Kaden & Keegan (The Walkers of Coyote Ridge Book 9)

by Nicole Edwards

  “Did it hurt?” a deep voice bellowed from behind her.

  Bristol’s gaze shot to Bianca, hoping for some sort of warning as to who it was. She got nothing.

  She cautiously turned to see a man standing behind her. He was tall, relatively good-looking, more so if he would’ve kept his beard trimmed. He wore a black Resistol hat, a buckle the size of Montana, and a gleam in his dark brown eyes. And that gleam seemed to be pinned right on her … cleavage.

  “I’m sorry?” she asked, confused.

  He had the decency to look at her face when he said, “When you fell from heaven, sugar? Did it hurt?”

  Oh, brother.

  Forcing a smile, Bristol turned back to her friends. Unfortunately, they merely stared at her, waiting to see what would happen next. She knew they were enjoying this, probably a little too much.

  There was a tap on her shoulder. With a sigh, Bristol peered over her shoulder again. “Yes?”

  “Can I buy you a drink?” the man asked, seemingly not at all bothered by getting the cold shoulder.

  Bristol held up her wine. “I’m good but thank you.”

  “Perhaps you’d like somethin’ a little stronger,” he suggested.

  Still wouldn’t make me go home with you. Bristol shook her head. “I think I’ll stick to my wine, thanks.”

  Again, she turned back, just in time to see her traitorous friends giggling.

  When the man’s hand landed on her arm, Bristol found herself jerking away from him, frowning. She hadn’t given him permission to touch her, and nothing pissed her off more than a man who couldn’t take a hint.

  “How about a dance?”

  “No, thank you,” she said as politely as she could. “I’m not here to dance tonight. Just to hang out with my friends. But thank you for the offer.” Her polite tone was quickly fizzling.

  Bristol turned and gave the man her back again, hoping she wouldn’t have to punch him.

  “Persistent, isn’t he?” Bianca asked with a fake smile.

  None of her friends were amused anymore. The man’s ignorant determination had put them all off.

  “Can’t take a hint, either,” Kayla added under her breath.

  It was times like these when Bristol wished there was a gay bar in Coyote Ridge. A place a woman could go simply to hang out with friends and not have to worry about men trying to pick them up. That was one thing she loved about hanging around the Walkers. Every one of Curtis and Lorrie’s sons was married, so Bristol had the opportunity to relax, chill with friends, laugh and joke without worrying about someone hitting on her.

  Not that she considered herself some royal beauty or anything. But it was inevitable around these parts. Figuring the ratio of men to women was somewhere along the lines of four to one, it was almost a given that at least one would hit on her.

  “Hey, there’s a table opening up. Let’s grab it,” Bianca stated, taking Bristol’s arm and steering her away from the bar. Kayla, Jamie, and Adeline fell into step.

  When she realized they were moving toward Kaden and Keegan, Bristol held her breath, prayed Bianca wasn’t going to do something to embarrass her.

  Luckily, her friend was making a beeline for the table near the wall, a few feet away from the group of men who seemed caught up in what appeared to be a relatively serious conversation. As Bristol slid into her seat, she made the mistake of glancing over just in time to see Kaden and Keegan were both looking her way.

  Neither of them appeared happy.

  Bristol immediately turned away, glancing over at Bianca and Jamie, who had taken seats across from her. Thankfully, Adeline moved a chair to the end of the table, blocking her view of the twins, while Kayla pulled out the chair beside Bristol.

  “Remind me why we came here tonight,” Jamie prompted when she got settled.

  “Because Bristol needs some adult conversation,” Adeline said simply. “Isn’t that why we always get together?”

  Bristol laughed. It was a brittle sound, but hopefully not noticeable. It was true. She definitely spent more time with the under-five set than anything, which meant adult conversation was lacking in her life. When she wasn’t at work, or volunteering to babysit for someone, she was home alone, usually binge-watching whatever television drama was popular. This month, she found herself hooked on Riverdale.

