Page 9 of Ride the Sky

Chaos ensues as we all grab food, kids, and drinks and settle at the kitchen table. I drop onto a chair at the end in case I need an early exit, scanning my eyes over Davis and Dakota’s family room that faces the kitchen. There is a leather sectional couch facing a rock wall fireplace. Both the kitchen and living room open onto a massive deck that overlooks the ranch. A good thing, too, because our family keeps growing. The entire house smells like fresh lemons and sage. Like there’s so much life in it.

We all flinch as Duke cheerfully bangs a spoon against a tin plate. Mouse, curled up in the toybox, lifts her head at her interrupted nap.

I nod at Charlie and Ruby as I pour myself a glass of whiskey. “Y’all ready for that?” The surrogate they hired at the end of winter is four months pregnant. We can’t fucking wait. Another Montgomery.

Ruby’s answering smile and her bright eyes say it all. “Oh, yes,” she chirps, pulling her hands to her heart.

Charlie grins. “Can’t damn wait.”

Ruby looks like she’s going to explode from happiness. Charlie, too.

Ford holds up his beer. “Flower shop and a baby, y’all gonna be burnin’ the candle at both ends.” Charlie and Ruby finally landed a space in town, putting a deposit down on the vacant candy shop on Main Street.

“Ready for it,” Charlie gruffs. His blue eyes land on Ruby and soften. “All of it, Sunflower.”

Ruby arrived in town three years ago with a bucket list and a heart condition. Charlie gave her a job and a place to stay, and soon, my grumpy brother fell head over boots for the sunshine girl. She turned the ranch around but got hurt and almost died in the process. Now that man can’t stop grinning like he won the damn lottery.

It’s about damn time, too.

After Charlie’s fiancée died in a rodeo accident over ten years ago, there was no other option but to follow him out to Montana to make sure he kept his damn head on straight. But I couldn’t do it alone. Ford came. And then Davis. We all got our asses to Montana to support our brother.

But it was Ruby who brought him back to us.

Truth is, she saved all of us. Because if he was a goner, so were we.

Charlie’s my brother. My best friend. I’ve got his secrets, and he’s got mine.

Most of ’em.

I look around the table at the loud clatter of utensils, the excited din of conversation. Reese laughs as Ford slings an arm around her shoulders and pulls her into his side. Something achy and taut tugs at my heart.

Love’s a funny thing. One minute, Ford’s slamming his hand through a jukebox, the next, he’s got the best thing in his world sitting right beside him.

All my brothers. Down for the fucking count because of a pretty face. That ain’t to say they’re wrong. All my sisters-in-law are pure gold. I’d go to battle for any of them.

I bring the whiskey to my lips, savoring its sting. Sure, all my brothers got second chances, but getting those second chances didn’t come easy or without pain.

Good things don’t stay. I saw my brothers have it all and then lose it in horrific ways. It’s easier to rodeo, to chase girls,to drink, to start fights. Hell, even my little sister was two steps away from divorce.

I’ve seen what love can turn a cowboy into, and it’s not anything good.

I’m living proof.

“Wy?”

I blink and look up. Everyone’s staring at me with those worried eyes I’ve become familiar with the last few months.

My brothers look at me expectantly.

“You been sleepin’?” Davis asks.

I set down my whiskey. If they want to know the truth, no, I’m not fucking sleeping. I haven’t slept through the night since Fallon took off. She’s in my dreams. Haunting them like the cowgirl wraith she is.

“I’m fine,” I grumble.

Ford arches a brow. “Relax, it ain’t an interrogation. How’s work?”

I sigh, tired of the tirade of questions. My brothers just want to keep me on course, but really, they’re breathing down my fucking neck.

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