Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
She blows out a breath and leans on the counter. “Ryan, Polly is like a sister to me. I can’t betray her confidence.”
“I’m not asking you to. I just want to know that she’s okay.”
“She is. I will say that she was a little overwhelmed on that first morning, and she was tired from the jet lag, and she wanted to talk. She didn’t say anything bad.”
That, at least, sets my mind at ease.
“Just give her a few days to catch her breath.”
I nod, and then Remington walks into the kitchen, and Summer frowns.
“Okay, I’m not going to lie. You two and all of your shit make me uncomfortable, so Remington can help with the dishes.”
She wipes her hands on a towel, and then she’s gone.
“Way to scare the women,” I say and return to rinsing dishes. “Did you come in here to tell me that I never should have adopted him? That he’d be better off without me?”
“Jesus.” Rem blows out a breath and shuts the dishwasher, paces away and back again. “I didn’t mean any of that.”
“That’s what it sounded like.”
“I shouldn’t have said it, okay? Jake is great, and we all love him.”
“I know.” I turn to look at him now. “I know you do. You treat him as if he’s been here since he was born, and I’m grateful. He loves being part of this family. He asked if he could change his last name to ours.”
That makes Rem pause. He blinks and shoves his hands into his pockets.
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“No! Fuck no. He should have our name because he is ours. Jesus, Ry.”
“What? Why wouldn’t I assume that you’d think that? You can’t stand me, and we both know it.”
“No, I—”
“So, I won’t come to dinners anymore. I’ll send Jake and make up excuses about work.”
“No. Damn it—”
“I love you.” I turn to him, and now it’s time for me to shove my hands into my pockets because I don’t know what else to do with them. “You’ve always been my best friend, until…well, until. I didn’t know what to do, and I didn’t feel like I had a choice.”
“You did—”
“I know that now. But six years ago? I didn’t. I’m sorry. I hate that one decision lost me my big brother. But I can’t have you resenting my kid for it. One of these days, you’ll slip and say something in front of him, and he already carries enough baggage from a past that he didn’t ask for. I won’t ever have you making him feel insecure about this family, Rem. So, I’ll stay away because that’s what makes you the most comfortable.”
“For fuck’s sake.”
“Looks like you’re doing the dishes by yourself.”
I walk out of the kitchen and smile at Jake, who looks my way. I see that Chase, Summer, and Brady have already left, so it won’t be weird when I suggest to Jake that we follow suit.
“You ready, buddy?”
“Sure. I have homework. Which is stupid.”
“I hate homework, too,” Johnny says with a knowing nod. That boy has started idolizing Jake, and I think that’s pretty damn cute.
“Everything okay?” Jake asks when we’re in the truck and headed back to the ranch.
“Sure, why wouldn’t it be?”
“It seemed kind of tense when we came in for dessert.”
I shake my head and silently curse my brother. “Nah, it’s all good. Thanks for humoring the little ones.”
“They’re okay,” he says. “Hey, are you sure it’s okay that you have to take on the afternoon chores now that I’m doing football? I could quit and go back to handling it.”
“Are you implying that I’m not as good as you at taking care of my own horses?”
I glance over in time to see him grin. “Yeah. Because I am better than you, old man. But for real, you’re busy.”
“So are you, kid. It’s fine. Besides, football will be over before we know it, so I say you just have fun. I like doing the afternoon chores.”
“You do?”
“Sure. It gets me out of my office and into the barn, and just like you, the horses are my therapy, so it’s all good.”
“Does that mean we don’t have to go to real therapy?” There’s hope in his voice, but I shake my head.
“No way. We’re going next week.”
“Well, damn.”
“Hey, baby girl,” I croon to Lullaby and lean in to kiss her nose. I wasn’t lying to Jake. I do love being out with the horses. I have since I was a kid. My dad and Rem always called me the horse whisperer.
So, I take my time mucking out their stalls, filling their water troughs and feed bags, and then because I’m not ready to go inside, I take a turn with each of the horses, brushing them down and checking them over to make sure there aren’t any injuries or insects causing trouble.