“Oh shit,” Jesse said, but he didn’t look shocked. If anything, he looked intrigued. “An arranged marriage? That’s some old-world shit right there.”
“Yeah, well, my family’s old-world in a lot of ways.”
“And you just went along with it?” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Married some guy you didn’t know because your family said so?”
I bristled at the judgment in his tone, even though it was the same thing I’d asked myself a hundred times. “It wasn’t like that. Not exactly.”
“Then what was it like?”
I looked over at Nick again. He was laughing at something Cole had said, his whole face lighting up in that way that made my heart race. God, when had I become this person? This sap who got all soft over his husband’s smile?
“It was a business arrangement that became something more,” I said quietly. “We’re figuring it out as we go.”
Jesse’s expression softened, and he sat back with a knowing nod. “Yeah, I get that. Cole and I... we didn’t exactly have a traditional start either, considering he’s my stepbrother.”
I nearly broke my neck with how quickly I turned to face him. But he just took a swig of his beer, unbothered.
“Sometimes the best relationships are the ones you don’t see coming,” he added.
I suddenly had about a billion different questions. But before I could ask even one, Cole’s voice cut through our conversation.
“Jesse, you interrogating the poor guy already?”
“What? I’m just being friendly,” Jesse protested, but there was a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Besides, somebody’s gotta get the good gossip. You’re too busy talking about hay yields or whatever boring shit you and Nick are going on about.”
“It’s not boring,” Nick said, but he was smiling. “It’s important.”
“It’s boring,” Jesse insisted. He turned back to me. “So, you ride?”
“Ride what?”
“I already know what you ride at home.” Jesse waggled his eyebrows as he glanced over at Nick. “Horses are what I meant,obviously. What else would I be talking about?”
“I’m okay at it,” I admitted. “Haven’t ridden in a bit though thanks to the broken ribs. Angelo and Nick have been taking care of everything in my place.”
“Angelo?” Jesse’s eyebrows shot up. “Who’s Angelo?”
“One of my guys from back home. He came out here to help with the ranch.”
“One of your guys,” Jesse repeated slowly, and I realized too late how that sounded. “What, like a bodyguard or something?”
I felt Nick tense from across the room, and I knew I’d stepped in it. This was exactly the kind of thing I wasn’t supposed to talk about. Nobody needed to know about the mob connections, the business back in Jersey, and all therealreasons why I was here.
“Just a friend,” I said quickly. “He wanted a change of scenery. A fresh start.”
Jesse looked like he didn’t quite believe me, but mercifully he let it drop. “Well, if you want to get more practice in, let us know. I’ll never turn down a riding partner. Ryder and Connor are too busy being love birds to go out with me anymore.”
“Ryder and Connor?”
“Oh yeah,” Jesse nodded. “They live out in a little cabin on the ranch. Ryder was disowned by his dad and likes to be tied up. Connor is an ex-convict, and he’s apparently good at tying knots.”
My eyes widened as I tried to process all that sudden deluge of information.
I shot a look at Nick, who had gone completely still, his beer bottle halfway to his lips. Cole just sighed and shook his head like this was a normal Tuesday conversation.
“Jesus Christ, Jesse,” Cole muttered. “You can’t just?—”
“What?” Jesse said innocently. “I’m just being honest. They’re gonna meet them eventually, anyway. Might as well know what they’re getting into.”
