Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Christ, all the food was delicious, but I was full and exhausted from all the people and conversations, so when Kerry motioned to leave a couple of hours later, I was ready.
I said my goodbyes and walked toward the truck with Kerry, who seemed eager to leave, and I could imagine why. He signaled to Sienna, and she walked over to the pasture to corral Ainsley, who looked to be playing tag or some other game where the kids chased each other. She looked tired and happy, which I imagined as a parent who’d been through the worst with her was heartening to see.
When a shiny, red pickup pulled into the driveway, I felt Kerry momentarily stiffen. A guy with blond hair that curled beneath his cowboy hat stepped out, and it struck me right then that I was the only guy not wearing one. There were times I still donned my favorite camouflage cap—or cover, as we called it in the service—because it was habit and nicely broken in, but it certainly separated me from these cowboys. Unless I was mistaken, the idea was to keep the sun from scorching their heads while rounding up cattle, but right then it was like a scene from some gay cowboy porn. I’d have to remember that revelation for the next time I spoke to Caitlin.
Sienna approached the man’s car, a blush crawling across her cheeks as they grinned at each other and talked near his vehicle.
I couldn’t help asking, “Who is that?”
“The guy Sienna should’ve married instead of me,” Kerry said under his breath.
“Huh?” I wanted to make sure I heard him right, but I had the feeling he didn’t expect me to grasp his meaning because he shook his head and mumbled, “Never mind.”
I stood there awkwardly, watching them…flirt—flirt would definitely be the word—until Kerry cleared his throat. “That’s, uh, Brad McGuire. Went to school with us and works for my father.”
“Ah, so old friends,” I said, trying to make eye contact, but he wasn’t going for it.
Instead, he glanced behind us to watch his daughter as he said, “Somethin’ like that.”
Sienna bounded toward me to make a quick introduction.
“Nice to meet you,” Brad said to me, then looked at the man standing stoically beside me. “Kerry.”
Okay, what was I missing here?
“Gonna stay for a while longer,” Sienna said, clearing her throat. “So Ainsley can play with her cousins a bit?”
“No worries,” Kerry said, making his way to the driver’s side door. “I can pick you up later.”
“Brad will drive us home,” she said, then glanced at me. “You’re welcome to stay.”
I felt torn. Not because I wanted to stay, because I absolutely didn’t. But because I increasingly felt like Kerry was the odd man out in this whole family-dinner scenario, and I wanted to show him he wasn’t alone.
“I’m gonna head back if that’s okay.” I walked to the passenger side door. “I promised my mom a phone call.”
It was quiet as we drove from the ranch to the farm, and I wanted to ask so many things, but I was getting a certain energy from Kerry that told me to hold back. Like he was shuttering himself away in a neat, compact box, and I wondered when he’d gotten so good at it; if it was due to recent events or something he’d perfected over the years.
Once we were out of the truck, the pigs bounded toward us, covered in dirt, so they obviously found something to roll in.
“C’mon, let’s get you cleaned up, then somethin’ to eat.”
“Kerry,” I said in a weak voice, grasping for something to say as he walked toward the barn and likely a hose. But then I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. Damn it. Mom was calling. I considered telling her I needed a few minutes, then thought better of it.
Maybe I’d give Kerry time to cool off, or think, or whatever the hell he needed, and then I’d see if he wanted to crack open a beer on the porch and shoot the breeze.
“Hey, Mom,” I said, walking down the hall to my room. “Just getting home from the Carmichael Ranch, where I was invited to dinner.”
“Interesting. How was that?”
“Well, let’s see…” I kicked out of my shoes and briefly watched out the window as Kerry corralled the pigs and a couple of goats who had followed him out of the barn. He didn’t seem to mind, rubbing under their chins and saying stuff to them I couldn’t make out. Animals were apparently a therapy all their own. “The Carmichaels certainly love their grandkids and dote on them.”
As I lay back on my bed, I realized how freaking tired I was. And tomorrow was another week of work. Was it strange to admit I was looking forward to it? Of course I did. The pace didn’t give me much time to think, just the way I liked it.