The main house smells like something incredible. Wade must be cooking, which means it'll actually be edible. Tucker's in the living room with Emma, helping her with what looks like homework. Mason's on the porch fixing something that probably doesn't need fixing, just to keep himself occupied. Normal ranch life, everyone settling into their evening routines.
And I'm about to disrupt all of it by bringing in a woman they think they know but actually don't.
"Hey," Wade says when I walk into the kitchen. He's at the stove, stirring something that smells like his famous chili. "You're early. Your friend settling in okay?"
"Yeah," I say, setting my laptop on the counter. "She's just resting. Long trip."
"Boone said you seemed stressed about her meeting everyone." Wade glances at me, his expression concerned. "We'll be nice, Rhett. Promise. Even Colt's agreed to be on his best behavior."
"That's what worries me," I mutter, and Wade laughs.
Sierra comes in from the back porch, her cheeks flushed from the cold. "Is she here? Your friend?"
"In the guest cottage. She'll come over for dinner."
"Good. I'm excited to meet her." Sierra starts pulling plates down from the cabinet. "Any woman who served in the military with this crew has got to have some great stories."
Stories. Right. The stories Claire doesn't have because she was never in the military because I'm a lying piece of shit.
"She's pretty private about that stuff," I say quickly. "Saw some rough things. Doesn't like to talk about it."
Wade and Sierra exchange a look, and I can see the understanding in their eyes. They think Claire has PTSD like Mason and me. They think she's dealing with trauma from combat, which isn't entirely wrong. She is dealing with trauma, just not from the military. From life. From losing everything.
But letting them believe the lie feels worse than I expected.
"We won't push," Wade says quietly. "We know how that goes."
The door swings open, and Colt barrels in, Harper right behind him. "Where's this mysterious lady friend?" Colt demands. "Boone said she's pretty."
"Boone said she exists," Harper corrects, smacking Colt's arm. "And that Rhett's nervous about us meeting her."
"I'm not nervous," I lie.
Everyone in the kitchen turns to look at me with identical expressions of disbelief.
"Okay, I'm a little nervous," I admit. "She's had a rough time lately. I don't want you guys to overwhelm her."
"We're delightful," Colt says. "How could we possibly overwhelm anyone?"
"You're a lot," Harper tells him. "You're aware of this, right?"
Tucker appears in the doorway with Emma on his hip. "Marley's on her way. Said she got held up at the clinic but she'll be here soon." His eyes land on me. "Your friend coming?"
"At six, yeah."
"Good. Emma's excited to meet her. Aren't you, sweetheart?"
Emma nods enthusiastically. "Does she like horses? Can I show her Butterscotch?"
"Maybe tomorrow," I say, my chest tight. Emma's so innocent, so trusting. She has no idea her Uncle Rhett is lying to everyone she loves.
The next thirty minutes pass in a blur of dinner preparation and small talk. Mason and Boone arrive, followed by Marley and Nicole. The kitchen fills with noise and warmth and the kind of easy affection that comes from people who've been family for years.
And I feel like an imposter.
At 5:58, I glance out the window toward Claire's cottage. Still no movement. Is she going to show up? Or has she changed her mind?
"Relax," Boone says quietly, appearing at my shoulder. "She'll be here."
