“Sunny took her to the movies. I was waiting for them to come back to go home.”
“I told you so.” Monty chuckled as he glanced at Miles. “Bet you money, they’re at Clay’s cabin right now.”
“My truck is over there.” Clay pointed to his F150 parked in the same place it had been all night. “Besides, she’s my cousin not my sister and if they wanted alone time, I’d just let ‘em have it.”
“How ‘bout I tell my daddy that,” Miles threatened.
“Uncle Henry don’t scare me none.” Clay laughed.
“Fine, I’ll tell my mama.”
“That escalated quickly,” Clay said as his eyes widened. “Seriously, why you gotta bring Aunt Loretta into this? That’s just mean.”
“Look,” Miles snapped. “It’s bad enough that Parker boy is asking to buy land with no damn money—”
“Wait, what?”
“You know,” Monty said. “He went to our dads and Walt and asked if he could buy that plot by the south pasture to build a house.”
“No, I didn’t know.”
“Walt said you voted yes,” Miles said.
“Of course he did, because asking me my thoughts would have been too much huh?” Clay scanned the door to the Hard Root. “Hey, will you two stay here and bring Sunny and Mel home?”
“Oh yeah, we will.” Monty smiled.
His grin made Clay nervous, but he was more concerned about the fact he’d been shut out once again, from a major decision. Worse than that, voted by proxy. He wasn’t at school anymore, that power was taken away from Walt over a year ago.
“Clay,” a female voice called.
“Damn it what?” he snapped before realizing Savannah had been standing by the door of the Hard Root. “Sorry, what do you need?”
“Nothing, I’m sorry to bother you.”
Clay took off and caught her before she could get through the door. “You’re not bothering me, my family is.” Clay whipped his head a bit toward Miles’ truck which was parking. “You know about asshole family members right?”
“A bit.” She smiled and turned her head down before cocking it to the side.
For a wonderful second, he caught sight of her light colored eyes.
“I just wanted to say thank you for earlier. With Patty. He’s—”
“Don’t. I can see where both of you are coming from.” Heat and proximity to her had Clay’s head swimming. He wasn’t sure if it was her perfume or shampoo but he wanted to breathe her in and the need to feel her next to him had never been so strong. “But he went too far.”
“Guess Carolyn was right about the guys around here. You jumped up right quick when she got near.”
“Last thing I need is to have buckshot pulled out of my ass.”
Savannah’s eyes did a little scan of Clay’s body and he instantly sucked in his gut.
A light laugh that was days overdue flowed from her lips. “I better get back in there. First day and all.”
“Right,” Clay said as he stepped closer and his hip touched her side. “Sorry, ‘bout that. Just not sure the protocol here.”
“Why does there have to be a protocol?” she asked as she reached up and stroked his cheek. “Life never seemed to have a road map for me.”
The touch of her hand scorched his cheek as he nuzzled against it. Should he lean in? Does she want more? Was she just saying thank you? Fuck! She confused him more than any other woman he’d ever known.
“Can horses only be rode in the daytime?” she asked as her hand slowly traveled down his chest and settled on his belt.
“They can be rode anytime, but they’d be confused if I woke them up for a ride at three in the morning.”
“How about six?”
“You’re going to wake up at six after working until three?”
“Probably won’t go to sleep. You think I could come by after work?”
“Sure.” Clay swallowed hard. “But I don’t live at the main house. How about I pick you up after work?”
“It’s a date.” She gave him a light peck on the cheek and disappeared into the Hard Root.
Clay stood there dumbstruck. The hard smack on his back jolted him back to reality.
“Who’s the hottie?” Monty asked.
“Savannah, the new bartender.”
“As if I didn’t need another reason to come here. You call dibs or is she up for the taking?”
“You know I don’t call dibs, if she wants you, all the better for me.”
“Sweet, just making sure I’m not getting sloppy seconds.”
“I thought you liked those?” Clay kidded his cousin with a history of dating married women.
