Greyson (Cloves County Cowboys Book 1)

by Amelia Shea

  “Good morning, Mr. Fords.”

  His response was a dip in chin before he turned away and headed down toward the barns. At least he acknowledged her…that was something.

  She knew from what Grey said his parents were old-fashioned. He mentioned it bothered his mother none of her sons were married yet. However, Britt had a feeling she was not the vision Mrs. Fords had in mind for a daughter-in-law.

  Britt was determined to make the most of the dinner and push aside her doubt that making the Fords like her was an impossible task.

  Thankfully, Sarah had been there, but even she seemed a bit distant. They hadn’t spoken much since the girls’ night out. She was trying to engage her in conversation. “How are things going?”

  Sarah’s shoulders slumped. “I’m feeling bad about the night at the bar.”

  Britt nodded. She was secretly relieved Sarah was feeling remorse. The way she treated Kellie was unacceptable. She placed her hand on Sarah’s arm. “We all have our bitchy moments, trust me, I’ve had plenty.”

  “I just don’t want her to be a problem for us, you know?”

  Britt dropped her hand as she tilted her head. The way she referred to Kellie as her sounded a bit suspicious. Maybe she had misread Sarah’s apology.

  “No, actually, I don’t know.” Britt crossed her arms. “Why would Kellie be a problem? You just said you felt bad about how you treated her.”

  Sarah jolted back, widening her eyes. “No, I didn’t. I’m sorry for the way we left things. I didn’t do anything wrong when it comes to her. Kellie has brought that on herself. The way she carries on with all the guys.” Sarah shook her head in disgust. “Ask any guy around here and he’ll tell you all about her.” Her nasty snicker irritated Britt.

  Britt glared at Sarah. She felt the need to stick up for Kellie. It seemed her reputation was all anyone focused on. From the minimal interaction she had with the waitress, she liked her. Maybe she did sleep with a lot of men, maybe she did have a sugar daddy somewhere. There were plenty of ‘maybes’ but one thing was a definite. Kellie’s personal life was none of Britt’s business. And certainly none of Sarah’s, who seemed to be sitting high on her pedestal right now.

  “Go on, ask Tripp,” Sarah said.

  Her hand tightened around her glass and she gritted her teeth. Had she really misjudged Sarah? Where was the sweet, kind country girl? There had to be a reason Sarah held so much disdain for Kellie. Whatever it was, it was Sarah’s issue, not Britt’s.

  Britt sneered. “I won’t be asking jackass’s opinion or anyone else’s, Sarah. I don’t let others dictate how I feel about someone. Call me old-fashioned, but I think actually getting to know someone is better than listening to people’s bullshit rumors.” She threw back her glass, gulping the harsh liquid down her throat. The burn was instant as her nostrils heated and her eyes welled.

  What the hell was she thinking when Mr. Fords offered her whiskey? She coughed. Someone patted her on the back, and she turned to meet Jasper’s gaze.

  “You all right?” he asked, his eyes showing obvious amusement.

  She cleared her throat, wishing away the burn. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.”

  “You want me to get you some water?”

  “No, I’m good.”

  “A getaway car?” he whispered.

  Britt giggled. “No, but I might take you up on the offer later.”

  Jasper chuckled through his smirk. She didn’t know him any better than the rest of the family, but unlike Sarah, she knew her first impression of him was spot on. Jasper was a good guy and possibly her only ally in the Fords family.

  She seized the opportunity to change the subject, asking him about the new stock their ranch acquired from the last auction. Jasper didn’t miss a beat and spent the next ten minutes chatting with her. Somewhere in that time Sarah had left the room, which was a sense of relief. She was grating on her last nerve.

  While Jasper spoke, she could see Mr. Fords heading toward them. Thankfully, he didn’t have another drink in his hand. The thought of having to drink more whiskey made her stomach churn.

  “Dinner will be ready shortly,” he said.

  “Is Grey on his way?” Jasper asked.

  “He’ll be here soon, I gather. First priority for Greyson has always been the land.” He narrowed his eyes at Britt. “Always will be.”

  Where the hell is he? Grey! Help!

