Lucky in Love

by Kelly Elliott

  “Why not?”

  “Because you obviously think I was checking you out and I wasn’t.”

  His brow rose. “You weren’t?”

  “No!” I practically shouted. I cleared my throat and looked past him, then behind me. Not another car or truck was coming in either direction.

  “Fine, you weren’t checking me out. Now, let’s get back to the tire business. I know you were going to change it, but since you’re dressed so nice, maybe you should let me do it, so you don’t…”

  This time he was checking me out and he made no attempt to hide it. Slowly and in a way that said he didn’t give two shits about me noticing. The heated look in his eyes made my entire body shiver. I hoped like hell he didn’t notice.

  “…Get dirty.”

  My mouth went dry. Oh God, please say that again.

  I forced myself to speak. “Thank you, that’s very kind of you, Truitt. I think I’ll actually take you up on that.”

  His eyes sparkled when I mentioned his name. I wonder if he thought I didn’t remember him. He winked and I quickly looked away. “The spare is in the trunk.”

  “Yep, I’ve got it,” Truitt said, making his way to the trunk of my car. “Pop the trunk, will you?” he asked as he unbuttoned and rolled up his shirt-sleeves.

  “Sure,” I said, keeping my voice calm and unaffected.

  I watched as he moved about easily, getting everything set up and barely using any effort to loosen the lug nuts and remove the flat tire. Good grief, that would have taken me an hour to do, I’m sure.

  “You’ve got a full-size spare, so that’s good. I’d make sure you get this one fixed right away, though. You don’t want to get stuck without a spare.”

  I licked my dry lips and tried not to stare at the way his forearms flexed as he picked up the tire and put it onto the car.

  “I will, thank you,” I somehow managed to say without drooling on myself.

  He glanced up at me and gifted me another smile. I hadn’t forgotten how breathtaking Truitt really was.

  “You have the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen, but they look black sometimes.” I slammed my hand over my mouth, shocked I’d said anything about his eyes.

  Truitt laughed lightly and then started to tighten the lug nuts. My insides turned to jelly as I watched him.

  “I think you were giving me a compliment. I’ve got my father’s eyes. My brother has them, too.”

  With a tilt of my head, I watched him finish up. “Do they have that black rim around the iris as well?”

  He nodded. “Sure do.”

  I stared at him as he stood. Our eyes met and the strangest feeling seemed to come over me. Where had I seen those eyes before? He frowned slightly, as did I.

  Slowly, I shook my head. “Thank you, Truitt.”

  He smiled, and there was no way a girl could ignore how sexy that smile truly was.

  My phone rang just as he was about to say something.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, it’s Ryan. Where are you? I’ll come change your tire. But you realize I’m telling Dad.”

  I let out a nervous chuckle. “Ha! I’m good, I don’t need you to come anymore.”

  “You changed it by yourself? Damn, there goes all my fun.”

  Truitt put everything back into my trunk, shut it, and then lifted his hand at me. “You’re good to go!”

  “Oh…um…thank you! Do I…um…I appreciate it!”

  He glanced back over his shoulder and called out, “No problem.”

  After he jumped up into his truck, he sat there, staring at me.

  “Hello? Who are you talking to? You didn’t change your tire yourself, did you!” Ryan said.

  “Shut up, Ryan! I’m looking at Truitt Carter sitting in his truck looking at me.”

  “Been that long since you’ve had sex, huh?”

  “I hate you. Why is he just sitting in his truck staring at me?”

  My brother let out a sigh. “Well, if it were me, I would probably be waiting for you to get back into your car and safely pull away.”

  “Do you think that’s what he’s doing?” I asked.

  “You could stand there and look like an idiot, or get in your car and save yourself anymore embarrassment.”

  I growled and made my way to the driver’s door, slipped in, and started the car. I put the signal on and pulled out.

  When I glanced into the rearview mirror, Truitt had pulled out, done a U-turn, and headed the opposite way.

  “Yep. That’s what he was doing.”