  It wasn’t the most glamorous life, but Bristol couldn’t complain. She had a thriving business, lived in a small town she loved, had great friends. She didn’t dwell on the fact that she was single. Well, mostly. There were definitely times she got lonely, especially when she thought about her dad. Ever since he’d died seven years ago, Bristol had felt the hole he’d left in her heart and her life.

  “We do have one thing to celebrate,” Bristol announced, aiming for something positive.

  “The auction?”

  “Nope.”

  It was clear Bianca was doing a mental skim to figure it out for herself.

  “Kayla’s gonna come work with me,” she said, purposely not using the word for.

  “Really?” A grin broke out on Bianca’s face. “That’s fantastic. What brought that on?”

  Bristol could see the blush already creeping up Kayla’s neck. She never did want to be the center of attention.

  “She got her degree,” Bristol announced, wanting everyone to be as proud as she was.

  Bianca and Jamie squealed, then there was a round of hugs and congratulations for Kayla. When everyone settled, another round of wine was being brought out and Bristol felt a little lighter than she had.

  Bianca cleared her throat. “So, about this auction…”

  Annnd then it was gone.

  “Ooh.” Jamie leaned in closer. “Can I just say, I am so ready for this. I’ve been saving up.”

  “Me, too,” Adeline said. “For two whole months.”

  “Did you finalize the list?” Bristol asked Bianca. “Did Cassius agree?”

  Bianca’s smile was blinding. “He did. I’ve got all ten.”

  Jamie gave a dreamy smile. “I know exactly who I’m gonna bid on.”

  “CJ,” they all said at the same time.

  Jamie’s face flamed red, which made the rest of them laugh.

  “Oh, come on. We know you’ve been moonin’ over that man for ages,” Adeline teased. “I can tell you, I don’t think he requires payment to go out with you.”

  More laughter ensued.

  “And you, Ms. Bristol?” Bianca asked pointedly. “Have you been saving up to make a play for a couple of hot cowboys? Mouthwatering twins, perhaps?”

  Hoping she succeeded, she kept a neutral expression on her face. “I will not be bidding. I know it’s for a good cause and all, but I’m strapped for cash right now.”

  “I could always give you a loan.” Bianca leaned in. “If it’ll help you seal the deal.”

  “No deal to be sealed,” she insisted, bringing her wineglass to her lips.

  “Oh, come on, you—”

  “Bianca, stop,” Bristol bit out, feeling that sudden emotional storm brewing in her chest.

  Her friends went stone still, all eyes pinned on her.

  She managed a few deep breaths, downed the rest of her wine, and addressed them. “I’m just not interested.”

  It was written plain as day on Bianca’s face: her best friend didn’t believe her.

  *

  Bristol damn sure wasn’t dressed for comfort tonight, Kaden thought as he caught a glimpse of her sitting at the table with her friends. No, she was dressed to kill, clearly looking to draw some attention. The question was, whose attention was she hoping for?

  Not theirs, that was for damn sure.

  From the moment she’d stepped into the bar, he’d been hyperaware of her. Which was likely how he knew she was avoiding them at all costs. He was tempted to think she was there to torment them, and from the way her glossy pink lips pulled back in a smile as she continued to talk to her friends, she was damn proud of herself.

  Forcing him
self to look away, he caught sight of Keegan, who continued to glance her way the same as he was. But there wasn’t interest or curiosity on his brother’s face. More like disdain and … he was tempted to say hatred, but Keegan didn’t hate anyone. Well, except the two women they’d thought they were in love with at different points in their lives. Keegan definitely hated them.

  What Kaden needed to do was to get Bristol alone, to talk through what happened last night and figure out where to go from here. He was a problem solver, a mediator. Surely with a little coaxing, he could get this thing between them back on track.

  Why not now? he wondered. Bristol was here, he was here…

  Never one to pass up an opportunity, Kaden started to push his chair back but came up short when Keegan put a firm hand on his forearm.

  “Don’t you dare.”

  That was more than hatred he detected in Keegan’s tone. It was lethal. Definitely a warning and not a request.