  When Grey finally did arrive, freshly showered and looking amazing, she gave him a smile, so relieved he was there. Her smile faltered when she saw who walked in after him. Joanne. Why is this bitch everywhere?

  Britt scowled and turned her attention to Grey, who came straight for her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed her. It was quick, but it put her nerves at ease. For the time being at least.

  “Is she your back-up date in case I decide to bail on dinner?” Britt asked.

  Grey snickered and lowered his head to her ear. “You jealous?”

  “Should I be?” Britt pulled away slightly, but Grey didn’t let her get very far.

  “I’m teasing you. You’ve got nothing to be jealous about. There’s only one woman I want. You bail from dinner and I’m coming with you, darlin’.” He nuzzled her neck with his nose and growled. “You’re never getting rid of me.”

  She smiled. Perfect answer, cowboy.

  Now here she was, hiding out in the bathroom.

  After dinner, everyone made their way outside and Britt excused herself. She was hoping this was the wrap-up to the Sunday family dinner. She was now plotting different ways to get out of coming to any future meals with the Fords family. Tripp, his date, and Joanne didn’t hide their dislike for her. The three of them had spent the entire dinner snickering like assholes at the end of the table. She caught a few glares Grey was sending them, but they continued with their childish antics.

  His parents were cordial, but she wasn’t getting the warm fuzzy feelings she had hoped for. Winning them over would be a battle. A very long battle.

  “Hang in there, this has got to end soon,” she whispered to her reflection in the mirror.

  Unlocking the door, she walked down the small hallway. Voices coming from the kitchen made her pause. Great. She heard Tripp, his date, and Joanne laughing. Gearing up, she started forward a few steps. She would just ignore them, walk outside, and find Grey. She was at the point of feigning illness to get the hell out of there. It was the most rational plan. Her other option probably wouldn’t end well. During dinner, she had been seconds away from jumping across the table and punching Tripp and Joanne. Definitely stick with the “sick” plan.

  “I don’t know, Tripp, he seems awfully smitten with her.”

  Britt stopped, sensing this conversation was about her and Grey.

  Tripp’s nasty laugh echoed through the room. “No fucking way he’s into her, not for real. Look, Jo, he may be reaping the benefits of his duty, but Grey is not smitten with a smartass bitch, like Britt. Trust me, he’s just buying his time, priming her, schmoozing her. He knows what the end goal is.”

  End goal? What the hell was this dipshit talking about?

  “I don’t know, Tripp.”

  “Trust me, this plan has been in place since that fucking bitch decided to keep our land and not sell. Hell, ask Jasper, he was there. The only thing Grey wants from her is Gracie Point. He marries her, he’s fifty percent owner. Then, he’ll make her life a living hell. Trust me, after the ‘I dos,’ come the ‘fuck yous,’ and she won’t know what hit her. He will make her so miserable, I give her a month of taking shit before she packs up and goes back to where she came from.”

  Britt heard the gaggle of laughs. She leaned back against the wall. There was no way Grey would do something as cruel and calculated as Tripp just described. Use her to get her land? The idea was ridiculous. It sounded like a bad movie plot from the fifties. Tripp was spewing bullshit. She stood in the hall with her mind racing. Marry her? Her heart pumped a bit faster. It had seemed strange he was ta
lking about marriage and kids so soon into their relationship. She may have brought it up the day at the waterfall, but he was on board with it. Maybe too on board? A sudden dread washed over her. Doubt. Could what Tripp was saying be right?

  Doubt marred her thoughts. Grey did seem to do a one-eighty, going from hating her to relentlessly pursuing her, fairly quickly. Everything between them seemed to be moving at a rapid pace. They had become almost inseparable. Was it just a scheme?

  The beads of sweat formed over her forehead and her skin prickled. A foreseeable sense of dread washed over her.

  “Then maybe Grey and I can get back to where we left off, too.” Joanne’s voice rang in her ears. What the hell was she talking about?

  Britt could feel the blood drain from her face. Joanne and Grey? It made no sense and it made perfect sense. She swallowed hard, feeling the taste of bile come up her throat. A wave of nausea ran through her as her entire body heated.

  “Trust me, Jo, I bet he can’t wait to be rid of her. I’d say by this time next year we’ll be toasting Grey’s divorce.”

