Everything I’ve said is bad enough, but I have to make things worse. “Amber doesn’t appreciate you, Rhett. She always complains about how much you work and that you smell likecow shit. That you’re too busy to take her on dates and that she wishes you’d get a life. But to your face, she’s all smiles.” It’s so much like Irma and how fake she is, it’s a small wonder they’re not related.
If looks could kill, the one in Rhett’s eyes would pulverize me. “How do you know she said those things?”
I swallow. There’s no way I can tell him Baylee overheard Amber while working in her mom’s salon. “This is a small town. People talk.”
Danny winces. “Paige, you’re embarrassing yourself.”
I swipe at the tears that tumble down my face as I promise myself to never confront someone like this again. What was I thinking? “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m just a kid. What the fuck do I know?” I get up so fast my chair clatters to the ground, and I race to my room and slam the door.
Before my brother can find me to talk, I sneak out the window and sprint into the forest behind our house. If I could run away right now, to another city or state or planet, I would, but I have nowhere to go.
But one thing is sure. I’m going to have to avoid Rhett Walker and his new wife for the rest of my life.
1
RHETT
SEVEN YEARS LATER
Clean cuts.I give my younger brother Beau a look. “A cow didn’t do this.”
He tosses me my gloves. “Who do you think did?”
As we run new razor wire between the fence posts to patch what someone obviously cut, I start to wonder if I’m in over my head. These days, it seems I’m drowning at every turn. We spent half the night chasing down cattle. “What are the odds it was those high school kids who got in trouble for tagging the grocery store?”
“Slim to none.”
I was afraid he was gonna say that. “I’d hate to think it was Frank.”
“He’s pissed about the rent increase.”
With the back of my arm, I wipe the sweat from my brow. “Dad gave the Fletchers that cottage for a steal. It’s been ten years. We’d be fools to not increase the rent.” Our father Augustus was an asshole, but if you drank or played poker with him, he’d do dumb shit like let you rent our cabin for a song. It makes me wonder if good ol’ Gus gambled away the money he got from the second mortgage.
“I agree.”
“And if he moves out, that’s even better because then you could have the cabin.” Beau’s been living in a camper on our property, but he works his ass off on the ranch and at the firehouse. He deserves a place of his own. “I’ve never known Frank to be an asshole like this.” Which leaves one other suspect. “What about the McAllisters?”
Beau’s quiet a stretch. “Cash has a bone to pick with you, so I’d say he’s a good bet.”
That asshole. I grind my teeth as I think about the last time we got into it.
Once Beau and I finish inspecting the rest of the fence, we head back to the house. He lifts his chin. “Look on the bright side. At least we caught all of the cattle.”
“This time. We were lucky.”
After I wash up, I grab a loaf of bread and sandwich fixings, throw that on the table, and sit just as our younger brother Jace waltzes through the front door.
“Nice of you to join us,” I grunt.
He flips the chair backwards and joins us. “Sorry I’m late. The traffic from Austin was a bitch.”
“How’d your show go last night?” I ask as I toss him the bread. My brother’s the lead singer for a band. Even though I need his help on the ranch, part of me hopes he’ll hit it big and be able to contribute more financially. Plus, he’s really fucking talented.
I remember what it was like to think I could do something other than herd cattle and shovel horse shit all day. If my brother can make a living doing something else, more power to him.
Jace slaps some ham on his bread. “Great. I slept with three groupies last night.” I roll my eyes, and Jace chuckles. “Kidding. I only slept with two. But some A&R guys asked for our demo.”
“Good luck. Hope something comes out of it.” I don’t mention how much gas his van guzzles when he drives it all over the state for those gigs.
