Bucked (The Invincibles 6)

“He’s a lot older than you, sis, and—”

I heard the chimes indicating my baby sister had hung up on me. I was still staring at the phone, in shock, when Stella walked out of the bedroom.

“What’s going on?”

I wondered if Stella had forgotten what day it was, like I had. “That was Flynn. She’s making a big, ranch-style dinner for everyone tonight.”

“I was going to ask you if there was anywhere we could watch fireworks, but with this storm, there probably won’t be any.”

“They usually set them off from the top of Mt. Crested Butte, but I don’t know if they will tonight. I’ll make a few calls and see if anyone knows.”

“I’m sorry our fishing trip was canceled.”

“Do you really like fishing, Stella, or you putting on a brave face just for me?”

She pulled me over to the sofa. “Would you mind lighting a fire?”

“Not at all. By the way, have you talked to Ali or Cope yet today?”

She shook her head. “I think they’re getting as sick of us as we are of them.”

I laughed. “I hope I haven’t made it too obvious.” The truth was, Cope was grating on my last fucking nerve. I finished with the fire and sat down beside Stella, who snuggled her body into mine.

“You asked me about fishing.”

“That’s right. If you don’t like it, you can tell me.” I stared into her eyes. “I love your smile, darlin’. Truth is, I love everything about you.”

“Yeah? Well, let me tell you a little something about myself that you might not know.”

“Go on.”

“Turns out you were right about my inner mountain girl dying to get out and explore a place like Crested Butte.”

“You aren’t playin’ me, are you, Stella?”

The teasing smile that had been there since she walked in, left her face. “I love it here, Buck, and I’m not just saying that.” She rested her hand on my chest. “Barb’s death is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me besides losing my mother, and honestly, I was so young at the time I don’t remember much.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “So it’s going to sound psycho when I say this, but, Buck, I’ve never been happier. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sad and angry and frustrated, but somehow, knowing that tonight when I crawl into bed, you’ll be there—not just your voice, but your body—makes it possible for me to face tomorrow.”

“Wow.”

Her cheeks turned pink, but the smile was back. “I know, right? Who the fuck am I?”

I laughed. “You’re still you, Stella. The woman I love.”

“I love you, Buck.”

“You wanna take a ride?” It occurred to me that it was unlikely anyone had checked on the old farmhouse or the barn.

“With you, cowboy? I’ll go anywhere with you.”

I pulled up as close as I could to the front porch since the rain was still coming down in sheets. I couldn’t see clearly enough to tell whether the house had sustained any damage.

“Wait until I come around,” I said before jumping out of the truck. I got to the right headlight and saw Stella was waiting for me on the porch.

“I didn’t want you to get drenched,” she said when I joined her.

Just as I put my hand on the doorknob, a bolt of lightning struck the rod in the center of the barn. The accompanying clap of thunder was instantaneous. I looked at Stella, whose eyes were wide and mouth hung open. “You okay, darlin’?”

She slowly turned to face me. “I’ve never seen anything like that, Buck. Not in person. It was like a stream of light flowed straight through the barn.”