Tucker didn’t respond.
“Come on, Tuck. Say whatever you’re thinkin’.”
“I got nothin’.”
“Really? Nothing? Nothing at all? Or nothing you wanna say?”
“I’m about the last person on earth who should be giving anyone advice about women. It is by the grace of God that Blythe loves me.”
“But…”
“Nope. I mean it. I got nothin’. Just about anybody else in that ranch house could give you better advice than me.”
Ben walked into the barn just as he and Tucker finished getting the horses settled back in.
“Hey, Ben,” said Jace. “Hope you don’t mind that we went for a ride.”
Ben smiled. “Better than one of ya leavin’ town without thankin’ my Livvie for dinner.”
Tucker laughed. “Exactly the reason I got him on a horse instead of lettin’ him get in the truck. Didn’t want Liv to think both of your cousins were rude assholes.”
“I woulda’ come back.” Jace grinned. “Unlike you.”
“Good to see you two givin’ each other shit again.”
Jace’s eyes met Tucker’s. Words weren’t necessary. Both felt the connection; it was solid for the first time in a very long time.
“How’s Blythe doin’?” Tucker asked Ben.
“Tired. I think she’s ready to take a nap alongside Cochran.”
“You got a minute?” Jace asked Ben after Tucker left the barn.
“Got nothin’ but time out here on the ranch.”
“Can I ask about you and Liv?”
“I can talk about sweet Liv all day and all night. She’s my favorite subject.” Ben smiled again.
Jace doubted he’d ever known a guy happier and more in love than Ben Rice. Except Billy and Tucker, and his dad. Jeez, it seemed as though every guy he knew was happy and in love.
He’d heard most of the story of how Liv and Ben met. He’d also heard that Ben had had to work mighty hard to convince Liv they were meant to be together.
“How did you finally win her over?”
Ben sat down on a bale of hay, closed his eyes, and leaned his head back. “It was fate more than it was me if you wanna know the truth. I just about gave up plenty of times.”
Ben stood and rubbed the nose of the horse in the stall closest to them.
“If this horse could talk, he’d be able to tell you how hard it was for me to convince her we belonged together. Isn’t that right, Micah?”
Liv’s horse nickered as though he understood what Ben was saying.
“She was convinced she wasn’t enough for me, crazy as it sounds. The truth was, we both had some cookin’ left to do when we first met. Wasn’t just her; it was me too. You couldn’t have told me at the time though.”
“Yeah?”
“Oh, yeah. Once I decided she was the girl for me, I wouldn’t take no for an answer. Until I was finally forced to.”