  Confused, he stared at Keegan, saw the pain his brother was so desperate to disguise.

  “It’s done,” Keegan stated firmly.

  The hell it was. Not if he had anything to say about it, but Kaden knew when to leave well enough alone. They were all still shaken by what had happened, the intensity of last night. That encounter had been more than merely sex. It had been … different. Amazing, sure, but there’d also been a connection he’d never felt before.

  They’d never been with a woman who was with both of them at the same time. And he wasn’t talking in the literal sense because they’d physically shared every single woman they’d ever been with. Yes, even fucked a woman in that very same manner plenty of times over the course of their lives. But they’d never had a woman as completely committed to both of them the way Bristol had been. Throughout the encounter, she’d maintained a connection with them both, never singling one out and leaving the other behind.

  Like he said, it had been different.

  And he wasn’t willing to let that go. However, leaving it alone for a few days would give them time to cool off.

  Kaden settled back into his chair, took a deep drink of his beer.

  While he listened to CJ ramble on about shit going down at the firehouse, Kaden kept an eye on Bristol. That outfit she was wearing was enough to turn every cowboy’s head in the county. From the chocolate-brown dress to the boots on her feet, she looked like a dessert every straight man wanted to indulge in. It both turned him on to see her dressed like that and pissed him off because he knew she hadn’t dressed up for them.

  “Hey, cowboy, why don’t you go ask her to dance?”

  Kaden took a swig of his beer, glanced at Rafe Sharpe, then realized he hadn’t been talking to him but rather to his twin.

  “I will as soon as you ask the waitress to dance,” Keegan countered.

  “Is that a dare, Walker?” Rafe smirked, though his eyes had hardened.

  “No,” Kaden interrupted. “It’s not a dare. And you two idiots are gonna sit right there and drink your beers. No makin’ fools outta yourselves tonight.”

  “Too late for that,” Jaxson said with a laugh.

  “You either, Briggs,” Kaden snapped.

  A round of laughter erupted. Never failed with this bunch. Kaden was always trying to keep Keegan in line. Add in a few other knuckleheads and it became infinitely more difficult.

  “Rumor has it you boys are gonna be up on the auction block with me and Jaxson tomorrow,” CJ noted, evidently feeling the tension.

  “That does seem to be the rumor,” Kaden confirmed, forcing himself not to look over at Bristol.

  “Scared of the competition?” Jaxson joked. “We could wager. Which one of us’ll bring in the most money.”

  “You’re on,” Keegan said. “Most money and the hottest chick.”

  “You’re a pig,” someone said.

  Keegan snorted and Kaden knew this was a lost cause. His brother was going to act out in an attempt to move past what was going on. He didn’t necessarily blame him, but he damn sure wasn’t looking forward to the ride. God only knew where it would land them.

  His thoughts drifted to one of his recent conversations with Keegan. More specifically, when he’d admitted to Keegan he was still looking for something more than a horizontal romp with a sexy female. As usual, Keegan had shrugged him off. He knew his brother was still hung up on the fact their history with women and serious relationships sucked balls. The two women they’d thought would be love everlasting had turned out to be a waste of time and energy. Didn’t mean they were doomed forever, did it?

  After all, he considered himself a fairly reasonable man with a good head on his shoulders. He could read people relatively well and he knew when to cut and run. With Bristol, he couldn’t help but believe that day hadn’t come yet. There was still a chance with her.

  Maybe that was wishful thinking, but whatever. Kaden wasn’t the sort to let the past dictate his future, no matter what Keegan believed.

  Truth was, Kaden had never considered Bristol a one-nighter. How could he? She was too damn sweet for that shit. He’d honestly believed she was looking for something more. Last night’s quick escape had told him otherwise, but it wasn’t something they couldn’t work through.

  While Kaden definitely saw potential with Bristol, it wasn’t only about him. Never in his life had he thought about settling down without his brother in tow. Most people wouldn’t understand, but Kaden had never felt the need to explain it. He had no desire to do so now, either. Not even with Bristol.

