“Not what?” Evelyn asked without turning around, her voice deceptively casual.
“Nothing,” I muttered, taking a long swig of coffee to buy myself time. “Jesse being gay changes nothing. He’s still the same selfish prick who abandoned us.”
Evelyn sighed, her shoulders dropping slightly. “That boy gave up everything to come back here and help you keep this ranch. Doesn’t sound selfish to me.”
“He’ll be gone in a week,” I said with more conviction than I felt. “He can’t hack it out here. Never could.”
“You don’t know him anymore, Cole,” she replied, sliding a plate of bacon and eggs in front of me. “Fifteen years is a long time. People change.”
I stabbed at my eggs, appetite gone. “Not him.”
The sound of footsteps on the stairs made us both look up. Jesse appeared in the doorway, his face carefully composed into a neutral expression. He’d changed into work clothes, a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt that looked brand new, probably bought at the general store last night. City boy playing cowboy.
“I’ll need to know what my responsibilities are,” he said, addressing me directly. “If we’re going to make this work, I need to pull my weight.”
I snorted. “You don’t know the first thing about running a ranch. You never did.”
“So teach me,” he challenged, his hazel eyes locking with mine. “Unless you’d rather lose everything out of spite.”
The tension between us crackled like electricity. Part of me wanted to tell him to go to hell, to walk away from all of it. It wanted me to give up the ranch, the money, andhim. But the bigger part, the part that had sacrificed everything for this land, couldn’t let go.
“Fine,” I growled, shoving my chair back from the table. “You want to play rancher? Let’s see how long you last. Meet me at the barn in ten minutes.”
I stormed out without waiting for his response, the screen door slamming behind me. The cold morning air hit my lungs like a shock, clearing my head slightly. What the hell was I doing? Agreeing to this insanity? To spending a year with Jesse?
With Jesse who had a boyfriend. The thought twisted in my gut, the acidic taste of jealousy burning the back of my throat. All these years I thought he was out in the world dating women, thoughthewas thenormalone. And now I felt sick to my stomach thinking another man had touched him. A man that wasn’t…me.
As soon as I was in the barn, I threw the door closed, hot tears threatening at the corners of my eyes. I walked over to a hay bale, punching it over and over again, hoping the pain would drive away these feelings.
I wished I didn’t know… wished Jesse was straight. At least then I never would’ve had a chance. But now the secret was out and all it did was fan the embers inside of me, the ones that had refused to die all these years.
I was attracted to… to mystepbrother.
Chapter 6
Jesse
Well… my confidence around the ranch didn’t last long.
By the time Evelyn rang the lunch bell, I’d been kicked, headbutted, had fallen in the mud, and had torn a hole in my very expensive jeans. My hair was sticking out in all directions, hay and mud poking through in places. I was about ready to give up, to throw in the towel and say fuck it to this whole endeavor.
But every time I fell, every time a horse raised a hoof to kick me, Cole chuckled under his breath. He’d give me that knowing smirk, the one that saidI was right, before going back to his business. I’d never felt such a burning hatred for another person in my life. And I’d begoddamnedif I was gonna give up and allow Cole to be right. Fuck that. I didn’t care what it took, I was gonna stay goddammit, and prove him and his stupid handsome face wrong. I’d been a rancher before, I could do it again.
I could still feel the bruise forming on my hip from where the heifer had slammed me into the fence. Who knew cows could be so goddamn vindictive? But I’d managed to get the medication down her throat eventually, even if it meant practically wrestling her to the ground while Cole watched from a safe distance, not lifting a finger to help.
“You coming or what?” Cole called over his shoulder, already halfway to the house. “Evelyn don’t like to be kept waiting.”
I limped after him, wincing with each step. My body ached in places I’d forgotten existed. Fifteen years of city living hadn’t prepared me for the physical toll of ranch work. My muscles screamed in protest, my hands were raw and blistered, and I was pretty sure I’d pulled something in my lower back.
“I’m coming,” I muttered, trying to keep the pain out of my voice.
Cole glanced back at me, those blue eyes taking in my disheveled state. For a split second, I thought I saw something like concern flash across his face, but it was gone so quickly I must have imagined it.
“Better clean up before Evelyn sees you,” he said gruffly. “She’ll have a fit.”
I looked down at myself and grimaced. I was filthy from head to toe, my new clothes ruined beyond repair. I’d have to make a trip into town soon for proper work clothes, the kind that could withstand the abuse of ranch life. My designer jeans clearly weren’t up to the task.
“There’s a washroom off the kitchen,” Cole added, not slowing his pace. “Use it.”
