Saddled and Spurred (Blacktop Cowboys 2)

Hank flashed his teeth. “Fine. Did you hire Harper because of the way she looks?”

Bran grinned back at his nosy friend. “No. Although I’ll admit that’s a plus. A big plus. But the real reason is Harper’s only gonna be around Muddy Gap about as long as Les is laid up, so it seemed like a sign.”

“Then where’s she goin’?”

“No clue. She told me as soon as her little sister graduates from high school they’re both outta here.”

“Did you tell her that staying overnight at your place was part of the job?”

Hank had known Bran long enough to understand that Harper was exactly the type of woman Bran was attracted to. But women that hot and gorgeous never reciprocated the attraction, so he’d always shied away from them.

“Let it go, Hank,” Lainie warned.

Surprisingly, Hank did. He passed out another round of beers.

“Where’s Abe tonight?” Bran asked.

“At Nancy’s.”

“Thank God she ain’t here again,” Hank muttered. “I never thought my brother would find a woman I liked less than Janie, but I’ll be goddamned if he didn’t.”

“I never understood your beef with Janie. If I’d had to put up with Abe’s ‘master of the house’ bullshit, I’da left him too.”

Hank scowled at Bran.

“Master of the house?” Lainie repeated, swirling the wine in her glass. “Do tell. All I’ve ever heard about the ex-wife is how she left poor Abe high and dry.”

Bran shrugged. “In my opinion, Abe married Janie wanting her to be just like his mom. A happy homemaker whose only purpose was to service this ranch and the Lawson family’s needs. When Janie turned out not to be that type . . . Abe tried to force her into becoming that type. Janie’s biggest issue was the living situation. She didn’t want to live with Hank and Celia indefinitely. She wanted them to have their own place. Instead of keeping his wife’s confidence, Abe told you and Celia and you both hated her. Abe chose his family over his wife. That’s why Janie left. And who could blame her? Not me.”

Hank wore a look of shock, as if he’d never considered that Janie needed alone time with her husband. A feeling Bran knew Lainie understood, and now Hank did too—hence they were building their own house.

Lainie ran her hand up Hank’s arm. “There was no way you could’ve known. And it wasn’t your problem to solve. It was Abe’s.”

“How is it that you know so much about my brother’s ex-wife?” Hank asked suspiciously.

“She adored my grandma and she missed her after she passed on, so she kept coming around since I was the closest neighbor. Besides, wasn’t like she had anyone else to talk to after you and Celia shut her out.”

“Why didn’t Abe know any of this?”

“Because he didn’t ask her. It wasn’t my place to tell him—you know how he gets.”

Lainie nodded in total understanding.

“But I’m really goddamned happy you two ain’t makin’ the same mistake. No one said because you run the ranch together that you had to live together forever like the f**kin’ Waltons. And why would you want to?”

Silence.

Then Lainie laughed.

Hank clapped Bran on the shoulder. “Remind me again why you’re still single?”

“Fuck off.”

During the meal, they caught up on their friends’ lives. Gauging Kyle Gilchrist’s chances of winning the CRA world championship bull riding title. Talking about Devin McClain’s newest CD and world tour. Speculating if Eli Whirling Cloud’s plans to rehabilitate injured horses—racing and rodeo—with the help of their pal, veterinarian August Fletcher, would be a successful venture. Discussing Celia’s minuscule chances of beating out Lainie’s buddy, world championship barrel racer Tanna Barker, for the title this year.

As Hank cleared the plates, Lainie brooded into her half-empty wineglass.

“Something goin’ on in that pretty head of yours, Missus Lawson?”

She smiled. “Flatterer. Talking about life on the road and such . . . I’m just worried about Celia.”

“That makes two of us,” Hank said. “How often does my little sister call you, Bran?”

“Occasionally.”

“And how was she? I mean, did she act different?”

“No. She seemed fine when I talked to her. Why?”

“Probably nothin’. We’re pretty sure Celia is seein’ a guy on the circuit, but she won’t fess up to who it is. Makes us wonder if she’s embarrassed or something.”

Bran drained his beer. “You want me to point out the obvious? She’s an adult, entitled to a life that don’t got nothin’ to do with you guys.”

Hank glowered at him.

So Bran decided to poke him, just for fun. “You know, I wish I could see Celia as the gorgeous, sexy woman she is and not as the pesky little tomboy sister that she was. It’d make all our lives easier if we got hitched. She’s aware of what it takes to run a ranch, we could have tons of babies and horses, and she’d live close enough to annoy the hell out of you and Abe forever.”

Instead of snarling, Hank shot Bran a sly look. “Tell you what. If you propose to her and she accepts? As a dowry I’ll give you those fifty acres down by the creek that you love.”

“Hank! That is not even funny,” Lainie said, swatting at him.