We both sat in silence for a while longer. Calvin stared into the fire pit, while I stared up at the stars. Each of us had our own set of problems, each had burdens to bear. And while I couldn’t disagree that Allie was the best thing to ever happen to my friend, I couldn’t pull Rory down with me.
Not that she wanted me in the same way Allie wanted Calvin. What had happened was a combination of rage, frustration, and lust. Nothing more. She needed more than I had to offer. She needed something I was not sure I was capable of giving.
“Allie and I are thinking about kids.” Calvin's statement tore through the night like a bucket of cold water.
My head snapped to him. “So soon?”
“We don’t want to wait.” He watched the flames dance in the dark, not making eye contact. “Besides, we really don’t want teenagers in our retirement.”
I nodded. “That makes more sense. Though, if they’re boys, they’ll never stop doing stupid shit.”
“But I think I'll have one girl.” Calvin smiled, “I think I could handle one.”
“Please, you’ll spend your life chasing away every boy who gets too close.”
“Not true. There’s one kind of man I could handle around my little girl.”
I narrowed my eyes, not sure where he was going with the conversation. “What kind of man is that?”
“A man who was raised by you.”
My breath hitched as I swallowed hard and pretended the smoke got in my eyes. “Cal…”
“You’re the best man I know, Rafe. Don’t let pride or some strange sense of nobility rob you of something beautiful.”
Then he turned away and stared back at the fire.
As we waited for the fire to die down, I fetched the shovels and passed one over to my friend. Once the last of the flames died, we covered the burnt logs with soil making sure nothing could get caught and cause any damage, or harm any wild animal who happened to wander across the land. It didn’t happen often, but the occasional deer made an appearance at night.
Only once we had put both shovels back in the barn, did Cal break the silence. “Give her a chance, Rafe. More importantly, allow yourself to take it. No one needs it more than you.”
CHAPTER 8
Rory
The Ride
He didn’t apologize.At least, not with words. Not that I expected him to. But he was open to some of my suggestions. I also made a mental note to check with him before cancelling any orders. Not because he was right, or because I was afraid of another argument. In fact, if that was how arguments ended, I could start a fight everyday.
The kiss was everything. Passion and fury, and a boatload of pent-up frustration. It was almost a week later, and I could still taste him, feel him.
I shook my head and focused on what I was doing. My decision to consult him about the orders had more to do with the relationships he had in town. The one thing I knew I was right about was the town would not survive if the ranch went down. As much as it was struggling, it was still the center of the economy in the town. And the idea was to keep it that way.
After seeing the representative of Argent at the Feed & Seed a few weeks back, I had to wonder what their angle was. I had an idea of their plan, but I needed to know more. I needed to find out what the asshole was doing in the store. And if he was the same man who had sent Rafe these documents. Documents I was sure were falsified. No doubt, a judge or town official had been bought and forced to sign off.
The stomping down the hallway gave me pause. Someone pissed him off again. For a moment, I wondered if it was me and my heart raced a little faster. A pissed off Rafe was sexy as hell. And well, I kind of liked the aftermath of the last argument we had.
The door to the office flung open, and hit the wall behind it. I raised my brows, and glared at him. “What now?”
“Why is it so bright in here?”
I cocked my head to the side, and stifled a smile. “Are you hungover?”
He glared at me, not answering. This ought to be a pleasant day. I wasn’t supposed to work on a Saturday. Rafe fed the animals, and tended to the other things I took care of in the week. I had only come in to pay a few bills before they were overdue.
“Got a call to say one of my fence lines is broken on the north side.” That growl was so low and deep, I toyed with the idea of poking the bear.
Instead, I nodded and went back to the papers in front of me. “Best you get out there then. Have fun.”