  “True gentleman that he is.”

  “Thanks for calling me back. I’m surprised you got through, I didn’t have a signal at all.”

  “Yeah, it goes in and out sometimes. How did the interview go?”

  I smiled. “I got the job, but I’ll be working in the ER until they have an opening in the L & D or NICU.”

  “That sucks.”

  “Well, it’s a job, and I won’t feel like I’m living off of Mom and Dad.”

  “Saryn, you know they wouldn’t care. They’re more than over the moon you’re back home and they get to see Liliana more.”

  I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “I know, it’s just, I don’t want to rely on them. You know what I mean. I want to provide for Liliana myself.”

  He chuckled. “I know exactly what you mean. That’s why I don’t live in the main house.”

  “Hey, speaking of. Do you think I could move into one of the cabins that’s set off from the dude ranch?”

  “Why don’t you move into the guest house?”

  I chewed on my lip and remained silent.

  “Oh, I see. Someone wants more privacy, so Mom and Dad won’t see you getting on with your life.”

  Laughing, I shook my head. “Isn’t that why you didn’t move into the guest house?”

  Ryan laughed. “You’ve got me on that one. I wouldn’t get too excited about dating anytime soon. I’m sure half the guys our age remember the warning I put out to stay away from you in high school.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Tim never got the warning,” I pointed out.

  “Tim was an asshole. He didn’t care that I wanted to pound his face in because all he thought about was his dick.”

  “Amen to that. Listen, Ryan, I appreciate the fact that you think you need to protect me and all, but now that I’m back, let’s not put out that warning again. I really don’t want guys afraid to take me out on a date because my brother threatened to castrate them.”

  “I only said that to one guy.”

  “Yeah, my date for homecoming my junior year. He was nice.”

  Ryan made some sort of grunting sound. “Damn, I shouldn’t have said anything. You wouldn’t have ended up with dickhead if I hadn’t scared off that guy.”

  With a giggle, I replied, “You’re probably right. But then we wouldn’t have Liliana right now.”

  “That’s true. Listen, you can stay at any of the cabins if that’s what you want. I think you’ll be more comfortable at the guest house, though.”

  I let out a sigh. “It’s still close to Mom and Dad. I mean, I love them and I’m happy to be home, but I need privacy. Maybe I should just look at renting a house.”

  “If you do that it will hurt their feelings. The guest house is still a good ways from the main house. With the way the trees have grown up between the two, you really are blocked. Besides, Mom and Dad want to see you happy, Saryn. Just take your time jumping back into the pond. The right guy is out there. I promise.”

  “It’s not like I plan on entertaining guys any time soon.” My mind flashed to Truitt changing my tire and I ignored the pull in my lower stomach. “It’s just, do you think Mom will still respect my privacy, being in walking distance and all?”

  He laughed. “Yes. Just tell her, Saryn. If she starts to but in on your privacy, set it straight. Our folks have always been straight shooters.”

  “I just have this weird feeling Mom is going to try and start poking into my li
fe.”

  “Isn’t that what all mothers do? She didn’t tell you not to marry Tim, when the rest of us did.”

  Laughing, I replied, “That’s where you’re wrong. Both Mom and Dad told me not to marry him.”

  “Let’s not deny the fact that they’re right sometimes. Listen, I’ve got to run. I’ll see you at the house tonight for dinner.”

  “Is Miranda going to be joining us?”

  There was a moment of silence before he replied, “Yes. She’ll be there.”

  “Is everything okay with y’all?”

  “Yep. I’ve got to go.”

  Wow, okay. Something was clearly wrong in paradise. The fact that my brother had dated Miranda as long as he had was a surprise.

  “Okay, see ya tonight. Love ya!”

  “Love ya, too, sis. Kiss Liliana for me.”

  The line went dead. I made a mental note to ask my mother if Ryan and Miranda were having problems. I may not want her meddling in my life, but my brother’s life was a different story!

  As I walked into the kitchen, I glanced back over my shoulder at Ryan and Miranda. Something was for sure off with those two.