“Those aren’t sloppy they were abandoned at the peak of freshness. After you, it’ll be sloppy.”
“It only feels sloppy because I’m twice the man you are,” he retorted with a grin.
During the drive back to the ranch, Clay tried to stay focused on the task at hand. He’d been shut out once again. How many damn times did Walt think he could pull this shit? True, he probably wouldn’t have opposed Sunny moving onto the Long Ranch, hell he’d grown up there too, but still it would be nice to be asked. Then there was the need to whip his truck around and make sure Monty didn’t score any points with Savannah. Why did he act like she didn’t mean anything to him? Because he barely knew her? Maybe, but more than likely, it’s because he wanted to know everything about her. He needed to. It ate at him in a way he’d never felt before. What was it about this dark haired vixen?
“Walt!” Clay bellowed as he burst through the door, only to be answered by a high-pitched cry from Quinten and scolding look from Tina.
“Clayton, did I do something to you lately? Have I not been the best sister-in-law you’ve ever known?” Passing Quinten, who had the sleepy eyes, yet angry that he’d been woken up, to Clay she threw up her hands. “It’s bad enough your brother’s as useless as tits on a boar, now you have to wake up the baby. I’m going to bed, you better find a way to calm down your nephew.”
Clay immediately started rocking the fussy child who began fighting sleep. At least, he wasn’t demanding to have his mother. Rocking Quinten back and forth while he rested on Clay’s chest, he hummed a lull-a-bye. Maybe this is what he needed. No matter how mad he was at his brother, holding his nephew tamped down his anger enough that when Walt came through the door, Clay was still rocking back and forth, but was ready to calmly discuss the betrayal.
“I heard you’ve been talking to the Winston bastard,” Walt said as he examined his son and offered to take him off Clay’s hands.
“I wouldn’t if I were you,” Clay growled.
“He’s my son.”
“What do you think I’d do with him? Toss him out a window? Steal his right to the land he’s worked from the day he was born?”
“This has nothing to do with Quinten, does it?”
“And we thought you were the dumb one of the family.”
“Fine, what did I do to you?” Walt seethed. “Everyone thinks I know what the hell I’m doing here, but I don’t. I’m just as lost as all of you.”
Clay covered Quinten’s ears and bounced a bit more. He gurgled, but didn’t rouse. “Then how about asking for my opinion on things? You know that whole we’re a democracy bullshit.”
“I’m lost,” Walt said as he did take Quinten this time and they both went to the nursery to put him down.
“Is that because you’ve made so many decisions without me, you just can’t remember?” Clay bit out in a harsh whisper.
Quinten fussed a bit when he was placed in his crib, but he was officially out.
Walt shoved Clay out the door and slowly closed it before walking into the kitchen. “Now, I’ve been out working all damn day,” he said as he opened the fridge and peered in. “Funny, I don’t remember seeing you for the last five hours when a quarter of the herd started acting up.”
“Don’t try to distract me with work talk. When did you all vote to sell Sunny’s
land?”
“That’s what you’re mad about?” he asked as he pulled a beer from the fridge along with a plate of food Tina must have wrapped up for him. “He’s working it off in trade. Plus, it’s Mel’s anyway since he’s gonna marry her.”
“Sunny is marrying Melody?”
“He hasn’t asked her yet, but yes he is. Uncle Henry figures he’ll tell him next month at JT’s wedding. It’ll take me that long to figure out the paperwork if not longer, since I don’t have any damn help around this place. What? You wanted to say no? Even if you do, majority already gave it to him.”
“Am I a shareholder in this ranch? Yes or no?” Clay asked as plainly as he could.
“Of course, you are.” Walt placed his food into the microwave and started it up.
“Then how ‘bout you clue me in a few things going on here.”
“Well, a quarter of the herd came down with something. Doc Carlisle says it’s the same thing Winston’s had.”
“That why you were askin’ about Savannah?”
