Page 134 of Ironwood Ranch Cowboys

I listen.

“And,” she says, then laughs without humor, “apparently I’m also scared of my own terrible taste in men.”

That pulls me up short. “Now hold on.”

She glances at me, and there’s something so open and miserable and furious in her face I almost stop breathing.

“I mean it, Duke.” She shakes her head. “This is insane.”

I know what she means before she says it. I’ve known for a while now. I might be the fun one, but I’m not blind.

Still, hearing it out loud is stepping off a ledge and finding the ground rush up instead of down.

“I feel too much for all three of you,” she says, and there it is. “You. Cody. Silas. Which is ridiculous and messy and probably a sign I should be medicated.”

I stare at her.

She sees my face and groans softly. “Please don’t be nice about it.”

“I’m trying very hard not to grin like an idiot right now, actually.”

That startles a laugh out of her. “You’re impossible.”

“Maybe.” I step closer, not touching, just enough that she doesn’t have to throw her words across distance anymore. “Annie, honey, I’ve known something was happening.”

“With all of you?”

“With you and me? Absolutely. With Cody?” I tilt my head. “I’m not stupid. He looks at you like you’re a mathematical emergency.” Her mouth twitches. “And Silas…” I exhale. “Silas has been losing his mind by inches since you got here.”

That wins me a real laugh, quick and helpless.

Good.

“I hate you,” she says.

“No, you don’t.”

“No,” she admits. “I really, really don’t.”

That does something to me I probably should discuss with a professional.

I set the paper bag on a nearby bench and step fully into her space then, slowly enough to let her turn away if she wants to.

She doesn’t.

“Hey,” I say, softer now. “Messy doesn’t scare me.”

“It should.”

“Nah.

“Duke.”

I smile a little. “Annie, I grew up at Ironwood. My baseline for messy is unconstitutional.”

That gets another laugh.

Then her face folds again, not into crying this time but into that raw, honest look she gets when she’s too tired to perform being okay.