  I reached for the pitcher of tea, then faced my mother. “Is something going on with Ryan and Miranda?”

  She stopped mixing the salad and looked at me with wide eyes. “Why? What did you hear?”

  I almost laughed at how excited she looked when she thought I had a bit of information.

  “Nothing, they just seem…off.”

  Mom looked past me and through the kitchen door. She nodded. “They’ve been that way for the last month or so. I think she’s tired of waiting for the ring.”

  My brows shot up. “Oh. He’s still not ready, huh?”

  She shook her head. “Not anywhere near it. I hate to say it, but I don’t think she’s the one.”

  “Well, for both of their sakes, if she isn’t and he knows it, he needs to break things off.”

  With a huff, she replied, “Maybe you should tell him that. From what some of the ranch hands have said, they argue a lot.”

  I frowned and looked back out at them. Ryan had just said something that made our father laugh, and I couldn’t help but notice that Miranda rolled her eyes. She acted as if being here was a waste of her time.

  “Do you think she’s only with him for money?” I asked, chewing on my lip and hating that the thought had crossed my mind. My brother and I did get a monthly trust from our grandparents. It was enough that if I wanted to, I could rent a small house and only work part time, which was something I had considered. I really wanted to be able to do things with Liliana as she grew up, like my own mother did with us. Yes, she owned a store and helped on the ranch, but I don’t think she ever missed a single school function or class party. Not one.

  “Honestly?” my mother asked.

  “I wouldn’t except anything less from you, Momma.”

  “Yes. I do. I think your brother knows it, as well, but deep down he cares for her. The girl hates it here on the ranch, though. I think we’ve all known that from day one.”

  I exhaled. “I’ll see if I can talk to him later. If I learned anything from marrying Tim, it’s always go with your gut.”

  “Amen to that,” Momma said with a chuckle.

  The rest of the evening had an awkward feel to it. Miranda seemed to be in a piss poor mood and jumped at Ryan every chance she got. She was cold toward Liliana, and hardly spoke two words to me throughout dinner. I’d met her once before, last year when I had come home for a visit with Liliana. Even then she seemed distant.

  Once dessert was cleared from the table, Miranda stood. “Thank you for dinner, Ryan and I need to be heading off.”

  Ryan jerked his head up and glared at her.

  “Is that so?” he asked.

  She glanced at him with a look that dared him to defy her. I was honestly tired of seeing her treat my brother like this, and was two seconds from telling her to sit her little ass down and knock off the diva attitude. I didn’t have to, though. It appeared my brother had had enough by the way he was glaring at her.

  “Miranda, Ryan offered to help me get the guest house set up for me and Liliana to move in,” I said.

  “The guest house! How lovely!” my mother gushed.

  I looked at her and raised a brow. Instantly, she lifted her hands.

  “Like I told your daddy, I promise to respect your privacy, just like I do your brother’s.”

  Then she motioned with her index finger over her heart, making an x to signify her promise.

  “You didn’t tell me that, Ryan,” Miranda bit out, causing all of us to look at her once again.

  “It must have slipped my mind.”

  She huffed. “Well, I have things to do. We need to get back to the house.”

  “Why don’t you take my truck, and Saryn can drop me off later.”

  Miranda looked at me, frowned, then rolled her eyes. “I’ll see you at home. Thank you for dinner, Evie, Will.”

  And like a leaf on a breeze, she rushed out of the room as everyone stared after her. The fact that she hadn’t said goodbye to me or Liliana hadn’t gone unnoticed.

  “I don’t remember her being so charming,” I softly said as my mother pressed her mouth into a tight line to keep from either saying something herself, or from laughing at my comment.

  “Lord Almighty, that girl needs to remember her place,” Daddy said. “She was downright rude this evening.”

  Ryan sighed and scrubbed his hands down his face, let out a few sounds that made Liliana laugh, then focused on me. “Thanks, Saryn. I really didn’t want to leave with her.”

