Page 42 of Chasing Home
“I wasn’t born yesterday, my girl.”
I have my smartass reply locked and loaded on my tongue, but she cuts me off with a laugh and a finger pointed in my direction. “Don’t even think about it.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything.”
“Well, in that case. I’ll tell you that Johnny won’t be back here for a couple of hours still. He’s out working with a herd. Probably will be for a while if I know him as well as I think I do.”
I wish I didn’t feel the instant disappointment at her words. It’s not like I needed the company today. I didn’t.
Fuck, I wanted it, though.
“Is he always this busy?” I ask before giving myself a mental kick in the ass for bothering. It shouldn’t matter. The busier, the better, right?
“He’s one of the hardest workers on the ranch. Has been from the moment he begged Wade to hire him. Sometimes people are born for this life.”
“And Johnny’s one of them?”
“Damn right he is. Nobody loved it here as much as he does. Well, no one other than my husband, that is.”
I nod, tucking my hair behind my ear when the breeze from the open window sends it blowing into my face. “Where is he right now?”
“Mm, I think he’s in the north pasture. A group of them are working on desensitizing the calves from the spring.”
“Right.”
“I could take you up there if you want,” she offers, her expression strained as she avoids grinning.
“I have work to do here still,” I say.
“Leave it for now. What better way to learn more about the ranch than to see it with your own eyes? To feel the grass beneath your feet and smell the fresh air?”
“Are you sure it’s fresh air I’ll be smelling?”
Her smile breaks through. “Would you still go if I told you otherwise?”
It’s alarming how easily my reply comes. “Maybe.”
“Come on, then, Rory. Let’s give you a proper introduction to Steele Ranch.”
14
AURORA
Eliza chats with me the entire drive from the house. Brody is one of her favourite subjects, and I nod and hum along with every little tidbit of information she drops about him. It’s obvious she loves him a lot. More than I think even he knows.
Wade too. I’m sure he’d grunt and scowl if he knew she told me about the time he got kicked in the ribs by a bull and was left with a crater in his chest or when they drove out to a cabin in the middle of winter and blew a tire only to not have a spare.
Every memory spilled from her lips is a reminder that all of these people I’ve met are a family. Regardless of someone’s last name, everyone in Cherry Peak is family. A chosen one.
“I’ve got a million stories about Johnny too, but I’m sure his mommas would like to be the ones to share them with you,” she drawls.
I roll my lips together, staring out my window at the endless green grass and wire fences. “Right, he mentioned he has two moms.”
“Yep. Boy was raised by two of the best women in this town. Smart as hell and sweet as honey pie.”
I shelve that important information away for later, curious enough to ask him about it. I’m sure he’d love to tell me all about his family if given the chance.
“I’ve never heard of honey pie. Are you sure you didn’t make that up?”