by Amber Kelly
I hold her close and kiss her eyes, her nose, her lips until she calms.
Snow starts to lightly fall around us, and the cold air hitting her sweat-slicked skin causes her to shudder.
I stand us up and help her back into her jeans.
“Come on. Let’s get you to the truck before you catch pneumonia,” I say as I gather our stuff.
She wraps her arms around me from behind. “If I do, it will totally have been worth it.”
I lead her back to the shuttle, and we take it to the truck. I wish we had planned to stay at the hotel because the last thing I want to do is drop her back off in town. It feels wrong not to sleep beside her after making her come.
I’ve not been much for sleeping next to a woman, but with Elle, it’s different. I like her pressed against me at night.
We listen to the radio, and she snuggles into me as we drive back to Poplar Falls.
When Luke Combs’s “Beautiful Crazy” comes on, I pull over into the parking lot of an old country store that is closed for the night, and I pluck her from the truck.
“What are you doing?” she asks.
I take her in my arms and start singing the lyrics to the song in her ear as we dance in front of the headlights in the falling snow.
It is a perfect moment with the perfect woman.
It’s definitely time to talk to Braxton.
Elle
After spending the morning serving meals in Aurora, my aunts, Sophie, and I are back at Rustic Peak, and all of us women are helping prepare Thanksgiving dinner while the fellas finish up their tasks for the day.
Sonia drops Walker’s mother off, and she stays to make sure Mrs. Reid is comfortable until Walker joins us.
“Hello, Edith. Come on in and sit down. Would you like a cup of coffee?” Aunt Doreen asks.
“Yes, please. You have a lovely home,” she replies timidly as she takes a seat at the kitchen table.
I pour a mug and hand it to her. “I’m so happy you’re able to join us, Mrs. Reid,” I say.
“Please, call me Edith. Thank you for inviting me. I don’t usually make it out for Thanksgiving nowadays. My son brings me a plate of turkey by and that’s the extent of our celebration.”
“Any family of Walker’s is family of ours,” Doreen assures her.
“Doreen, the fryer is ready for the turkey,” Emmett calls from the back door.
“Elle, can you take the pan on the stove out to the men?” Aunt Ria asks.
“Yes, ma’am.”
I take the wrapped bird out to Uncle Jefferson and Emmett, who are managing both the fryer and the smoker on the back deck. They always take care of the turkeys, and the aunts always take care of the hams.
“Here you go. It’s been prepped and injected with the marinade, so it’s ready to go,” I tell Emmett as I pass it off.
“Perfect. Would you mind going and telling Walker to bring some more wood around for the fire?”
“Sure. Where is he?” I ask.
“Should be finishing up in the calving barn,” Uncle Jefferson answers.
The calving barn is a heated, closed confinement barn for calves born either in the winter or early spring before the temperatures get high enough. Calves need a warm, dry, and well-ventilated environment to thrive. Rustic Peak’s calving barn is more than large enough to accommodate the births from the new herd, but the guys upgraded the wood stove and added new vents and ductwork to make sure they have adequate heating once they open up the other side.
I walk past the main barn about a hundred feet and enter the back of the calving barn.
I see Walker with his shirt off, bent over and adjusting the front grill of the wood stove, which is ablaze. The muscles on his sweat-slicked back flex and contract as he works.
Everything about him screams strength. It’s so damn attractive.
“Nice,” I say as I approach.
He stands and looks over his shoulder at me. “Don’t ogle me, woman. I’m not a piece of meat, here just for your viewing pleasure.” He smirks.
I continue to move toward him and plant my hands on his back.
“Fuck, your hands are cold,” he says.
I slide them around him and up his rigid stomach.
“I know. I need you to warm me up,” I say as I kiss his salty skin.
He turns to face me. “I can definitely do that,” he says as he picks me up, and I wrap my legs around his hips.
He laces his hands into my hair and bites at my bottom lip. I squirm in his arms.
“You’re all sweaty,” I squeal.
“You should have thought about that before you came in here to tease me,” he says before taking my mouth with his.
He kisses me thoroughly before breaking away.
“Uncle Jeff and Emmett wanted me to ask if you would bring more wood up for their fire when you finish up in here.”
“I can do that.”
“Sonia just got here with your mom. She’s in the kitchen, having coffee with my aunts.”
“Does she seem okay?”
“Yep. Maybe a little nervous, but we are a lot to take. She’ll get used to us,” I tell him.
“If she starts having a difficult time, come get me, okay?”
“I will.”
He kisses me again. “You’ve got to go. You’re too damn distracting. I’ll never get this done,” he says before dropping me to my feet, turning me around and gently pushing me toward the door.
I look back at him. “Fine. I was just about to take my shirt off, too, but …”
He growls and starts to stalk after me.
I sprint to the door and swing it open just before he makes it to me.
“Nope, back to work!” I demand.
“You’re just plain ole mean, woman.”
I blow him a kiss and head back to the house.
The feast before us is simply amazing. The aunts have been cooking and baking for three days straight. Every single Thanksgiving staple is on the table. I load a plate with turkey and dressing, cranberry sauce, potatoes and gravy, and a fresh yeast roll.