  I winked at him. “Don’t get too excited, I really do need your help over there. I want to make sure everything is working okay before Liliana and I move in.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, sure. No problem.”

  After Ryan and I helped our mother clean up, our folks took Liliana on a stroll in her wagon while Ryan and I headed over to the guest house, which would soon be my new home. It was a two-bedroom, two-bath ranch-style cottage. It had been remodeled a few years back. It was the second house built on the ranch. The first was a log cabin that was now part of the dude ranch cabins.

  “What’s going on with you and Miranda?” I asked, unlocking and stepping into the cottage. I smiled when I looked around at the pristine house. “Lord, she had it cleaned. It’s like she knew!”

  “Had it cleaned?” Ryan said with a laugh. “Hell, she’s been in here for a week getting it ready for you.”

  I shook my head and made my way over to the kitchen. The cottage was adorable and had always been one of my favorite places on the ranch. The open floorplan was my favorite part of the place. The living room sat to the right side when you walked in. A wood-burning fireplace sat in the corner with the large black metal pipe jutting up to the ceiling. To the left was the dining area, big enough for a table of six. The large wooden table had been made by my father years ago. On the other side of the house was the kitchen. It was an L-shape that went along the walls of the cabin. I gasped when I saw there was now a farm sink with updated faucets.

  “This is amazing!” I said, looking at the freshly painted white cabinets. Along the back corner was a built-in bar with four stools. The floors were made of large oak planks that had been repurposed when my grandfather tore apart a barn that had collapsed in a storm.

  “What made Mom paint the cabinets white?” I asked.

  Ryan shrugged and I leaned against the counter.

  “So? Miranda?”

  He pulled out a stool and sat down. “She wants to get married. I don’t.”

  “Is there a reason you don’t want to?”

  His eyes turned serious. “Yes. I honestly can’t see myself having a future with her. Things were great when we first started dating. Now, well, now she’s talking about moving to New York. She hates the ranch. She hates my job.”

  “New York!” I gasped.

  Ryan rolled his eyes. “Yeah, s
ome marketing firm wants to hire her. It’s great for her and I’m happy, but I have no interest in going. She hates it here, this isn’t the life she wants, so honestly, I don’t see a future for us. She won’t accept it, though, and lately she’s been bossing me the fuck around and I’m getting really tired of it.”

  I nodded. “If it’s over, then tell her it is. Let her move on with her life and you move on with yours.”

  He sighed. “I was going to. Tonight.”

  “Ah, so you’re using me as an excuse to put it off.”

  The corners of his mouth twitched. “Pretty much. Just so you know, I’ve already been through the cottage, everything is working fine.”

  “I know, Daddy told me you had. I figured you needed an excuse to talk to someone.”

  “Thanks. I was going to tell her before dinner, but didn’t get the chance.”

  “Take it from me, don’t settle, ever. If your gut is telling you something is off, listen to it. I sure as hell wished I’d listened to mine. I simply saw someone whom I thought could…”

  I let my words fade away. I had never told anyone about how Truitt had broken my heart. My entire senior year I planned how I would escape Boerne. Each time Truitt came back from college and I’d run into him or see him somewhere, I attempted to ignore him, the ache in my chest never truly fading. The way he would look at me, though…it confused me. So in my mind, Tim had been my knight in shining armor. The man who would sweep me away from my first broken heart.

  “Who you thought could what?” Ryan asked.

  I shrugged. “Heal a broken heart.”

  With that, my brother frowned but didn’t say anything else.

  “You ever going to want to get married again?” he finally asked.

  With a soft smile, I nodded. “Of course. Maybe not anytime soon. I want to enjoy my time with Liliana.”

  “Mom will be upset about that.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Truthfully, I need a break from guys. Tim wore me out with his lies and games. It’s going to be hard for me to trust again.”

  Ryan slipped off the stool and made his way over to me. He placed his hands on my upper arms and smiled. “Saryn, not all guys are dickheads.”

  “I know, but most are.”