Walt ran his hand over his face and leaned his back against the counter. “Patty has been talking to me about selling the land.”
“It’s not his to sell.”
“I’m aware of that, but at the same time, it might be. If Conrad made the decision to set up the living trust for Savannah under false pretenses, then it can be contested. Plus, he says she acts like she’s never heard about it before.”
“That’s what she told me.”
“See, that doesn’t make sense.”
“Why not?”
“Because in order to set up a living trust, a copy has to be mailed to the beneficiary. There’s no way she didn’t see that paperwork. Pat said Conrad set it up over three months ago.”
“Doesn’t mean she got it, just means it was mailed.”
“It feels wrong to me,” Walt said as he took out his plate and sat at the table.
“Why does it matter to you? And the bigger question is why would you want to buy the Winston’s Ranch?”
“How would you feel if some random person showed up claiming to be my daughter and demanding our ranch?”
“You can’t compare the two,” Clay replied as he leaned back on his chair, so only the back two legs were on the floor.
“Okay, then claiming to be dad’s kid. Is that better?”
“We worked the land, unlike Patty and the rest of the Winstons. That’d be like JT coming down here after selling us his part and saying wait, Quinten can’t have rights to the ranch.” Clay rocked forward crashing the chair down with a thud. “You can’t compare the two. Since when do we care how another ranch does business?”
“Since I want the land.”
“Why? Did you want it when Conrad was alive?”
“No,” Walt answered with disgust as he pushed his mashed potatoes around the plate. “Things change.”
“What changed?”
“Tina has threatened to leave me. Take the kids somewhere she feels is safe, but really she needs something more. To feel like she’s contributing.” Walt shoveled food into his mouth.
“Oh, so you’re getting more land to be around less? That’s genius,” Clay mocked.
“No, Federated would rent the land and set up either a wind or solar farm.” Walt’s face contorted as he swallowed a piece of meatloaf. “She could be the manager.”
“Clean energy, sounds like a Tina the hippie type of thing.”
“See why I need that property?” Walt asked as he pointed his fork at Clay. “This girl, Savannah, you think you can get in good enough to find out what she’s planning and if she actually has a claim? You do that for me and I’ll make your life a living hell and include you in everything concerning this ranch. Maybe put that damn degree of yours to good use.”
Chapter Six
By eleven, Carolyn placed her hand on Savannah’s shoulder and looked her straight in the eye. “Fuck the health code, take off your shoes and tomorrow wear boots. Just watch out for broken glass.”
“There’s a special place in Heaven for you,” Savannah said as she kicked off her shoes and dropped down, so she was at Carolyn’s shoulder.
“Damn, you’re short.” She laughed. “And I know that’s why God is keeping me here, he doesn’t want to give up his view.”
Savannah happily moved around behind the bar, by closing time she’d made over three hundred dollars in tips. If that were a typical night, she would clean up here. With her heels hooked on her fingers, she walked out to see Clay sitting on the back of his pickup.
With the tailgate down, he had a small spread of junk food laid out on a blanket. “You look beat, you sure you wanna ride a horse in a few hours?”
“I’m flying, but I do need a change of clothes.”
“Not sure I could help you, besides getting you a shirt.”
“That’s okay. I haven’t done much unpacking and my car is over there.” She hopped up on the tailgate and dug into the bag of chips. “This is nice, what did I do to deserve this?”
“You not only got a job, you rocked it. Figured you should celebrate and something tells me there won’t be a banner waiting for you back at home.” Clay looked off for a moment. “Wherever that may be. Did you earn enough gas money to leave?”
“How did you…?” Savannah tucked her head, then gripped the edge of the tailgate. “That obvious huh?”
“The Hard Root is usually a last stop, not the first. Plus, you were surprised when Carolyn actually gave you an application. Kind of a permanent thing and it was obvious, you weren’t wanting that.”
