Page 53 of Stick Around,
Quinn worked on the other side, her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to mimic my technique. Her dark hair was pulled back in a messy bun, with wisps escaping to frame her face. She was wearing a tank top, revealing tanned arms that were developing more muscle definition after her two weeks at the ranch.
“So you grew up here?” Quinn dunked her sponge into the sudsy bucket.
I nodded, running my hand along Tater’s shoulder to check for any missed spots. “Not on the ranch exactly, but we were here enough helping that we might as well have been. I started spending a lot of time here as a teenager. This place saved me.”
She moved around to my side, grabbing a brush for Tater’s mane. “Is that why you take care of it so much?”
Her observation hit uncomfortably close to home. “Someone has to.”
“And the other guys don’t?”
“They do their part.” I frowned, immediately regretting my tone. “Kellan can charm anyone and get them to do anything. Reid has a gift with the animals. I’m just the guy who fixes stuff and keeps the spreadsheets balanced.”
Quinn’s hand stilled on Tater’s neck. “That’s not true. This place wouldn’t function without you. I’ve seen how the other guys look to you when decisions need to be made.”
The validation from her was unexpected, and heat crept up my neck. I busied myself rinsing suds from Tater’s coat, focusing intently on the water cascading down his side.
“You all met in college, right?”
Grateful for the subject change, I nodded, relief washing through me. Her perceptiveness could be unnerving sometimes, like she was reading parts of me I usually kept locked away.
“Cal Poly. All three of us were in Ag Business.” I smiled at the memory. “Kellan and I were roommates freshman year, and it was a total disaster at first. His side of the room looked like a Mardi Gras parade had exploded. Reid was down the hall and was this quiet guy who kept to himself until we discovered he could save our butts on group projects. Somehow we clicked.”
She moved closer to work on Tater’s forelock. “And now you’re business partners. That must be an interesting dynamic.”
I chuckled. “Interesting is one word for it.”
Her eyes met mine, something playful dancing behind them. “And what would be another word?”
“Challenging.” I paused. “But they’re family now.”
We fell into comfortable silence, working together to rinse the soap from Tater’s massive body. I couldn’t help noticing hownatural Quinn looked here and how quickly she’d adapted to ranch life. The thought brought a different question to mind.
I hesitated, rinsing another patch of Tater’s side before blurting the question I probably shouldn’t ask. “So… how was your night with Kellan… and Reid?”
Her cheeks flushed instantly. “It was...” She bit her lower lip, and there was a pull low in my stomach. “Really nice.”
The image of her with them flashed in my mind, and I swallowed hard.
“I wish you had been there too.” Her eyes met mine with a directness that made my breath catch.
I opened my mouth but couldn’t find words. Her expression shifted, uncertainty replacing the openness that had been there moments before.
Without warning, she flicked her sponge at me, sending a spray of water across my shirt.
“Hey!” I stepped back, surprised.
Her eyes widened innocently. “Oops. My hand slipped.”
I raised an eyebrow, fighting a smile. “Did it now?”
“Absolutely.” Her lips twitched, betraying her lie. “Complete accident.”
“Like this is going to be.” I reached for the hose and, before I could second-guess myself, sent a quick spray in her direction.
She squealed, jumping back. “Lorenzo Gustavo Perez!”
Tater Tot snorted at the commotion, shifting his weight slightly. I patted his flank reassuringly before leveling a challenging look at Quinn. “Who told you my middle name so I can shave their eyebrows off while they sleep?”
