“Mind if I shoot my shot?”
My fist tightens around my glass. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave her the fuck alone.”
“You know I’ve never been one to follow the rules. If you’re not interested, I sure as shit am.” He throws back the rest of his beer and stands. “Wish me luck.”
Tyler strides toward the table with that cocky confidence he wears as armor. If I know Angelina, she’s about to chew him up and spit him out. I’d love to watch the show, but I’m already too invested.
I toss some cash onto the bar and head out into the night. I’ve been holding onto a connection that, by all accounts, should’ve fizzled out a long time ago. There’s no reset button for us. I have to let her go.
Present Day
It takes all of my willpower to walk away from Angie after one drink, but I can tell she needs space. The past two days have been intense, to say the least, and I don’t want to come on too strong.
I make it home in time to see Jaxon locking up the barn for the night. I roll down my passenger window and wave.
He strides over, pulling off his gloves one finger at a time, revealing new ink on the tops of his hands, adding to the tapestry of tattoos that already covers most of his upper body.
He sweeps his hand through his dark blond curls and leans his elbows against the door frame. “Where’s the wife?”
“Home.”
“How’d you do it? You bury Tyler in a shallow grave in the desert first?” His green eyes, which are identical to our mama’s, crinkle with amusement.
I huff out a breath through my nose. “Didn’t have to. He was long gone by the time I got there.”
“You’re shitting me. He ditched her on her wedding day?”
I jerk my head to the side. “Get in. It’s a long story.”
He slides into the passenger seat and tosses his gloves ontothe dash. “Head to Wilder’s place. That way, you only have to tell the story once.”
The sun is setting below the distant horizon as I relax back in one of the Adirondack chairs in Wilder’s backyard. It’s too warm to light the fire pit this time of year, but it’s still our favorite place to hang out.
Wilder is my oldest brother. He and his wife, Olivia, live in our childhood home—the house that holds all of our fondest memories. Pops had Mama’s dream house built closer to the big barn once all of their chicks had flown the coop, so when Wilder returned from Colorado to raise Emmy, he took over this place.
It just so happened he didn’t come back to Oak Ridge alone. Along the way, he met Olivia, and they had Gracie. Their happily ever after didn’t come easily, but they are the picture-perfect family.
The nearby treehouse is still in disrepair, and I keep meaning to do some work on it for our nieces. Emmy and Gracie are the light of our lives. Some might even call them spoiled, but that’s the way it should be, in my opinion. They’re only little once.
Olivia’s perched on Wilder’s lap as he brings a bottle of beer to his lips, while Jaxon sits between Callie’s legs and she plays with his hair. I can’t help but feel jealous at the sight.
Jaxon’s a few years younger than me, but we’ve always been thick as thieves. Nearly fifteen years ago, he watched his best friend die in his arms on this very ranch. For a time, his grief seemed insurmountable—that is, until he met Callie.
She’s the newest addition to the Hayes family. We knewfrom the moment Jaxon brought her home she’d be staying for good. They met at the library one town over, but I’ve always suspected there was a lot more to the story.
That leaves our baby sister, Ruby—the Country Music Darling herself. She spends part of her time here in Oak Ridge with her husband, Liam, and his son, Aiden. The rest of the time, she’s either touring the world or recording in Nashville. She’s always been the heart of this family. That didn’t change when she left to chase her dreams.
Right now, she’s off promoting her new single, but she’s due home in a few days. She’s going to be pissed she missed this, but I have no doubt the women will video call her later, with boxed wine on hand, to give her all the salacious details.
Our family has grown a lot in the last few years, but while my brothers were falling in love and having babies, I kept my focus on work. Sure, I dated here and there, but nobody ever compared to the woman who branded herself on my heart five years ago.
So, while I’ve been watching Angie give everything to my best friend, I poured everything I had into building a sanctuary for mistreated and injured horses. We’re still a long way away from the official opening, but it’s already the biggest accomplishment of my life. I just wish I had someone to share it with.
“So, she proposed?” Jaxon says. “Just like that?”
“Just like that,” I echo back.
“And you said yes?” Callie asks incredulously.