Pop says grace, and he gives thanks for the food before us, the hands that prepared it, the bountiful season the ranch had this past year, and for the family and the friends who are like family that are sitting here today, including our new friend, Miss Edith.
We all say, “Amen.”
When I open my eyes, I see the joyous smile on Walker’s mom’s face as he helps her reach the sweet potato casserole in the center of the table. Sonia left to go home to her family when Walker finished up for the day and joined his mom.
He has been so attentive to her the entire evening, and she basks in his attention.
By the time dessert is served, she is chatting and laughing with my aunts and uncle and reminiscing like they are old friends. I can see how much it means to Walker to see her thriving. Sonia has done a wonderful job with her.
“Ria and I will be starting our holiday shopping in the morning. We usually ride out to Aurora to take part in some of the Black Friday sales they have. You are welcome to join us if you would like, Edith. I can pick you up after breakfast, and we can have lunch at Dottie’s place afterward,” Aunt Doreen offers.
I can see the hesitation on Edith’s face as she considers it.
“I think I would enjoy that,” she finally answers.
“Wonderful. We’ll have a lovely afternoon,” Aunt Doreen assures her.
Walker is obviously shocked she accepted.
“Are you sure you’re up to it, Momma?” he asks.
“Of course she is.” Aunt Doreen waves off his concern. “What woman isn’t up for a day of discounted shopping and eating pastries? We’ll take good care of her. Don’t you worry for a second.”
“That’s right. We will have a fun girls’ outing,” Edith agrees.
Walker gives Aunt Doe an appreciative nod.
After we finish eating, the men send the women to the living room to chat and relax while they clear the table and
load the dishwasher.
Once everything is done, Walker and his mom say their good-byes.
“You’ll meet us at Fast Breaks in a bit, right? You promised Charlotte,” Sophie asks him as she gives him a quick hug.
“Yep. After I get Momma settled at home, I’ll come straight there,” he says.
I give him a hug next.
“You coming out tonight?” he asks.
“Yes. Sonia, Ricky, and Bellamy are meeting us too.”
“I’ll see you then.”
Walker
Everyone has shown up tonight, and it’s like old times. Even the two pregnant women are full of energy and spunk tonight.
We play several rounds of pool. Shit-talking each other the entire time. Of course, Dallas and Charlotte kick my and Myer’s asses every game. Dallas should have been a pool shark. She’d have made a killing against unsuspecting men.
“That baby had better be a boy, or I’m in big trouble. One dominant redheaded female is more than enough in one house,” Myer says.
“If God has a sense of humor, both you and Braxton are going to have little girls who look just like their mommas. It would sure be fun to watch you two in their teenage years when all the boys come sniffing around,” I tease.
Braxton frowns. “She won’t date until she’s at least twenty-five years old, and any little horny jerk shows up at our door before then will be met by my shotgun.”
Dallas stops mid-shot and turns on him with fury in her eyes.
Uh-oh.
“That is some serious bullshit, Braxton Young. Let some stupid redneck pull a shotgun on Beau when he comes to pick his daughter up for a movie. I won’t do a thing to scare his little girl, but I’ll be there the next time to shove that gun up his ass,” she declares.
Braxton offers an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Dallas. I wasn’t thinking about it the other way around. Shit, I guess either way, boy or girl, watching them grow up and letting them go is going to be hard,” he acknowledges.
“At least you’ve had practice with Elle,” Myer offers.
“Ha! He’s failing miserably at the letting-go part with her,” Sophie adds.
“I’m trying,” he huffs.
“You are, baby; I’ll give you that. No shotguns were pointed at Brandt when he came to pick her up. It is an improvement,” she says before leaning up for a kiss.
Elle looks gorgeous tonight, and I’ve had to sit on my damn hands most of the evening to remember I can’t reach out and grab her and pull her into my lap. Especially when she becomes tipsy and I catch her looking at me with heat in her eyes.
It’s a special kind of torture to watch men come up and ask her to dance or offer to buy her a drink while I have to keep my cool. This jealousy thing is foreign to me, and I’m not good at keeping it tucked in.
The girls are on the dance floor now. Every time Elle shimmies to the music, her breasts bounce, and the guy dancing beside them keeps peeking down the low-cut shirt she’s wearing.
Payne comes up, and under his breath, he reminds me to watch my expression. “Walk, man, if you don’t stop looking at that boy like you’re about to break his neck, you’re going to give yourself away.”
“That woman is going to be the death of me,” I tell him.
“You really have it bad, don’t you?”
I look him in the eye. “Worse than that,” I admit.
“Damn, I didn’t know it was like that,” he says.
“You think I would have gone there with her if it wasn’t like that?”
He grasps my shoulder and gives me an approving nod before Braxton walks up beside us.
“I think I’m going to corral Sophie and get her home. She’s going to be miserable in the morning when that baby wakes her up with so little sleep,” he says.
“You guys lasted till midnight. I’m fucking impressed. Get your woman and get out of here,” I tell him.
He walks to the dance floor to get his wife.
Dallas walks over to us as they leave. “Oh, goodness. I think I’m going to have to tap out, too, you guys. Where’s Myer?”