  Britt felt her face grow hotter and her body shake. No way, this was bullshit. She needed to find Grey. Even as she muttered the words in her head, the doubt was still there. Find Grey. She found her balance and marched into the kitchen past the three assholes, refusing to make eye contact. She heard the gasps and Joanne muttered, “Oh shit.”

  It was as though her body was on autopilot.

  She opened the door with too much force, swinging the door wide. It slammed back against the house, drawing everyone’s attention. She didn’t even flinch. She only had eyes for Grey as she stalked to where he sat in a chair between Sarah and Jasper.

  Grey’s eyebrows cocked, concerned and confused. Welcome to the fucking club, Grey. She stopped a foot in front of him and balled her fists. He started to get up.

  “Tell me he’s lying.” She almost didn’t recognize her own voice. It didn’t display any emotion she was feeling. Her doubt of everything she thought they meant to each other was shielded.

  Grey’s head shook slowly. “Tell you who’s lying? Darlin’, what’s wrong?”

  “No darlin’, Grey. I need you to tell me everything I just heard from your brother is bullshit.” Her voice was surprisingly calm.

  She couldn’t control her heated face, her erratic heartbeat, or even the shakes taking over her body. But she could mask her voice. Maybe it came from the small ounce of hope she held onto. Grey would tell her Tripp was full of shit. He has to.

  Grey looked at Jasper, who looked equally confused. She heard the footsteps from the doorway. Good, now everyone is here and we can get everything out. She knew in her heart this was all bullshit. It had to be. Grey couldn’t be faking what they had just to get her land. It was crazy. She was going to expose Tripp for the lying bastard piece of shit he was.

  “She heard me talking, Grey.”

  Britt whipped her head back to Tripp, who was standing with his date and Joanne. They all looked uncomfortable, which had her second guessing her doubt that what Tripp said may just be true. Her nails dug into her palms. She blocked the self-inflicted pain while scowling at all of them before turning her attention back to Grey.

  “Talking about what?” Grey asked. His tone changed from concern to the edge of anger.

  “About a little plan you all had. You getting with me to get my land. Tripp said you all got together, planned a scheme of marrying me for my land.”

  “What?” Grey stood up. His face had paled and a queasy feeling ran through Britt. She watched him turn to Tripp, glaring.

  “What is she talking about, Tripp?” Mr. Fords rumbled from behind her. The sound made her wince. It wasn’t really a question but more of an accusation.

  “I didn’t know she was there.”

  The soft whisper of Mrs. Fords was barely audible but Britt heard her. “Oh dear God.”

  Britt kept her stare on Grey. His face changed, the rage evident, and his tanned skin turned a dark shade of red. She was waiting for his denial, but he didn’t say a word. Glancing down at Jasper, she saw a look she could read, and instantly her stomach dropped. Guilt.

  It was like a slow-motion movie. Britt turned to see the faces of everyone around her. His parents appeared to be clueless about the situation, but there was no mistaking the anger on Mr. Fords’ face or the worry on Mrs. Fords’. No one said a word. The guilt was evident on the faces of all three brothers. Her heart dropped. It was as if someone sucker punched her in the stomach. Her breaths were short and her eyes welled up with tears. He set her up, they all did. Her eyes traveled between everyone, landing on Sarah.

  “Did you know?” Her breath hitched as her throat closed up.

  Sarah shook her head with pity. “No, Britt, I swear.”

  The first tear fell down her cheek. Not bothering to wipe it away, she turned to Grey and whispered, her voice cracking, “You set me up.” She peered around the yard to Jasper and then Tripp. “All of you set me up.”

  Grey moved toward her and she immediately jumped back. He stopped and opened his mouth to speak but she shook her head. “It was a lie. All of this was a lie.” She motioned between the two of them, tears running down her cheeks. She’d never felt a cut so deep. His betrayal was causing her a physical pain; a sharp, shooting stab in her chest. She reached for her chest, trying to ease the sting.

  “Britt…let me explain, it’s not what you’re thinkin’,” Grey pleaded. His eyes held remorse. He wanted to explain, but he wasn’t denying it.

