Reckless Love (Cowboys & Angels 7)

“Damn, woman, I was only being honest. My ribs still hurt from my fall, by the way.”

Rolling her eyes, Mom focused back on me. “Trevor, I think it’s wonderful you want to get married. I just worry you’re doing it for the wrong reason.”

I frowned. “The wrong reason?”

“The baby?” she prompted. “I know you love Scarlett, but a year ago, had you been sitting across from us and told us you were getting married, I’d be looking for the cameras and…”

Turning to my father, she asked, “What’s that young boy’s name who pranks people?”

He glanced up and thought about it. “What is his name? Alan? No, wait…Axel?”

“Axel?” I asked in a stunned voice.

“No, that’s not it. It starts with an A, and he’s handsome.”

“I know!” my father declared, “Justin Timberlake.”

“That’s not an A, John. That’s a J. He was in that show about the three little men or something.”

“Alan!”

My mother snapped her fingers. “That’s it! No, wait.”

“Ashton Kutcher, y’all. His name is Ashton Kutcher!”

They both pointed to me. “That’s him!”

Jesus, this was more painful than I’d anticipated.

“This isn’t a game, and I know before Scarlett I was…different.”

Mom raised her brow, smirking. “Different?”

With a chuckle, my father added, “If my memory serves me, the prayer chain called it something else, son.”

I groaned and dropped back in my chair. “Why can’t y’all be happy for us? Can’t you see how much I love her and want to be with her? Having her here on the ranch has made me the happiest I’ve ever been.”

“Sweetheart, I do see it. Honestly, I do. I know you fell in love with Scarlett before you found out about the baby, but don’t deny that you were confused. Your brothers told us you pushed her away for the longest time.”

I made a mental note to get back at each of my brothers for talking to my parents about Scarlett and me.

“I’m not denying any of that. I was messed up, but when it hit me, it hit me hard. I won’t lose her. I’ll fight with everything I have for her whether we’re married or not, and no one is going to stop me from loving her.”

My father walked over to me. I stood and waited for what he was about to say. I was stunned when he pulled me to him and hugged me. After a hard slap on the back, he said, “That’s the man I raised. That’s the man you’ve always been and, the one I always will be proud of. You know your mother and I support y’all in whatever you decide to do.”

“Of course, we will, Trevor. If it’s a marriage you want, by golly, we’ll give y’all a wedding you’ll never forget.”

Dad laughed as he added, “And we’ll even throw in Patches for free entertainment.”

“Yeah, no,” I said, taking a step back. “No Patches. No goats…period.”

“Were you not there when Steed got married? Or Mitchell?” Mom asked.

With a scoff, I replied, “Yes, Mama, I was there. I was there when that damn goat crashed Waylynn’s welcome home party, Christmas, countless dinners, not to mention the number of times I’ve walked into my office and he’s on my desk eating papers.”

Covering her mouth, my mother tried not to laugh, but failed.

“He’d make a lovely attendant in the wedding, Trev,” Dad said, slapping me on the side of the arm and heading out of the family room.

“Wh-what?!” I shrieked like a damn teenage girl. “Mom! Mom, no. No Patches.”

My mother placed her hand on the side of my face and winked. “Baby boy, the only way that goat isn’t going to be a part of this wedding is if you go off to another state. Heck, maybe even another country, like your brother Cord is doing.”

Scarlett walked into the family room, a smile on her face. “What’s John laughing so hard about?”

That was when Mom lost it laughing.

With a chuckle, Scarlett looked from Mom to me and then back to Mom. “What’s so funny, Melanie?”

She laughed even harder while holding her side and heading out of the room.

Holy shit. When had my parents turned so evil? So…cruel?

Scarlett giggled before turning to me. “What’s so funny?”

“Listen, baby, how serious are you about getting married here on the ranch?”

“Serious. I thought we agreed on the ranch. Have you talked to my daddy yet? Is he pushing for somewhere else?”

I shook my head. “No, I’m afraid we’ve got a bigger issue than your father.”

Her brows pulled in tight. “Who?”

“More like what.”

“Okay, what?”

“One word. Patches.”

Scarlett had been living on the ranch long enough to know about Patches’ reputation for being a troublemaker. And he was Chloe’s best friend.

Covering her mouth, she gasped. “Oh no!”

“Oh. Yes.”

I knocked on Steed’s office door and smiled when he looked up.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

With a half-hearted shrug, I walked into his office. “Not much. What are you doing?”