“He’s finishing up his last game of pool with Ricky,” I tell her, and she heads back to the pool tables.
Elle stumbles off and to the restroom with Bellamy.
“Are you guys taking Elle home?” I ask Sonia as she passes me, heading to her man.
“I don’t know, am I?”
“Let me ask her,” I say and head toward the hall that leads to the restrooms.
She comes walking out, and I grab her around her waist and pull her back into the hallway.
“Hey,” she breathes when I get her into the corner.
“Hey, baby.”
Before I can even get my question out, she wraps herself around me and pulls my head down to kiss me.
I guess I’m not the only one who’s been having a hard time keeping my distance tonight.
I back her up against the wall and kiss her deep. Our tongues wrestle, and I get lost in the taste of whiskey, honey, and Elle.
I tear my mouth from her and tell her, “Let’s go. You’re in my bed tonight.”
“The hell she is!” I hear Braxton’s angry voice behind me.
I turn to see him standing there with a furious and shocked look on his face with Sophie behind him.
He takes two steps and swings.
Elle and Sophie both start to scream.
“What the hell is going on?” Myer says as he comes flying toward us.
Braxton throws another punch and catches me in the jaw.
Payne gets to us, and he wraps his arm around Braxton.
“There are women in here, trying to get to the restroom. Take this shit outside,” he yells and jerks Braxton as hard as he can, dragging him out of the hall.
Myer turns to me. “What is happening?”
I ignore the question as Sonia, Bellamy, and Charlotte make it to us.
“Get Elle,” I bark at them and follow Braxton and Payne out the front door.
“Braxton, man, I didn’t mean for you to find out this way—” I begin as soon as we make it to the sidewalk.
He breaks loose from Payne and barrels toward me. He ducks and power-drives his shoulder into my ribs.
We stumble into a car and then out into the middle of the parking lot. He takes another swing, and when his hard right hand makes contact with my cheekbone, I can hear the crack.
Fuck, that’s going to hurt like a bitch tomorrow.
Then, he lands another fist to my chin.
I spit blood out to the side, and I keep my hands up in a defensive posture, but I don’t fight back.
“Brax—” I start again, but he doesn’t let me finish before he rears back and swings once more. This time sending a left hook into my rib cage and knocking the breath out of me.
I grab my side. “Shit, I think you broke one of my ribs,” I groan.
“Good. Let’s see if I can break another one,” he says as he shoots another powerful punch into my kidney.
I double over in pain. He backs up a step.
“Get up,” he yells.
“Brax, I’m fucking sorry,” I try to get an explanation out.
“Sorry? It’s Elle, Walker. My baby sister,” he roars.
“I know, man.”
“I promised my father as we laid him to rest that I’d always look out for her.”
I look up at him. “I know that.”
We hear the door swing open, and several bodies start to swarm around us.
“How could you? She’s not some bar fly for you to get your rocks off with, you son of a bitch. She’s better than that,” Braxton shouts just as Sophie calls out his name.
Her arms come around him from behind. He jerks around, ready to throw his anger into whoever is at his back. She flinches for a second, but he stops short when he sees it’s her.
“Baby,” he breathes, “go back inside.”
Elle bursts through the crowd with Sonia on her heels.
“Where
is Walker?” she yells as she takes us in.
Then, her eyes find me, and she gasps and runs to my side.
“Oh my God, are you okay?” she asks as she heads into my arms.
“I’m fine,” I tell her, trying to ease her panic.
She gently swipes a drop of blood from my split lip, and her eyes fill with tears as she swings around and advances on her brother.
“What is the matter with you?” she spits angrily in his direction.
“Elle, this is between him and me,” Braxton says through gritted teeth.
His eyes shoot daggers at me, and if looks could kill, I would be laid out in a pool of blood at the moment.
Elle makes it to him and pounds her fists into his chest as she continues to scream at him.
I reach for her to calm her.
His voice booms into the space between us, “Do not touch her.”
“Stop it. We didn’t mean for you to find out about us this way, but you can see why we didn’t tell you in the first place,” she shouts.
He looks down at her. “Us?” His eyes shoot back to me. “She thinks you’re an us, you son of a bitch. How long has this been going on?”
I look him in the eye. “A while,” I say on a defeated shrug.
He tries to charge at me again, but Sophie tugs at his waist, and Elle throws her weight into his chest as she cries out. Payne and Myer rush from the side and block him.
“We’re done, you hear me? Don’t show your face at Rustic Peak again,” he sneers.
Elle’s head jerks up. “You can’t fire him because of me,” she yells.
He looks down at her, and pain crosses his face as he takes in her tears.
“We care about each other. I’m sorry you found out like this, but if you calm down, we can all talk about it,” she pleads on my behalf.
“He doesn’t care about you, Elle. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself,” he says.
“Yes, he does,” she declares as she looks over her shoulder at me. “Tell him, Walker.”
He shakes his head and steps to her. She gives me a puzzled look before she swings her head back in his direction. He places his hands on either side of her face. His eyes go soft as he lands the next blow, and it hurts more than a broken rib could.
