Page 65 of Soldier Cowboy
“Morning,” Riggs said, coming into the kitchen with a mug that read “World’s Best Dad.” He proceeded to fill it up with more coffee. “Want some?”
“Nah, I’ve been up early and already had enough.”
“C’mon, sweetie, let’s get you a bottle,” Delores said to Mary, who’d been wriggling to get to Riggs since he’d walked in the room.
Riggs took a step toward them and planted a kiss on Mary’s head. “Hey, Princess.”
Mary responded with a smile that lit up her entire face. She looked a lot like Winona. “Da-da!”
“You’re the best one, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise,” Riggs said, blowing her a kiss.
If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, Colton might have thought someone had body-snatched his surly older brother and replaced him with a different family-friendly version.
“Oh, Riggs. You know you love your boys.” Delores swatted him.
“I can still have a favorite.” He winked at Mary then turned to Delores. “Colton and I will be in my office.”
Riggs’s office turned out to be their father’s old office. Colton didn’t know why he should be surprised. As the oldest, Riggs took over operations the minute he’d obtained his law degree, so it made sense he would have the office. And the main house. Speaking of their original home, Colton would have been lost down here without a guide. The ranch-style house had been expanded with hallways leading down long corridors. He almost didn’t recognize the original hallway that led to the office at the back of the house.
“Winona did all this.” Riggs waved his hand around as if he was embarrassed by the large and ostentatious nature of their remodeled home. “And she made sure the office was at the very back. She wanted to separate family from cattle ranching operations.”
“Makes sense.”
Riggs shrugged. “Happy wife, happy life. You’ll learn.”
Colton cleared his throat. “In time, I will. I’m sure.”
“You’re not going to have a longengagement, are you?”
Colton wanted to ask why the hell not, but Riggs had made a long engagement sound like a terrible thing. Like it was not much dumber than lighting your house on fire. Colton wasn’t here to butt heads with his older brother. He was here to find a way to fit back into the fold. Contribute.
“No, guess not. Why wait.”
Um, because she isn’t actually your fiancée, genius?
“Just give us a little time between weddings.”
Colton nodded. “We just had one.”
“Exactly.” Riggs leaned back in his chair and cradled his mug. “Does she want a big deal? Huge wedding? I figure her folks from Los Angeles might have a say in this.”
“It’s just her father and her brother. And an aunt that helped raise her.”
“Maybe we can have it here, then.”
Colton steered the conversation away from his big fat lie and toward more pressing matters. “I didn’t come here to talk about weddings.”
“Yeah, sorry about that. Winona was wondering. But you said you had some ideas.” Riggs set his mug down and leaned forward, clasping his hands.
Colton appreciated the interest in what he had to say. His body language said he was open to suggestions, even if Colton realized he was about to make a radical one.
“Bison.” Now Colton leaned back, letting Riggs digest the word.
“Bison,” Riggs repeated. “We raise cows here.”
“I know, and I’m suggesting we add a specialty market. Do you know how much folks pay for organic beef?”
“Organic bison,” Riggs repeated.
