“I didn’t avoid her.” Lincoln’s voice goes just a bit too sharp. “I was working.”
“Yeah,” Jasper replies dryly, “working real hard to avoid her.”
The tips of Linc’s ears go red, so I soften my tone. “You don’t have to be weird about her, Linc. She’s just a girl.”
“She’s not ‘just a girl,’” he mutters before scrubbing a hand over his face. “What I mean is… she’s a guest. And I didn’t want to—I don’t want to—I don’t know. Make her uncomfortable.”
Jasper raises a brow. “By doing what? Existing?”
Lawson sighs. “Alright, alright. Let him be. He’s gotta figure this one out on his own just like the rest of us.
The four of us fall quiet again, each of us taking long pulls from our beers. The room is silent for a moment, only the sound of crickets getting louder outside as night rolls in echos inside the house. Then, Lawson clears his throat. “We should talk about the other thing.”
Jasper’s jaw tightens, and Lincoln sets his bottle down, shoulders dropping. “You mean Hearthland Development and their vulture of a CEO.”
“Miles Keller,” Lawson replies, voice low. “Fuckin’ asshole hasn’t let up.”
I swallow hard. “He’s gettin’ bolder. And if he really did hire the Coates brothers to fuck with our cattle—”
“Those two idiots have been lookin’ for a reason to crawl outta whatever ditch they call a sorry excuse for a farm,” Jasper interrupts, bitterness coating his words. “If Keller’s payin’ ‘em, they’ll do whatever he wants. Like, be dumb enough to fuck with our herd.”
Lincoln drums his fingers against the table. “The injured heifers are just the start.”
“I know,” Law agrees. “And if they’re willin’ to hurt the cattle, we don’t know what else they’d pull.”
Jas shifts forward, unusually serious. “Which brings us back to Abigail.”
My stomach tightens. “She’s staying in that house. Alone.”
Lincoln inhales a shaky breath. And for someone who hasn’t even attempted to meet her, he looks rather worried.
“She’s on our ranch,” Lawson says. Voice dropping into that quiet steel that only comes out when he’s genuinely worried for someone he cares about. “That means she’s our responsibility.”
I nod in agreement. “We should take shifts. Make sure—”
A delicate knock rattles through the house, and we all freeze.
Jasper’s boots hit the floor.
Lincoln pushes back from the table.
Lawson’s already standing.
She’s here.
Out of the corner of my eye, I watch as Lincoln stands and takes a step toward the direction of his room. Lawson spins and points a finger at his younger brother. “Don’t you dare. You don’thave to know how to handle her yet, but you will be cordial about it. Got it?”
Lincoln’s nostrils flare, but he nods, and Lawson heads back toward the front door. Making my way over to him, I clap Linc on the shoulder. “Ease up, bud. She won’t bite. At least I don’t think.”
Before he can respond, Jasper mumbles, “Hmmm, that sounds like fun.”
A low rumble resembling laughter slips out of Lawson, but he schools his expression as he reaches for the doorknob. His shoulders rise, but never fall, and I swear it feels like the whole damn house is holding its breath with him.
Finally, he pulls the door open to find Abigail standing there in the soft porch light, freshly showered, hair still damp and loose over her shoulders, cheeks pink from the cool night air. She’s changed into a simple sweater and jeans, nothing fancy, but somehow looks like she belongs in the doorway of this ranch house more than any of us ever have.
Lawson’s smile is warm as he greets her. “You look—” He fumbles over his words for a moment, and I look over to find Jasper’s expression matching mine, lips curled in trying not to laugh. “Feel better?” he finally spits out.
“Much. I haven’t had a shower that refreshing in I don’t even know how long,” she replies as the pink on her cheeks deepens.
