Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
I might still be just a little drunk.
“We have to talk about it,” Charlie begins, and I close my eyes. “If you say don’t wanna, I’ll punch you in the face. You’re too hungover to fight me off.”
“You didn’t used to be this violent. I raised you better than that.”
“And you didn’t used to be this drunk. God, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this wasted.”
Because I don’t usually drink more than two beers at any given time. My dad was a filthy drunk, and I won’t go down that road.
But I needed it last night. And I don’t regret it.
Wait.
An image of Millie, her eyes full of hurt and anger, flashes through my mind, and I clench my jaw, hating myself as my stomach twists into freaking knots.
I guess I have one regret.
“Holden, we have to talk about the terms of the will.”
“It just is what it is, Charlie. I’ll figure it out and make sure you four get the money that’s coming to you. We all know that the ranch should be split five ways.”
“No, it shouldn’t.”
Her eyes soften when I glare at her.
“Holden, the four of us have moved out of there. We don’t work the ranch, and none of us really has a desire to. You do. Hell, you’ve done more out there than Dad ever did for years. You hire the guys, and you keep the cattle healthy. You are the ranch. The only reason it’s worth a dime is because you didn’t let Dad ruin it.”
Because I didn’t want to see it fail. I didn’t want to watch a hundred-year-old legacy go into the shitter.
“Doesn’t matter. It should be split five ways, and Dad was a prick for what he did to you four.”
“Dad was just a prick. Full stop.” She shrugs a shoulder and pops a bite of pancake into her mouth. “Do you really have to get married? That feels so…dramatic.”
And at that thought, I push away my plate, no longer hungry.
“If I want to keep the ranch and make sure you’re all taken care of? Yeah. I do.”
She sighs and pushes her fingers through her blonde hair. “Holden, it’s not that we don’t all want to see you settle down with someone awesome and have a million babies. We totally do. But there is no way that we want you to marry some random girl just for the inheritance.”
“She’s not random.” The words slip out before I can keep my mouth shut, and Charlie’s eyes widen.
“Who the hell is she, then? I didn’t know that you were dating anyone.”
I shake my head and stand up from the table. I can’t tell my sister my plan. It wouldn’t make any sense to her. Hell, it barely makes sense to me.
And the woman in question very well might tell me to go fuck myself.
In fact, that’s likely how this will go, so there’s no use in getting anyone’s panties in a twist.
“I have a plan, okay? You just have to trust me.” And I might as well get this plan underway, since I’m still a tiny bit buzzed, and if ever there was a time to do it, it’s now.
Before I lose all the liquid courage I worked so hard for last night.
“I hate being out of the loop.” Charlie lets out a forlorn sigh. “So, tell me everything as soon as you can.”
“I can do that.” I kiss her on the head as I pass by, heading toward the front door. “Thanks for letting me crash here last night.”
“I didn’t even know you were here,” she reminds me. “I woke up to you passed out on my couch.”
“Thanks anyway.” I toss her a smile and then leave, headed for Bitterroot Valley Coffee Co. to try to have a conversation with the most beautiful woman in the world.
She’ll probably kick me out on my ass after what happened last night. How was I supposed to know that she was waiting around to give me a ride home? Millie avoids me like the plague. As Dad got older and sicker, I got braver, flirting with her and bringing her flowers when she bought the coffee shop. Little things.
And every once in a while, she’d drop her guard enough to laugh or smile.
But then those walls would slam back into place, and I’d be iced out again.
Then I go and fuck up a kind gesture from her because I was drunk and horny and way more clever in my head than what came out of my mouth.
Fuck.
When I pass by my truck, still parked outside of The Wolf Den, I toss my bag into the back seat and then keep going on foot to the coffee shop.
But when I get there, there’s a sign on the door.
Dear Customers:
So sorry, we are closed today. We will be back tomorrow!