Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40566 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
“What doesn’t have me deep in thought should be the question.” Last night still has my head spinning. I came home, did a shit ton of research online only to find absolutely nothing. Apparently, the state of Wyoming doesn’t keep any records for the public. No amount of digging produced dick. I hit a paywall, and I’m not fool enough to get suckered into that shit. That left me with two options: talk to Sutton or ask Fletch, my brother Lawson’s best friend, to do some digging. It’d make perfect sense to talk to the woman who’s got me wrapped up in knots, but there’s no way with my schedule today that I can head into town more than two times. Yesterday, my brothers helped pick up my slack. Today, Mom is going to help drop and pick up Case. Which means I’m on a horse and working the ranch. After I make a phone call.
“Must be Sutton Rawlins.” Leave it to Dad to hit the nail on the head.
“How’d you figure it out?” I ask the obvious question.
“I didn’t, but the way your eyes lit up when I said her name did.” Dad lets out a chuckle. He and Mom both, they can read us from a mile away, and I walked right into that trap, all too easily.
“Yeah.” I run my hand down my face. Coffee isn’t going to be enough to get me through the day. My damn eyes are tired from staring at the computer half the night. I’m not exactly sure how my brother stares at numbers and works in the office as much as he does. “Shit, I haven’t felt this exhausted since Case went through a sleep regression years ago.”
“Watch your mouth, Ryland Thomas Johnson,” Mom states from the kitchen. She’s hell bent on no one cussing in her house. The only way she can’t control our mouths is when we’re out on the land. It pisses her off like no other, but it’s an unsaid boundary even she won’t cross.
“Yes, ma’am,” I mutter under my breath.
“You’ll figure it out. She’s a good girl. Been through too damn much for her age. Hopefully, she’ll come out on top swinging.” Dad takes a sip of his coffee, and I do the same. I don’t want Lawson to have to wait on me if he doesn’t have to.
“Sutton and Ryland would be perfect together. She loves Case, is half in love with Ryland, and I can see the stars in our boy’s eyes whenever he’s around her.” I clear my throat, trying not to choke on the way Mom inserted herself into our conversation. Though, I probably should have taken this outside if I didn’t want her to hear.
“And on that note, I’m going to head out. Love you, Mom, thanks for breakfast and being on Case duty today.” I stand up, grab my plate, utensils, and cup. Mom cooks, we clean, and by clean, I mean we rinse our dishes off and put them in the dishwasher.
“Love you, too, and you never have to thank me for helping out with my grandbabies.” They’ve doubled, and some of the women are pregnant, so there’ll be more babies soon. She’s in the thick of being a grandma and loving every minute.
“Dad, I’ll see you later.” He nods his response. I drop a kiss on Mom’s cheek, then go about doing what I need to before heading out to Lawson. The clank of dishes carries and conversations echo through the area. I’d usually stick around and shoot the shit; not this morning, though. I head for the back door, walk down the steps, and make my way toward Lawson. Maeve is driving down the road, her taillights about the only thing visible with how bright the sun is shining.
“What can I do for you, Ry?” Lawson keeps his eyes on Maeve’s car but gives me his attention.
“I’ll make this short and sweet. You mind me callin’ Fletch? Can’t find something I’m lookin’ for, and knowin’ him, I’ll have the information in less than five minutes.” Fletcher Wild has been a friend of the family for years. He and Lawson are the tightest, but he’s willing to help out when we brothers need a thing or two.
“You got his number?” is all Lawson says, looking my way after Maeve is long gone.
“Nope.” I wouldn’t be standing here twiddling my damn thumbs. I’d have called him at first light, had my answers, and been on my merry way.
“Alright, you ready?” I pull my phone out and type in Fletch’s number as he rattles it off before saving it to my contact list.
“Thanks.”
“Anything you need, I’m here. Safe to assume this has something to do with a certain waitress at Down Home?” Everyone seems to know I’ve been staying away from Sutton, for good reason, too.