Page 6 of Mountain Rancher

“Yeah?”

“You can put me down when we get to the house. I don’t want everyone making a fuss.”

I can’t help but laugh at that.

“Your entire family lives to make a fuss, Abigail. It’s the Clayton way.”

The main house comes into view, grand and sprawling with its wide front porch and stone columns. Home to the Claytons for generations.

I see Wyatt before he sees us. He’s standing on the porch with his phone pressed to his ear, but the moment he spots us, hisexpression shifts from concentration to alarm. He ends his call abruptly and jogs down the steps toward us.

“What the fuck happened?” He scans his sister for visible injuries.

“East ridge trail collapsed. Found her hanging on by her fingernails over a twenty-foot drop.”

“I had a good hold,” Abigail protests, color rising in her cheeks.

I give her a sharp look. “You were clinging to a scrub oak that was pulling out by the roots. Another minute and you’d have been at the bottom of that ravine.”

Wyatt’s face darkens.

“Goddamnit, Abby. Those trails have been off-limits since the spring washout. There are signs posted everywhere.”

“I didn’t see any signs,” she mumbles. Then she presses her lips together in that stubborn way I remember so well.

Melody appears in the doorway, one hand resting on her rounded belly.

“Wyatt? What’s—” Her eyes widen when she sees Abigail in my arms. “Oh no, what happened?”

“Your sister-in-law decided to go hiking on the ridge trail,” Wyatt grumbles.

Melody’s face shifts from concern to exasperation.

“The ridge trail? Abby, that whole area is unstable! We’ve had three slides already this spring.”

“I’m aware now, thank you,” Abigail says tightly. Then she winces, and her hand goes to her ankle. “I think I’m bleeding through the bandage.”

That gets everyone moving.

Wyatt hurries ahead to hold the door while Melody directs me toward the living room.

“Put her on the sofa,” Melody instructs as she grabs pillows to elevate Abigail’s foot.

I lower her carefully onto the cushions, and for just a second, our eyes meet. An electric and undeniable current passes between us. The memory of her hungry mouth on mine flashes in my mind. I step back quickly and break the connection.

“I’ll get the first aid kit,” Melody says. She either didn’t notice or is politely ignoring whatever just happened between us.

Wyatt crouches by his sister’s foot and gently unwraps the makeshift bandage. Abigail hisses in pain.

“Sorry.” He whistles low when he sees the swelling. “You did a number on this, sis.”

“Is it broken?” I’m hovering awkwardly behind the sofa, not sure if I should stay or go.

“Can’t tell for sure without an X-ray, but?—”

“No X-ray,” Abigail interrupts. “It’s just a sprain. Some ice and elevation and I’ll be fine.”

The front door bangs open, and Brody and Luke storm in. They look ready for battle.

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