“I did get gas money, but I think I’ll stick around.” Savannah kicked her legs as they dangled off the end of the truck. “This place is growing on me. And the tips are good.”
“Plus, you have a warm bed.”
“That is a bonus, but I think there are other reasons to stick around.” Savannah’s heart beat faster, afraid she’d said too much. When Clay was around it was as if she could do anything in the world. It didn’t make sense to her, they’d spoken a handful of times, but he was strong and that strength had a way of transferring to her. It’s not like she’d never been around a strong man before, but he had a quiet strength.
“I’m glad. So, you ready to head to my cabin?”
“You think my car will be safe here?”
“Probably, you can follow me if you want. That way, you won’t be trapped.”
And there it was, laid out for her in the best way possible. “For some reason, I think you’d take me wherever I wanted to go, without a second thought.”
Clay hopped off his tailgate, then placed his hands on her hips to help her down. When he lifted her up and her feet were dangling in the air, she wrapped her arms around his neck not wanting to find the ground. He lowered her, slowly, very slowly and their eyes stayed locked. Their lips were a breath away but he didn’t force a kiss. Instead, he looked at her. Stared at her.
She wanted to turn her eyes away, but couldn’t. When her bare toes hit the ground…for the first time, she didn’t want to run. Instead, she pressed her body tight to his and tucked her head against his chest then rested her hand on his belt. His hand ran over her hair and her breathing slowed.
“You good?” he asked sensing the shift in her behavior.
“Don’t talk,” she absently said while moving her arms around his waist and held tight.
He didn’t speak.
Now, the silence surrounded her and took away the thousand voices that had been plaguing her for a week. His hands seemed so large as they stroked up and down her back until she felt herself fade away.
A shuffling noise roused Savannah as she reached for a second pillow and pulled it to her chest. The smell was that of a man and she feared the worst. The last thing she remembered was standing in the parking lot at the Hard Root. Now, she was in a slightly lumpy bed, holding a pillow scented with a man’s cologne. Not just any man, Clay’s cologne.
Her eyes shot open as her brain came alive. Fu
ck, she felt comfortable with him, but didn’t she do that shit all the time! Pick a guy, only to have him be a full on skeez. Tossing back the covers, she prepared to search for her clothes only to find she was fully dressed. Still in the black pencil skirt and white button down shirt. Now wrinkled to the point, dry cleaning might be necessary. On top of an old dresser sat her heels from hell and through a window, she saw a stream cutting through the dry land.
Stumbling at first, she found her feet and wandered through the foreign place. The simple bedroom had a queen size bed, a beat up dresser with drawers’ half open containing clothes in various stages of being folded. In the corner was a basket of clean clothes and boots were lined up against the wall. On a nightstand a lamp sat with four upturned horseshoes soldered together as the base. An old fashion clock showed it was just after six.
“Ready for your ride?” Clay asked as he poked his head in the doorway wearing only a towel wrapped tight to his not so trim hips. The tell tale V was there, but he was a few abs away from a six pack. Definition was there, just not the deep cuts, then again he wasn’t flexing in an attempt to impress her. Instead, he stood with a firm chest and bulging biceps. They were only bulging because he had a coffee cup in one hand. “I think Mel might have forgotten a pair of jeans here when Sunny was staying out here. And like I said, I can give you a shirt, just grab one from the dresser.”
“What happened last night?” she asked.
He sipped from his cup and answered, “Let’s see, you passed out cold and I put you in my truck.” He walked into the room and dug through his drawers until he found what he needed, only to walk across the hall to a second room. “You snore by the way, at least when you’re flat on your back.”
“We didn’t…?” Savannah followed Clay who tossed his outfit onto a bed that was smaller than the one she slept in. “You know?”
“I tried necrophilia once, because hey, what young man with an active sex drive and no people skills does, but it left me with little satisfaction.” He winked at her. “I like a girl who moans in pleasure not snores from complete boredom. What can I say? I’m an ego maniac.”
The Last to Know Page 7