  “You planned this. From the beginning, you planned it all. This is how you were going to get the ranch, all the land. This way, you didn’t need me to sell. If you married me, it would be yours.”

  “Greyson, tell her it’s not true.” Mrs. Fords’ words were a plea to her son. Even Britt could hear the doubt in her tone.

  Nausea crept inside and her head got heavy, and she swayed backward. Grey came at her quickly, but halted when she looked him in the eyes. Her fury penetrated him and her breathing grew heavy. She glared daggers at him with her fists clenched. He backed up, never looking away from her stare. While her eyes were laced with anger, his displayed guilt.

  “Please just let me explain…” She had never seen Grey this way. The lines between his brows embedded deeply. The stress in his heavy-lidded eyes. He looked like a man who knew he was about to lose.

  “Did you have a plan?” Teeth gritted together, tears streamed down her face.

  It was dead silent. For all the noise that naturally came from the outdoors, she heard nothing. Grey’s body was tense and her gaze flickered to his chest. His shirt pocket moved with every rapid beat of his heart.

  “Answer her, Greyson.” His father’s scornful demand was a combination of anger and shame. It was confirmation of what he and Britt both knew. Tripp was not lying.

  “It wasn’t like that…” Grey turned to glare at Tripp. “And he knows it.”

  “Grey. Did you talk about it, getting with me for the land? Don’t you dare lie to me. What he said.” She pointed back to Tripp. “Did that happen?”

  Grey put his hands on his hips and bowed his head, his answer barely audible, but she heard it. “Yes.”

  With one word, her heart shattered into a million pieces. She stumbled backward, but strong hands saved her from falling. She slowly looked over her shoulder to see Mr. Fords. He was silent as he glared at Grey.

  “I need to go,” Britt whispered, staring at the grass beneath her feet.

  Mr. Fords patted her shoulder. “Sarah, can you drive Britt home?”

  “Yes, come on Britt.” Sarah touched her arm gently. She almost forgot Sarah had been there. Her touch was meant to be soothing, but Britt pulled her arm away. She didn’t want anyone to touch her.

  She had a sudden burst of energy or misplaced rage, she wasn’t sure what it was. All she knew was she had to get out of there, get as far away from Grey as she could.

  “No.” She backed away.

  She ru
shed past Grey, his hand reaching out and grazing her arm.

  “Britt, please.”

  She didn’t stop, pushing past Tripp and Joanne, who parted quickly to let her pass. She ran through the house to the living room. She couldn’t remember where she left her bag. She twisted her neck, scanning the room. Her tears made it impossible to see. She was prepared to leave without it. All she wanted was to get as far away as possible from Greyson Fords.

  “Sweetheart?”

  She looked up to see Mrs. Fords by the front door, holding her pocketbook. The look of disgrace on her face was clear. Britt bowed her head as she made her way to the door. She didn’t want to see her pity. Aside from Britt’s anger, she was humiliated. Her tears streamed down her face, embarrassed she could have been so stupid to believe anything Grey had said to her.

  “Thank you,” she muttered.

  Mrs. Fords gave her the purse and lightly grasped her hand. Britt couldn’t look up.

  “Sweetheart, let me drive you back home, please.” Britt looked up to see Grey’s mother. “I won’t say a word. You’re very upset, understandably, let me take you to the ranch.” Her concerned stare brought up something else in Britt’s head and an ache in her heart. Mrs. Fords was being a mom, worrying about someone else’s child.

  Britt took a deep breath. “I’ll be fine, but thank you.”

  Grey’s mom rubbed her thumb over Britt’s knuckles and let her go.

  Britt rushed through the doorway and down the porch steps. Slamming the door to her car, she started it up. She heard her name shouted. She knew it was Grey, but she tore out of the driveway at full speed.

  »»•««

  When she had stormed back into the house he tried to go after her, but his father blocked him. There wasn’t a man alive Grey respected more than his dad, but he was tempted to push him aside to get to Britt.

  “I have never been more ashamed of you three boys as I am at this moment,” he shouted. “What, in God’s name, were you thinking?”

  “Ask Tripp, this was his asinine scheme, not ours,” Jasper muttered.