Gray crossed his arms, expression unmovable. “Half the ranch hands are off duty. They’ll still get paid, but today, they’re yours. And we’re not patching the roof. We’re reroofing it. Hank should be here soon with the materials.”
I swallowed hard, heat stinging my eyes. “I-I can’t?—”
“Listen,” Gray cut in. “Even if Matty didn’t strongly suggest this, I would have done it anyway. You’re a part of the Bristle M family, and we look out for our own. You’ve worked the ranch for the past two days to get things back up and running. Now we’re here to do the same for you. Are you going to turn down help from family?”
Before I could answer, more voices drifted down the lane. And not from the ranch hands. Sheriff Donald ambled up with a box of nails under one arm. Cameron from the flower shop arrived with a case of bottled water and a vase of sunflowers, saying the place needed cheering. Hank finally pulled up with his trailer, and Dolly Mae came bustling with foil pans and pies balanced like offerings.
“Double shot latte. You’re welcome.” Cole shoved a cup of hot coffee into my hand. I hadn’t even seen him arrive. Someone had set out a table, and people were lining up to grab a cup of coffee from his shop.
“Thanks,” I said, still in a daze as I stared at the growing crowd, neighbors, friends, townsfolk, all stepping into place like they’d rehearsed it. “I don’t know what to say.” My chest was tight, words trapped there.
“You don’t need to say nothing, honey.” Dolly Mae set a pie on the porch rail. “And eat something before you keel over.”
The lump in my throat burned. “Thank you. All of you.”
Gray squeezed my shoulder once, solid as bedrock, and gave me a wink. “This town takes care of its own, Hudson. Payment comes in the form of gossip. Luckily for you, the Magnuson men have been providing enough material to keep us in business for the rest of this year.”
Lawson barked a laugh as he hauled shingles off the truck. “Amen to that. Between Gray parading Ozzie around like a trophy husband and Matty and you at the outdoor movies last week pecking like lovebirds on a parade, we’ve had enough entertainment to last us through winter.”
“Well, well, how the tables have turned.” Cole slung an arm around Lawson’s neck, grinning wickedly. “Wasn’t all that long ago a certain somebody brought a stripper into town who, if I recall, tried to maul me the same day we met.”
Sheriff Donald nearly doubled over, wheezing. “Fastest damn arrest I ever made of a newcomer. Hell, I didn’t even have time to welcome him all proper to town before I had to cuff him.”
“By the way, I won the bet about you and Opie.” Cole smirked as he handed out coffee.
“What bet?” Lawson asked.
“There was a bet on how long it would take for you two to split,” Cameron said in that natural soft voice that was perfect for breaking bad news. “Everyone knew about it.”
I glanced away, not about to admit we all knew about the bet. I hadn’t joined in, not because I was noble, but because I didn’t have money to throw around. If I had, I’d have lost too.
Opie and Lawson couldn’t have looked more mismatched. Lawson, all grit and sweat, working himself raw to save his ranch. Opie, glittery and soft, like he’d never lifted anything heavier than a cocktail glass. He’d screamed sugar baby, and Lawson hadn’t had two pennies to pinch together. Not to mention Opie was just a more beautiful version of Lawson’s ex-husband, who’d ripped him off. Except Opie was different: kind, sweet, and funny. He’d shocked the town when he’d saved Lawson’s ranch from foreclosure. No one had seen that coming.
Dolly Mae slapped a dish towel against her hip. “Well, are y’all here to work or to gossip? And you men love to say it’s us women who keep the rumor mill spinning, but I swear you’re the ones feeding us half the stories. Gossip or not, though, we’ll never let one of ours drown under a leaky roof. Now get to work because if you don’t, not one of you will be tasting my peach cobbler.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The pounding of hammering took over, and chatter rolled around me like a hive in full swing. Gray barked instructions, Cameron arranged trays of sandwiches Dolly Mae had sent over, and Cole weaved through the crowd with another carafe of coffee. Sheriff Donald had his sleeves rolled up, nails clenched between his teeth while he lined shingles in neat stacks. Clayton and Lawson were side by side on the roof, arguing about whether the pattern ofthe shingles mattered when nobody but the birds would see it.
It was too much. Too good. Too… overwhelming.
I slipped inside the half-gutted cottage, phone in hand, and pressed Matty’s name. He picked up on the first ring.
“Hey, Hud, how’s it going?”
“What did you do?” My voice came out rougher than I’d meant. “The entire damn town is in my yard.”
On the other end, Matty chuckled softly. “Sorry I’m not there to see it. Sounds like Dad pulled it together.”
“Pulled it together?” I leaned against the wall, staring out at the swarm of people on my lawn. “You made this happen. Matty, I—God, I love you so much. I don’t even know how to thank you, but when you get back, I’ll show you.”
“Careful,” Matty said, teasing warmth in his tone. “You’re making me regret being here instead of with you.”
Shit. I forgot about the reason he was in Denver.
“Have you worked things out then?”
“They’re getting there.” A pause, but someone whispered in the background. “Actually, she wants to talk to you.”
