Page 72 of Rancher's Heart

“We need to set up more security around that pasture,” I said as I sighed heavily.

“You need to rest.” Kipp said as he moved to my side.

“I need to fucking get back to normal.” Pushing him away from me made my ribs ache and the room spin, but I grabbed onto the mantle of the fireplace and let the world stop. “I missed this sale, and I missed all this happening because I wouldn’t ask for help. We wouldn’t be in this situation if I’d just given those fucking Hays brothers what they wanted, so I’m sorry if you don’t like me getting angry, but I need to feel something.”

“We all missed it, brother,” Ryder said as he came to stand in front of me. “What they were asking wasn’t reasonable.”

“It’s not like we’re short on money, Ryder. We could have paid it and never even noticed a dip in the bank accounts.” I was snarky, and I didn’t actually care. Everything could have been solved if I had just given them what they were asking. I wouldn’t be laid up, Elle wouldn’t have been harassed, and Parker would have been safe and not having nightmares. This all fell back to me.

“What if there’s another way to protect the ranch?” Nash said from the corner he was standing in.

“Then I’m all ears.”

“You can be all ears sitting your ass on that bed.” Elle’s angry voice said from the doorway. “You’re whiter than snow Griff. Sit down, or this meeting’s over.”

“I thought you went to work,” I grumbled, as I turning back toward the bed.

“Jake sent me home. He closed early.”

“The fucker better not be going to see my sister,” Kipp said as he glared out the window.

“No, she’s going to see him.” Elle grinned, her voice strained, trying to suppress her laughter.

“Fuck my life.” He grumbled under his breath. Kipp’s sister Tayla had returned home a few weeks ago. From what I gathered from Elle, she and Jake had something of a past, but it had been over for years. But when he found her stranded on the side of the road, they managed to exchange numbers, and with Jake being a single dad to two barrel racing-addicted girls, it had only made sense that he and Tayla gravitated toward one another again.

She hadn’t gotten into what pulled her off the rodeo circuit, but Elle was sure they’d get it out of her sooner rather than later.

“Okay, back to Nash’s plan, even though I quite enjoy making the big guy squirm.” I said as I took the painkillers Elle handed to me. “Thanks, babe.”

“I’ll leave you to your plans. Just don’t kill anyone again, please.” Elle stared at me and arched her brow.

“You told her about Billy?” Ryder asked while glaring at me.

“It was kind of obvious, don’t you think?” I rolled my eyes. Ryder had always been secretive about what we did and the fact the wives all knew made him antsy. Even his ex never knew what he did.

“You better marry her. She knows too much,” Ryder said as he shook his head.

“That’s the plan, but not because she knows too much, because I can’t live without her.” I grinned at my best friend. I still hadn’t gone to pick up her ring, but I knew the second I told Ryder it was ready, he’d be in the truck going to get it.

“Ok, so what’s the plan for Troy’s place,” I asked once we were done discussing my soon-to-be wife.

CHAPTER 39

GRIFF

It hadn’t been easy, We’d worked through some anger, pain during my dressing changes that the pain medications wouldn’t control, and Elle pulled away during those times in the last few weeks. Morning sickness hit Elle hard, and things took longer than we both wanted to accomplish. Parker had been our saving grace, when he’d come home from Troy’s it was as if life had been breathed into us both again. He was more than a little excited about becoming a big brother. He told everyone he could that there was a baby on the way, and while the plan had been to keep things quiet a bit, neither of us were going to take that joy from him.

“Hey, where do you want all this stuff?” Ryder asked as he drove up beside me.

“Take it over to the side of the barn. Elle won’t notice another truck there.” Construction workers had been coming and going while raising the new barn. Ryder nodded and parked the truck. Turning, I looked up at the almost finished structure. When I’d built the last one, I thought I had my dream barn, but after using it, I realized I could improve a few things, like more horse stalls and a loft that would function as an added outdoor space for quiet date nights. But that one might have only happened afterElle and Parker moved in. So not only was it a hay loft, but it also served as an at-home getaway for us.

“You ready for this pal?” He asked when he came back to where I was.

“Yeah, I can’t imagine doing this any other way. My parents will be here shortly, and Elle’s mom, dad, and brother should be arriving anytime now. Nash went to pick them up. Are you ready?”

“To officiate my best friend’s wedding? Of course I am.” He slapped me on the back, and I groaned. “Sorry,” he said as he scrunched up his face.

“It’s fine.” I wheezed.

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