade.
“Dolly, this is...” I turned to face her, surprised by how my voice caught slightly. “This is really nice. Thank you.”
She waved me off like it was nothing, but I caught the pleased smile she was trying to hide. “Like I said, it ain’t much. But it’s yours for as long as you need it.” She paused, studying my face with those sharp blue eyes. “And sugar? Whatever happened that sent you runnin’ all the way out here? It’s gonna be okay.”
I felt my throat tighten at her words, and for a terrifying moment I thought I might actually start crying right there in front of her. I blinked hard and looked away, focusing on a ceramic rooster sitting on the windowsill above the kitchen sink.
“I’m fine,” I managed, though we both knew it was bullshit. “Just needed a change of scenery, like I said.”
“Mm-hmm.” She didn’t sound convinced, but thankfully she didn’t push. Instead, she bustled over to the kitchen area and started opening cabinets. “Coffee’s in here, and I stocked the fridge with the basics. There’s sandwich meat, eggs, milk, and some strawberry jamI put up this past summer. Oh, and I put some of my chocolate chip cookies in there too, though they probably won’t last long knowing you.”
Despite everything, I found myself almost smiling. “You remember that?”
“Honey, you ate three dozen cookies in two days that summer. Your mama was convinced you were gonna make yourself sick, but I told her a growing boy needs his sweets.” She pulled out a plate covered in plastic wrap. “Speaking of which, I made these fresh this morning. Call it a welcome home present.”
Home. There was that word again, hitting me right in the chest. This wasn’t home. Home was... well, I didn’t really know what home was anymore. Definitely not Tommy’s sterile apartment with its white walls and designer furniture that I wasn’t allowed to touch. And not my parents’ place in Boston, where I always felt like I was visiting a public museum.
“Thank you,” I said quietly, taking the plate. The cookies were still slightly warm, and the smell of vanilla and chocolate made my mouth water. “For all of this. I know I kind of sprung this on you.”
“Sugar, family don’t spring things on family. Family just shows up when they need to.” She patted my arm again, and I was starting to realize this was just how Dolly showed affection. Through food and gentle touches and calling everyone pet names. “Now, I’m gonna let you get settled. Dinner rush starts in about an hour, so I need to get back out there. But if you need anything, and I mean anything, you just holler.”
