Page 1 of Brett and Rowdy
Chapter One
When “Dream Big” started playing, startling him from where he was lounging in the sunshine, reading his book, Rowdy Duran rolled his eyes. “Siri, answer the phone. Good Lord, woman, how many times can you call me today?”
Ashley’s laugh filled the air, low and husky, merry. “At least ten thousand times more. You know, if you got here already, then I could just talk to you instead of having to always call you.”
He never once pondered about how much work having a daughter graduate from Clemson would take. After all, he was out here near Chama, so he was half of the country away in New Mexico, but apparently—especially if your momma was a biggie wow real estate broker in South Carolina, there were parties and to-dos and lunches and suppers and drama.
Graduating from NMSU had been a lot like graduating from Gomillion High School—get out the second the last final was sealed and delivered and head home to the ranch where he belonged.
“Are you listening to me, String?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. What do you need, honey?”
“Madison wants to know if she’s going to need a couch.”
“A couch.” He shook his head and counted to ten for the eightieth time today. “Sweetheart. Madison has been at this ranch three times a year for her entire life. She knows full well what it looks like. She’s seen her room. You’ve seen it. She’s got two big rooms, one that has her bed in it and one that has gone from doll houses to ballet room to ‘I’m going to raise dogs, Daddy’ in here. If she wants a damn couch, tell her to bring the damn couch. I don’t care.”
“Don’t be mean. She’s nervous about moving, I think.” Ashley chuckled again. “I can’t believe she’s moving to be with you. I’m losing her to you forever. I may never get to see her again.”
“Oh, shut up, woman. One, you’re losing her to the yaks, churro sheep, and the finest herd of cattle in New Mexico. Two, you know you and Dan are welcome here any time. Me and Daddy love you dearly. So what are you going on about?”
“You forgot the horses and the alpacas.” She blew out a breath. “Nothing, I’m just fussing. I can’t wait for you to get here. We’ve got so much stuff planned, and I get you for what? Two weeks? Three?”
He bobbed his head, leaning back with a smile. “Yeah. Domingo’s going to deal with the ranch for me, so I don’t have to worry about it. Daddy’s in the good place, so I’ll be out there and at your disposal.”
“You going to see your momma?”
His nose wrinkled, instinctively. “Why on earth would I do that?”
The only thing she’d ever done for him was put him in the position for his happy ass to have his daughter.
“Oh, okay. Never mind. So, I have an idea.”
“Lord have mercy.” He knew that tone of voice. That tone of voice had gotten him in trouble off and on since he was seventeen years old.
I have an idea. Rowdy, let’s go fishing.
I got an idea. Let’s skip school and go get pizza.
I have an idea. Let’s take the baby camping on the Bosque.
I got an idea, Rowdy. Let’s learn to ski…
“Oh, you know that I live for your ideas.”
“Quit it. You sound just like Dan.”
“Dan’s a smart cookie, and we’ve both had to put up with you for a really long time, so…” He grinned. Knowing that his smile would sound in his voice. She really was one of his very best friends on earth, and she and Dan were the best family a guy could ask for. Not only that, but they’ve given him a chance to be his Madison’s daddy, and he would be grateful for that for the rest of his life. Maybe longer.
His baby girl was the most perfect person he’d ever met. Wild and free, smart as a whip, and a cowgirl to the bone, he couldn’t ask for better.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You want to hear, or what?”
“What?” he teased.
“Stop it. So listen. It’s our twentieth high school reunion, and it happens the week after Madison’s graduation.”
Whoa. “You are shitting me.”