  More than once since he’d met her, Kaden had fantasized about settling down here in this small town. Every time he did, his thoughts included images of Bristol with them. The three of them. Together. And now he had a serious dilemma. The woman he was falling in love with and the brother he would never turn his back on were at odds with each other.

  When the conversation at the table shifted to upcoming events at Alluring Indulgence Resort, Kaden found himself tuning out, his attention drifting over to Bristol.

  It was then he realized she was no longer there.

  Chapter Eight

  When Keegan woke on Saturday morning, it wasn’t with a hangover, thank God. He hadn’t stayed out too late, hadn’t spent the entire night playing GTA or Forza, but he was still moving slowly. He figured he could attribute it to mood, and he was bound and determined to put his best foot forward.

  The first thing he did when he woke up was call Curtis. His uncle had been surprised to hear from him, but not surprised by what he’d inquired about. Then, after a few minutes, they’d agreed that the three of them would stop in to see Jeremiah Tucker after church on Sunday. In the meantime, his uncle promised to call the man to let him know Keegan and Kaden were interested in buying his ranch.

  No doubt about it, Keegan was excited about the prospect. It seemed he’d waited his entire life for this opportunity. He damn sure didn’t want it to pass him by.

  As for why that didn’t brighten his day completely, he refused to think about.

  Last night, Kaden had been the solemn one, suggesting they go home shortly after he realized Bristol had left. Keegan hadn’t noticed. Sort of. He’d tried not to, anyway. But he’d caught bits and pieces of the girl spat that had taken place at Bristol’s table. Evidently, her friends were giving her crap about something and Bristol had decided she’d had enough. Shortly thereafter she left.

  When his brother suggested they go to her house, make sure she was all right, Keegan had politely declined. Bristol was a big girl; she could handle herself. If she needed help, she would know to ask someone. As far as Keegan was concerned, what they’d had or the potential for what they could’ve had was over. His fault, of course. But that didn’t change the outcome of where they stood.

  It was for the best. Keegan could accept relationships weren’t his thing. He’d invested too much time in them only to end up being the odd man out. He wasn’t willing to risk it again. One-nighters were more his style. Nothing to get hung up on, no one to leave
him wanting.

  Last night at the bar, Keegan had considered asking Kaden to give the population of lovely ladies some attention, but he hadn’t been feeling it, either. So he’d taken his leave when Kaden did, come home, and hit the sack early. Because of that, he’d woken early, which left him plenty of time to psych himself up for…

  Oh, right. Today was the auction. That was certainly something that would brighten his mood.

  They were going to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. To some eager woman if they were lucky. He tried to think about which ladies he knew in the area who were single. There were quite a few, but when he tried to think of his options, there was only one he could come up with. Her name was evidently seared into his brain.

  He considered finding paper and a pen, jotting down names of women who would be a viable option as far as distractions went, but decided that was a complete waste of his time. He had much better things to do like…

  Fuck.

  Midafternoon finally rolled around, giving Keegan an excuse to get out of the house. They decided to come to Walker Park—yes, it was officially named after the founding family—a little early, giving them time to chat with their random family members—aunts, uncles, cousins, even their sister was there—and check out the variety of fun and food being offered by the many people set up throughout, before the festivities got underway.

  As soon as they got there, Kaden said something about checking in with someone. Keegan hadn’t been paying all that much attention, too taken by the sights and smells of the fall festival. Admittedly, he loved this event although he wasn’t sure why. Could’ve been the haunted house or the trick-or-treaters who were donning costumes and getting candy from the people selling their wares. Or maybe it was the aroma of apple pie and funnel cake that lured him.

  The moment he saw Kate with her mom and one of her dads, Keegan’s smile returned in full force. He sauntered over, said hello to Kylie and Gage, then gave Kate a light punch on the arm.

  When the girl smiled up at him, life was instantly better. He’d been waiting for this day, for Kate to return to a semblance of her normal, smiling self. She wasn’t quite there yet, but it was certainly progress.