Page 28 of No Rules
“It’s real, I swear. I’ve experienced it myself, and it left an impression on me. And then there’s ohana.”
“Which means…?”
Alex hesitated as if he was uncertain Ryan was truly interested. “It’s what we would call found family. The idea is that you draw those close to you into your circle of found family, your ohana circle. It means caring for each other, being there when someone needs you. Looking out for each other.”
Ryan let that sink in. “I’d have a hard time embracing that. No one is that nice without wanting something in return.”
“Believe what you want, but I know it’s real. When you live like that, you’re never alone. And just so you know, you’re part of my ohana.”
The words struck Ryan like a bolt of lightning, thrilling and terrifying him all at once. “Why?”
“Because you and the others on the team, we’re like a family now. We live together, do stuff together, work together. That’s a stronger bond than most people have with their friends. Plus, I care about you…all. Everyone on the team, I mean.”
Ryan’s chest tightened, and the urge to flee from the room, to put as much distance between himself and Alex as possible, grew strong. What was that kid doing to him? “Enough of that,” he said gruffly. “You’re gonna make me all soft.”
“Wouldn’t want that, would we?” Alex teased, but he was sporting a knowing smile.
“Fuck, no. You know I don’t do all that mushy shit.”
“Yup, you’ve made that abundantly clear.”
Alex had agreed with him, so why did it feel like he was mocking him? Ryan didn’t care for that sensation at all. He rose from the chair. “I’ll leave you be so you can continue playing. It was…nice. I liked it.”
“Thank you.”
For a moment, Ryan stood in front of Alex, too many emotions fighting with each other. He had no idea which would win.
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Enjoy your day.”
Only when he was back in his room did he realize he’d completely forgotten about wanting to have sex with Alex. Funnily enough, he wasn’t even horny anymore.
9
The gravel crunched under the tires of Ryan’s truck as they pulled into the sweeping driveway of Caroline Fletcher’s horse farm, surrounded by rolling hills dotted with grazing horses and pristine white fencing. Alex took it all in, impressed. The well-kept stables stood proudly among the lush green pastures, their red roofs contrasting against the clear blue sky, and the scent of fresh hay and horses permeated the air. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the trees, creating a picturesque scene that seemed almost too perfect to be real.
“Quite the place she’s got here,” Ryan said, parking the truck near the main house.
“Yeah, but like Marilyn’s, it looks well-kept,” Alex commented.
As they stepped out of the vehicle, an attractive woman in her fifties with short dark hair appeared on the porch, her posture stiff and her expression cool. She appraised them with piercing blue eyes.
“Ryan Mason, I presume?” she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of disdain. “And you must be Alex?”
“Guilty as charged,” Ryan replied. “And you’re Caroline Fletcher?”
“Yes. Now, I understand you two are here to discuss Marilyn Vandervliet and the horrific death of Sam’s Promise?”
“Marilyn has hired us to find out what happened, yes. We appreciate you taking the time to talk with us, Ms. Fletcher.”
“Please call me Caroline. Anything to help get to the bottom of this mess.” Caroline crossed her arms over her chest. “I never liked Marilyn, but that doesn’t mean I’d want anything bad to happen to her horses, and that accident, if we can even call it that, was about as bad as it gets.”
“Understood,” Ryan said. “We’re trying to gather information from everyone involved. We don’t want to leave any stone unturned.”
Caroline nodded, her gaze flicking between Ryan and Alex. “Well, let’s get on with it then. I don’t have all day. Let me give you a tour while we’re at it, if only to show you I have nothing to hide.”
As they followed her, Alex took in the immaculate grounds and the obvious care that went into maintaining the property. It was evident Caroline had a deep love for her horses, which made him all the more curious about why she hated Marilyn so much. Was it professional rivalry, or was there something more personal at stake? And could that be enough to drive someone to murder a horse that cruelly?
“Beautiful place you have here,” he remarked after she’d shown them some of the stables.