“Why are you looking for me? I don’t need a babysitter.”
“We expected you home hours ago,” said Colton. “With all the scumbags prowling these rodeos, we thought we better save you.”
“I don’t need saving! Go home, both of you!”
She turned to Wade with a look of apology in her eyes.
“Eva, we ain’t leaving you here,” said North, suddenly showing his usual protective nature.
“Wade will bring me home later. You don’t have to worry about me. Not one bit.” She scowled at him with enough venom to make most men cower, and then shifted her body to face the cowboy, effectively cutting them off.
He grabbed North’s shirt and started to walk away. What was he supposed to do? Make a scene for half the rodeo? Normally nothing would stop him, but then again, Eva had never shown such genuine interest in another man. For some reason it struck Colton the wrong way. Maybe the introduction of a love interest would deem Colton and his brother irrelevant. He needed her, and even though she wasn’t his woman, he still didn’t want to share.
“Where you going?” asked North, continually looking back over his shoulder. “Fine, I take it back, I do give a damn. Now let’s go back and get her.”
Colton shook his head. “There’s no point. She’s made her mind in the matter. If she wants that cowboy, more power to her.”
“You trust that piece of shit? Did you see him kiss her?”
“It was just a kiss. Maybe he’s Prince Charming. I don’t know.” Colton had no right to steal any happiness from Eva. She’d been his rock since his dad walked out on them. Without her, he’d never have made it through in one piece. Now she was old enough to move on with her life, to start a new generation of Fords. For years, he’d protected her, coddled her, and kept men at bay. Now she was a beautiful twenty-two year old woman ready to spread her wings.
“He sure as hell ain’t Prince Charming!” North shrugged him off when Colton attempted to steer him towards the trailer.
“As long as she’s home before dark, it’s her life to live.”
****
North was ready to brawl. In fact, he craved it like never before. Pain would be preferable to the ache in his heart. Somewhere along the line he began to see Eva as more than the sweet girl next door. Somewhere along the line he’d fallen in love.
What he didn’t understand was Colton’s sudden disinterest. Their feelings for Eva always mirrored each other’s. Half the time when he’d escape to the Ford house, Colton was already there. They’d come on the trip specifically to keep Eva out of trouble, but instead, his twin was turning a blind eye.
They ate dinner in silence. North watched the sky turn from blue to black, every darkening shade bringing his anxiety to a new level. She still wasn’t back. God knows what that cowboy was doing with little Eva. The thought of his filthy hands on her made his blood boil. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could sit still with his imagination running wild.
He was just about to bolt from his seat when the door to the trailer opened. Cool air flooded the interior and the sound of Eva clearing her throat made every live wire inside him suddenly lose power. He exhaled a nervous breath, glad she was at least home safely.
“Told you I’d be back in one piece,” she said as she hung up her cardigan. “There’s no need to go hunting me down. Seriously.”
She started to climb up into the loft.
“Where’s lover boy?” asked North, no humor in his tone.
“His name is Wade, and he just dropped me off, like a perfect gentleman.”
“That why he had his lips all over you?” asked Colton. His brother was just as unimpressed, even though he’d condoned the behavior.
“Hush you!” Eva slipped under the covers.
“You haven’t eaten,” said North.
“Wade bought me dinner.”
He ground his teeth together, stifling a growl. The sound of that man’s name on Eva’s lips made him see red. If he never heard the name again it would be too soon.
They secured the trailer and turned out the lights before joining Eva in the bed. He tossed his shirt and lay down on his back, staring up at the low ceiling. She was already comfortable, obviously not feeling the volatile energy keeping him awake. He kept as far to his side as possible, the cold wall of the trailer chilling his arm. Every time she shifted in the bed, he tensed.
“I’m cold,” she murmured, cuddling closer to him. The heat of her body scorched his bare skin. In a matter of days, everything changed for him. He wasn’t sure when it happened, but he wished he could go back to the way things were. Uncomplicated.
He tried to get away from her but he was trapped in the tight confines of the sleeping area. He held his breath as she ran her palm over his chest, over and over in small circles. Her touch had always been soothing—not so much anymore.
“What’s wrong with you?” she whispered against his neck. His eyes lolled back in his head. Even her fucking breath was sweet.
“Nothing. Go to sleep, Eva.”
“You’re acting weird, North. Is this because of Wade?”
He decided the cowboy was a safer topic than his changing feelings for her. “I don’t trust him.”
“Why not?”
“Just don’t is all.” He rolled to his side and away from her. It didn’t feel right going to sleep on a sour note, but he couldn’t have this discussion now. Mrs. Ford was the one to teach him and Colton not to speak out of passion. It was always best to confront a person with a level head, after cooling off and replaying the events over in your head. He usually didn’t take the advice, but tonight felt like a good time to start.
“Will you two quiet down,” said Colton.
Eva pressed her body against his back. Why had he taken off his shirt? He needed layers between them—many, many layers.
“I know what I’m doing,” she said in a whisper. “You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I’d worry less if you spent more time with Bessie and Ruby than that drifter.”
