Page 73 of Ride Me Cowboy

Cole

I’M HUNGRY AS ALL get-out when I stride into the kitchen the next morning, having already been out working the land for a few hours. My jeans are covered in dust, as is every part of me. It’s dry out there at the moment, you can taste dust in the air. Any thoughts of food skitter from my brain at the sight of Beth, standing at the head of the table, with my brothers, Caleb and Mackenzie all sitting around looking up at her. At first, all I can do is look too, and remember last night, so it’s like a jolt to my whole body.

She’s mid-way through saying something when I walk in, and she freezes up instantly, her cheeks flushing pink with a reaction I belatedly recognize as guilt.

“What’s all this?” I ask, my voice gruffer than I intended. For the shortest second, I actually worry she’s told them about the shitshow of the ranch’s finances, before I remember that this is Beth, and whatever else she’s got, integrity is right up there. Shewouldn’t promise to keep my secret and then spill it the next morning

But it sure as heck feels like it right now.

I ignore the rolling in my gut—partly out of suspicion and partly because she looks good enough to eat in a pair of black pants and a silky beige shirt that’s unbuttoned low enough to show a hint of her cleavage. I close my eyes to push away the thought of the marks I’ve left there, marks that say ‘she’s mine’, even when I know she’s not—not for long, anyway.

“I hope you don’t mind, I started without you,” she says, her voice wobbling slightly like she knows I reallydomind. Almost like she planned this. But then, she tilts her chin in a gesture of defiance and no matter what else I’m feeling, admiration is a part of it. Right alongside integrity, this woman’s got guts.

“Started what?” I cross my arms over my chest, holding her gaze steadily, talking just to Beth, like the others aren’t even in the room.

“Calm down, bro. Beth here’s got some ideas about how to take the ranch to the next level. Worth listening to, in my opinion,” Nash says. I don’t look at him. My jaw hurts from holding it clenched.

“Oh, yeah?” I wish I didn’t sound so royally pissed, even when that’s just how I’m feeling. I can’t quite distill my reaction down to one reason. I’m annoyed she’s taken this to my brothers without talking to me first, I’m annoyed that I feel excluded. I’m annoyed that she’s taking pity on us—I hate that last one in particular.

She’s flushed to the roots of her hair, but I hold my ground, arms crossed, staring across the room.

“So, we launch you on social media,” she says, the words a bit rushed. “I’ve just been going over some ideas for content creation, but these guys had some excellent thoughts of their own. I’ll take care of all the posting while I’m here?—,”

“You’re only here another two months,” I say, sharply, then want to throttle myself at the look she gives me. Equal parts hurt and angry.

“Yes, I’m aware of that. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to maneuver myself into a more permanent position.”

My gut swirls with acid, and I don’t know why. We have an understanding, she’s just underscoring it.

“Mack’s offered to take over content creation once Beth leaves,” Austin says. “She’s good at this stuff, and reckons she can learn a lot from Beth over the next few weeks.”

I glare at Austin then turn my focus back on Beth.

“I still don’t get the point.”

“That’s ‘cause you’re a dinosaur,” Mackenzie says, surprising us all—I’m the only one she never talks smack to. She holds up a hand in apology. “But it’s true.”

“I’m twenty-nine.”

“Yeah, but you wouldn’t even have a phone if you could help it.”

“Damn straight.”

“That’s exactly my point. You’re selling a dream,” Beth says. “The kind of dream someone like me would have loved to lose myself in, when I was in a New York apartment. This wild, untamed beauty, and freedom from all the modern life crap,” she gestures to the ranch beyond the kitchen window. “You guys, sorugged and outdoorsy. Nature, the animals, the risk, the town, the community. Beau’s barbecues. All of it. You have such a brand already, it’s just about marketing it.”

I grind my teeth, hating every part of what she’s saying, except one. If this is a way we can earn money, outside the ranch, and start putting it to good use, then maybe it’s worth considering. And maybe that’s why she called this meeting today, behind my back. Because she didn’t want to risk me saying no, outright, and her not being able to do a damned thing about it.

I hate feeling pushed into things though. I hate knowing she’s pushed my buttons.

“You don’t have to be in the videos,” she says, lifting her shoulders. “This can just be about the others. Beau’s more than happy to star,” she adds with a soft laugh, looking at my younger brother.

“What a surprise.”

“And I know social media will love him.”

“Careful, he ain’t gonna be able to swagger through that door,” Nash says. “What with his head fillin’ half the room.”

“Think of what we could do,” Beau says, looking at me in a way that makes me wonder if maybe he realizes things aren’t as rosy as we’d want. “If it means extra money for this place, why the hell not give it a try?”

---