Liam
“So are you going to tell us what’s going on?” Hunter asks as he, Jared, and Max converge upon me.
Winter left to go meet her parents, and my brothers and I are standing in the living room of the Wilds’ ranch house. I’ve already given the thumbs up to the alterations done to my best man suit, and I’m trying to escape my brothers’ inquisition.
“She’s in the wedding party,” Hunter tells me abruptly.
I try not to show how much that piece of information throws me.
But my brothers are all watching me closely like they’ve been waiting for this moment. I wouldn’t have put it past them to have planned the damn thing.
“Why?” I ask.
“Winter’s cousin broke her foot. Winter asked Haley to step in. She’ll be seated at our table.”
Luke Wild has just stepped into the room, and he raises his eyebrows.
Luke’s a cowboy through and through. From the jagged scar on his cheek to the worn boots and sunburned face, he doesn’t have to try to look the part. Cowboy is in his blood. He used to be a professional bronc rider, and a bad accident left him with a change in career. Now he runs Wild Ranch with his twin brothers. I’ve met him a handful of times, and he’s as real as it gets.
“Welcome to Montana.” He shakes my hand. “Sounds like you came with a story.”
“Don’t we all?” I say.
“True.” He gives me the key to my cabin for the summer. “You overpaid by the way. I got your payment.”
“Consider it a tip for housing my daughter and me.”
“Hunter tipped too.” Luke shoots Hunter a hard stare. “You Storm boys are awfully generous. You know you can stay here for free.”
“Wouldn’t think of it,” Hunter and I both say at the same time.
“You’ve already overpaid for the wedding,” Luke says. “Which is bringing us a lot of promotional activity by the way. I’m fielding calls left and right about all aspects of the ranch, especially renting our cabins out.”
“That’s great,” I say. “This ranch is incredible.”
“Subject change, Liam.” Jared slugs my shoulder. “Fill us in. Are you and Haley a thing?”
“No.” I don’t mean for the word to come out so harshly.
Max whistles. “So you like her, but something is stopping you from telling her that.”
I turn on him. “Are you a fucking psychic?”
Jared nods. “He is. I really think he is.”
Max rolls his eyes. “Like fuck I am. I just know my brothers is all.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Haley and I had…an arrangement.”
“Oh Christ, here it comes.” Hunter sits down on the couch. “What is it with us and arrangements?”
I don’t know. Probably makes us feel safer.
“Well, whatever the arrangement is,” Jared says, “if it involves ending things with her, just cancel the deal. Deals are made to be broken.”
Deals are made to be broken.
Maybe.