“He’s not a drifter.”
“Why you defending him?” he asked. “You act like you’re already an item.”
She kissed his shoulder. “I just want you to be happy for me, North.”
“It doesn’t matter what I think.”
“It does. You’re the one who taught me how to rope a calf, and even though it took me weeks to learn, you never got impatient. You protected me when Jameson’s dogs got loose.” She ran her hand delicately down his arm, her fingers lingering over the raised scars on his forearm. “You bought me a corsage when no boy asked me to prom. Remember when the three of us danced in the rain that night? My dress was covered in mud.”
“I remember.”
“Well those are just examples of why I love you so much. It doesn’t feel right doing anything without your blessing.”
He wasn’t sure he could ever give her what she wanted.
Chapter Six
The following afternoon, Eva went to take care of Bessie and Ruby. She needed to keep up their appearances because the judges would be in town tomorrow morning. Wade was waiting for her in the holding paddock, his hat in his hand as he leaned over the rails. They usually spent time together before she got to work and he had to go practice, but this was the first time the McReed brothers knew about it. They’d walked her to the barn today, and when she looked back over her shoulder, they were both still standing on the periphery. Colton and North looked like hired guards with their arms crossed over their chests.
She didn’t want to disappoint them, in the same way she never wanted to disappoint her father. Their opinions mattered, but she had the idea no man would ever be good enough in their eyes. It was the reason she was taking the reins of her own future.
“Good afternoon, darlin’.” Wade brushed some stray hairs from her face, a lazy smile on his lips.
“Hi.” Her stomach felt sour knowing the twins were watching and disapproving. When she dared to peek behind her, t
hey were gone. She sighed in relief and turned to focus on Wade.
“You alright?”
“I’m fine now. Are we still on for tonight?” she asked.
He worried his lip. “About that, baby doll, I’ll have to postpone. I’m meeting with one of those sponsors from the city tonight. It came up sudden like.”
“Don’t worry about it. It sounds like it may be a good opportunity for you,” she said.
“That’s what I’m hoping.”
She stayed with Wade for twenty minutes before he had to leave for a barrel racing event. Eva collected her grooming supplies and slipped in the stall with Bessie and Ruby. She began to slowly rub circles over Ruby’s coat with the curry comb. Her mind was elsewhere.
What had she really come to Chester for? She’d been seeking something—excitement, freedom, success, love? She wasn’t so sure. Wade was handsome and attentive, but she’d be lying if she said he made her heart pitter patter. She thought true love would hit her like a firestorm and whisk her off her feet. Instead she felt out of place, trying to create something out of nothing. If she returned home without a ribbon or a man to show for her trip, she’d feel like a failure. If she could bring home a cowboy to make her daddy proud, it would be the beginning of a new and better life for her. Or so she believed.
After returning home from the barn, the silver bullet was empty. There was no sign of the twins, only the faint scent of Colt’s musky cologne. In fact, she spent most of the evening alone, no clue where to find Colton or North. It was odd not having them breathing down her neck every minute. It was nice, but in a weird way, she missed their constant meddling.
****
Colton waited for North in front of the local pub. He was late. It was nearing dinner hour, so the place was filling up in a hurry.
When his brother finally made an appearance, he looked worse than shit.
“Where’ve you been so long?”
“I told you I was hauling hay,” said North. He took off his Stetson and swatted some of the dust off his jeans.
“That shouldn’t have taken this long.”
“They asked me to set up a roadblock and make a wall around the petting zoo. Not many of their hired workers can move hay with a forklift.” North shrugged. “It was worth it. I wanted us to have enough money to take Eva to dinner tomorrow night. She likes stuff like that.”
Colton scowled. His brother was acting like a schoolboy in love. “How do you know?”
“Didn’t you hear her voice when she mentioned Wade took her out to dinner? She ain’t used to stuff like that, and she deserves it.”
“Let’s get a drink.” Colton pushed open the heavy wooden door and entered the melee. The place was already packed, and they had to weave their way to the back bar.
He ordered a couple shots for both of them. Colton wanted to forget the world as much as he needed to stay away from alcohol. It was too similar to the nightmare his mother was putting them through, and it all stemmed back to that one asshole. He swallowed his first shot, trying to envision Jess McReed walking into the bar. Colton wasn’t a scared kid anymore, ready to cower under the sight of his belt or fist. He was a grown man, and his father would be a fool to land a hand on him today.
He swirled the dark amber liquid around the second glass, staring at it as he lost himself in his fantasy world. It seemed everything was falling apart around him. He couldn’t help himself, never mind his mother or his twin. His only escape was slipping away like water through his fingers. Any time now and Eva would walk out of his life just like his father did. He thought the pain twelve years ago was unbearable. Losing Eva wouldn’t even compare.
“Set me up again,” he said to the barkeep.
“Take it easy,” said North. “You’ll regret it come morning.”
Colt choked back more throat-burning whiskey before turning to face the crowd, his elbows resting on the bar. “Is that who I think it is?”
