Winning the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch 6)

“Hey, Gramps. Happy Thanksgiving.” I wrap my arms around him for a tight squeeze.

“Hey, kiddos. Don’t tell your grandma I’m here sneakin’ extra pie.” He puts a finger over his mouth.

“Your secret’s safe with me.” I flash him a wink.

Harper comes over, and I steal Hayden from her. He’s only a few months old and still so little. “How’s the nighttime routine goin’? Getting any sleep yet?”

“What’s sleep?” Ethan groans.

I chuckle at his exhausted expression, then hand the baby back so I can help Maize. She’s wearing her favorite apron and blasting Justin Bieber.

“Thought you grew out of your Biebs phase,” I tease.

“Dude, his new song is a whole ass vibe, though. Can’t help it.” She dances around, and it causes me to giggle.

Within thirty minutes, the dining room’s packed with sweets and family. I notice Kane and Knox are in the living room having a heated argument. Though it’s nothing new for them to be fighting about something, this seems more serious than usual.

“What are the twins bickering about?” I ask Harper as she rocks Hayden.

“Same thing they’ve been for the past few months…Hadleigh,” she confirms.

“Uh-oh. What happened now?” I move closer to her on the couch as I soak up the gossip. Harper knows all the gossip between Hadleigh and the twins.

“She and Knox hung out alone last weekend when Kane was away. He flipped his shit when he heard Knox didn’t come home till the morning after.”

“Oh damn. So, he thinks they slept together?”

“Yep. Kane got so jealous, he marched to Hadleigh’s and told her Knox isn’t good enough for her, then confessed how he felt.”

“Shut. Up! Oh my God. What’d she say?”

“She said she needed time and space to think about what she wanted. I know she doesn’t want to hurt either of them, especially Kane because he’s her best friend. Now she’s torn between what to do, and it doesn’t help that the twins are hardly speaking. Well, unless you count their arguing.”

At this point, the only thing I’m missing is a bucket of popcorn and some spy gear so I can hear what they’re saying.

“Jesus. Who knew the tea was gonna be so hot today. Is Hadleigh coming?” I ask since she usually does.

“No, she picked up an extra shift at the hospital ’cause she knew being here would be awkward.”

“Dang. I would’ve paid for the premium package.” I chuckle. “Guess that makes things a bit tense, especially with them working together.”

“Oh yeah…they’ve been at each other’s throats a lot more than usual. Ivy’s been helping me at work, and we’ve already placed bets on who she’ll pick.”

Ivy is Hadleigh’s little sister who works for Harper and her soap business. She’s been helping more often since Hayden was born.

“I want in on this bet, considering there was one going for Grayson and me.”

“Yeah, I lost that, by the way. Thanks.”

I snort. “Serves y’all right.”

Kane shoves Knox, then walks away before Knox can retaliate. By the look on Kane’s face, he’s devastated.

“Okay, now I kinda feel bad. But still, my money’s on Knox,” I say.

“I told her to choose both,” Harper says, giggling. “Hot twin brothers who both want her…sounds like the ultimate fantasy.”

“I might agree if I wasn’t related to them.” I gag. “Honestly, though, the only way this isn’t gonna blow up in their faces is if she picks neither of them. She’d be better off dating someone else anyway. Or she should do what I did in college—date a few girls and really learn what an orgasm is before you settle for a man.”

Harper looks at me as if I’ve grown a second head. “Wow, learned something new about you.”

I shrug with amusement. “Had some making up to do. Growing up in bumfuck nowhere didn’t give me many chances to release my wild side.”

Harper glances around before lowering her voice. “When I’m allowed to drink again, we’re goin’ out, and you’re sharing some of those stories with me.”

“Deal.” I flash her a wink.

“What was that all about?” Grayson walks over and asks, nodding toward Knox.

“I’ll tell ya later,” I say, glancing at Harper. “Right now, you need to roll me out of here because I ate way too much.”

“Prepare to feel the same way tomorrow. Mom booked a caterer for the big event of me coming home.” He sighs.

“Aww, how sweet. She wants it to be perfect for ya.” I grab his hand and squeeze it. “We should probably go home, though, because I’m exhausted, and neither of us has been sleeping much.”

Harper looks at me with a knowing smirk. “You two have fun.”

Grayson pulls me off the couch, and I grin. “Oh we will.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

MACKENZIE

SIX MONTHS LATER

I cannot believe another school year is ending. When I first started teaching, Mom would always tell me how the years pass by so fast. Now, I understand. Some of the kids I taught years ago are going into junior high. They were sweet little babies, and now they’re hormonal teenagers.