Charli is in the round pen with a rider atop a beautiful black stallion. Workers in hard hats and yellow vests are still buzzing around the construction zone by the new rodeo arena. Voices drift from the direction of Matty’s office in the barn.
I make my way toward the sound and push open the barn door.
Dust floats through golden beams of sunlight peeking through the loft windows. Somewhere, a horse stomps in its stall, and Cabe and one of the ranch hands laugh about something as I pass by the tack room.
I head down the aisle toward the office, my footsteps echoing against the concrete.
The office door is open.
Matty sits behind her desk, papers scattered everywhere, as usual. Shelby is in one of the chairs across from her, rocking slightly, and my heart nearly bursts when I see the tuft of dark hair cradled in the crook of her arm.
“AJ!”
My messenger bag slides off my shoulder and hits the floor with a dull thud as I thrust my hands out.
“Give him to me.”
Shelby jerks back. “Hey!” she protests, curling protectively around the baby. “Not a chance. I just got him.”
I scowl at her. “You’ve had him all day.”
“I have not.”
“You have too.”
She tightens her hold on him like a dog guarding its favorite bone. “No. I’ve been busy training all day. My last client left about ten minutes ago.”
“I’ll give him right back,” I say.
“That’s a lie.”
AJ blinks up at me with wide gray-blue eyes and immediately kicks his legs like he recognizes my voice.
I lean closer, making grabby hands. “See? He wants me.”
Shelby angles her shoulder away. “Nope.”
I frown. “You’re the worst sister ever.”
“But I’m the best auntie,” she sings cheerfully.
Matty watches the two of us with tired amusement from behind her desk.
“Hello? What am I, chopped liver?” she says.
I drop into the chair across from her with a dramatic huff. “Hey, sissy.”
My gaze flicks right back to the baby.
Shelby rocks him smugly.
“So,” I say, crossing my arms, “how was your first day back at the ranch?”
Matty leans back in her chair and rubs a hand down her face. “Half day.”
Shelby snorts. “More like a quarter day.”
Matty shoots her a look. “It still counts.”