Even with a good buzz building up, he recognized Wade sitting at a table near the entrance. He didn’t even hesitate to march over to the piece of shit.
North pulled out a chair and sat backwards on it, inviting himself to the party of two. “You have good taste in women, Wade.” His brother’s tone was anything but friendly.
The cowboy wasn’t fazed. “Just a friend, boys.” He nodded to the buckle bunny to leave, smacking her ass as she sauntered off. “How’s your sister doing, anyway?”
“She’s not our sister, and I imagine she’s off dreaming about you right now.” Colton was seriously pissed off. As much as he hated the cowboy for stealing Eva’s heart away from him, he wanted the best for her. He wanted her happy.
“Look, it’s not going to work out, okay.” Wade tipped his beer bottle back for a drink. He acted as if he was talking about the weather.
“What the hell not? She’s fucking gorgeous. You’d never find a finer woman that her.”
“Exactly. I’m not looking for a wife. She’s lucky I waited on her as long as I did, but a peck on the cheek after nearly a week isn’t going to cut it.”
“You’re a filthy bastard,” said North. His tossed the chair to the side when he stood. “What gives you the right to play with Eva’s heart?”
He shrugged. “Her mother should have taught her about men like me.”
Colton’s blood was boiling. “She never had to worry because she had us. I shouldn’t have let down my guards, especially when you rubbed me wrong from day one.”
He wanted to fight. The alcohol only spurred him on, pushing him to take chances.
“Let’s go,” said North. “I’m done with this.”
If it wasn’t for his twin, he’d be rolling with Wade about now, determined to teach him what happens to men that break Eva’s heart.
He pushed his brother when he wouldn’t stop dragged him away by the shirt. Colton hadn’t realized he was digging his heels against the floor.
“You’re already wasted, Colt. For God’s sake!”
“Don’t judge me. You don’t know what I’m going through.” He unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt, the heat rising up his collar.
“Who the fuck do you think I am? I know everything. You’ve been feeling sorry for yourself ever since dad walked out on us.”
Colton didn’t think, he just acted. He threw a punch at his brother’s face, all the rage building inside him desperate to be expelled. “We have no dad!”
North grabbed his wrist and punched him hard in the gut. Colton bent forward to catch his breath. They fought back and forth, throwing punching, grabbing, and ramming each other without holding back. A bubble of space grew around them. The patrons of the bar hooted and hollered for bloodshed. Little did they know North was his brother and best friend.
“Whatever. Move on. Or am I a fucking reminder to you, too?”
North’s words sobered Colton in a hurry. His brother was going through the same, if not more, pain as him. Their mother couldn’t even look at him when she was high.
They settled into chairs at an empty table, and within minutes, the music resumed and the crowd forgot about them.
“You’ve looked better,” said Colton.
North smirked. “You should have seen the other guy.”
He ordered a coffee, not willing to head back to the trailer in a drunken stupor. His lip was split and his ribs ached, but he deserved it.
“How are we gonna tell Eva?” asked North.
“The hell if I know.” He sipped on his coffee, noticing some girls at the bar checking out their table.
“I didn’t like seeing her with him.”
He shrugged. “It’ll happen one day, North. Maybe not with Wade, but with another man.”
“Why not us?”
Colton tensed. “Don’t start. You know she deserves better than us.”
“Like Wade? I’d never cheat on her, never do anything to hurt her.”
“I ain’t having this conversation,” said Colton.
All he could envision was
Eva popping pills like their mother because he was destined to follow in his father’s footsteps. He wouldn’t ruin her.
“So I have to pretend I feel nothing?”
A couple of women from the bar walked over. One handed a beer to North. “Hey, big boy.”
“You just need to move on,” said Colton, patting his lap. He’d just do what he did best—stifle the pain, put on a happy face, and love Eva like he always had.
****
Eva was about to crawl into bed but knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep. Where were Colton and North? It was way past dark, so they could only be at one place. Neither of them had chased tail like she expected since arriving, so she assumed they were at the local bar. She was tempted to go look for them, but their social life was none of her business, especially when she continually ranted for them to stay out of hers.
She tidied up the clothes left in the sleeping area and cleaned the kitchen, but she couldn’t get the twins off her mind. What if they’d gotten themselves into trouble? It wouldn’t be the first time. Eva finally decided to take a walk around the camp grounds to see if she could spot either of them. She pulled on a warm sweater and slipped on her boots.
Rain fell in a light mist, and the only light came from the Chinese lanterns and bonfires. She hugged herself tighter as she walked to the first trailer. A middle-aged woman was warming her hands by the fire.
“Hi, have you seen the men I’m rooming with lately? They still aren’t home, and I was getting a bit worried.”
“Haven’t seen either of your brothers, sugar. The blond one was by earlier. He fixed my trailer hitch and carried my groceries into the kitchen. Handsome as hell and sweet. If I was younger, I’d be chasing both of them.” She laughed out loud and pulled out a beer bottle from the side of her chair. “Go check the pub. You’ll probably find them there.”
Cowboys Mine Page 5
