Page 39 of Red Hot Rancher

“Did you tell Caleb?” Justin asked. “Maybe he’ll go with you.”

“He works Friday.” But she’d thought of that, taking her cowboy to the city, watching him cause whiplash in city girls everywhere he went.

Justin cocked a light brow. “You’re on a knowing-his-schedule basis?”

“Shut up.” She opened the backdoor of his truck so he could set the tools inside.

“Seriously though. The weather might set in earlier than predicted. Think it’d be held against you if you got snowed in?”

She almost shrugged it off, but no, this job interview was important to her. It was for a good position. The manager she’d talked to was excited about her education.

We don’t get many loan officers with not only an ag background, but an actual degree in both business and ag.

The credit union that had called her was renowned for their work with farmers and ranchers, especially the big dairy farms dotting the Minnesota landscape.

She was perfect for the job. Not only that, they had several branches, which offered her plenty of upward mobility. She’d only live hours from Moore, as well as being an easy flight away from her parents, and she’d get to live in the city, where she could be blessedly anonymous.

“Think I should leave tonight? It’d be another night for the hotel.”

“My portion of the ranch will cover it.”

“Justin, you’re already feeding me and putting me up.” She was on the short route to thirty, but she was a charity case to her own family.

“Consider it payback for opening my eyes to the crazy that is Maisy.”

He’d been in a foul mood all weekend. She should’ve recognized it. Once upon a time, Maisy had caused the same swings in her. “She showed her true colors?”

He blew out a hard breath. “I asked her if she ever teased you while we were growing up. She denied it, but I said my twin wasn’t a liar.”

“And then she lost it?”

“No, still denied it. But I believe you and Caleb.” Since when did Caleb know Maisy had taunted her relentlessly? “I tried another angle. I mean, Maisy’s a good time, but I can’t be with her if she wears a mask around me. So I said you and I were twins. And that you’d always come first.”

“Oh God.”

He nodded once. “And then she blew. Went nuclear.”

“Hats off to you. I only know her cruel side. Her rage must’ve been blinding.”

“She hit me.”

Brigit gasped. “She did what?” All those missed opportunities to deck the girl and she’d walked away and let it fester inside.

“A slap, then that thing where she’s pummeling me with both fists while I hold her away.” His shoulders hunched. He rubbed his chest like he was bruised and it hurt.

“I’m sorry. You deserve better.” She meant it. Her brother might be guarded or aloof or seem cool and uncaring—and wow, didn’t that sound like herself? But at the end of the day, he was all about family.

Guess they were similar in that aspect.

“I’d like to think so, but the joke might end up on me.”

“Because the other girl got engaged?”

“No.” He looked up at the sky and for the first time in…ever…his calm fractured. His voice cracked as he said, “Maisy claims she’s pregnant.”

“Holy shit. She’s lying, right? I mean you haven’t been seeing her long.”

He let out a sigh and dropped his head. “I hope so, but I’ve been searching online and shit and… She could be. If she is, is it mine? I dunno.”

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