One Hundred Choices (An Aspen Cove Novel Book 12)

by Kelly Collins

  “It’s fine. Tie him off, and I’ll get to him next.” All that waited for him was a silent cabin and a canned meal.

  “Thanks, man.” Baz took off like a bullet shot from a pistol.

  Wyatt finished Hellion and put him in his stall before bringing Titan inside the barn.

  “I’m a glorified stable boy.”

  “You’re far more than that.” Violet walked in, sipping sweet tea. He knew it was sweet because she used to bring him one each night after he came in from the range.

  “What are you doing here?” She was a pretty girl, but a girl. “Does your daddy know you’re in the stables?” Trouble came in all kinds of packages. Sadly, this bundle was the boss’s youngest daughter.

  She laughed. “I haven’t called him Daddy for years. And hell no. If he did, I’d have a sore ass, and you’d have a hole in your chest. Daddy,” she said with a hint of sarcasm, “doesn’t leave his shotgun on the porch as a warning. He puts it there because it’s efficient. All he needs to do is lean down and pick it up. It’s already cocked and ready to go.”

  She closed the distance between them. She’d been hot for him since he arrived. On that first day, he’d no sooner saddled his horse when she offered to let him ride her instead.

  The way her cheeks turned crimson made him embarrassed for her. Hearing those words come out of her mouth was like listening to porn recited by Mother Theresa—just wrong.

  “Go back to the house before you get in trouble and get me fired.”

  She inched closer. “Maybe I like trouble.”

  He hopped back. “Well, I don’t. I need this job, so stay away. I’m old enough to be your father.” He was if he’d had her at eighteen.

  She set her hands on her hips. “Hardly. Even if you were, I prefer my men older and with more experience.”

  He bent over and picked up the bucket of water. “Go home, Violet. You don’t ride a bull before you’ve ridden a horse.” He poured the bucket onto the ground, splashing her.

  She sprang back. “That’s a ridiculous analogy. Everyone starts somewhere. Some of us refuse to start at the beginning.”

  He walked Baz’s horse into his stall to get him settled for the night. When he came out, he moved straight toward his truck. “Have a good night.”

  “You’re such an ass, Wyatt.”

  He lifted his hand in a backward wave. “Glad we agree on something.”

  He left the ranch, moving at twice the speed limit. “If Lloyd doesn’t paddle that girl’s bottom, I might have to,” he said to no one. He shook that thought from his head. “Hell, she’d probably like it.”

  It was a thirty-minute drive to where he bunked. Thankfully Cade had given him a place to stay as long as he helped set up the bunkhouse. He was the only one living in the place, but if Cade kept increasing his livestock, he’d need help soon. Maybe he could bring him on board. At least he wouldn’t be risking life and limb each time he went to work. Next time he saw the man, he’d ask.

  When he pulled in front of the cabin, he didn’t go in right away. On days like today, when he felt trapped, he liked to sit in the open on the rock above the pond and count the minnows.

  He was up to ninety-eight when hooves coming from his left broke the silence. Off in the distance, he watched Cade’s horse canter toward him.

  “How’s it going, Wyatt?”

  They didn’t see each other much, but with the days getting longer and the sun setting later, that might change.

  “Good, just unwinding. This is a good place to let the weight of the day fall off my shoulders.”

  Cade swung from his saddle and walked over to sit on a nearby rock. “I used to bathe in this pond.” He pointed toward his tiny airstream trailer. “It’s got everything but a shower I can fit in.”

  Hard to believe he’d lived in the tiny tow-behind. Harder to believe that in a period of a few months, he’d gone from living there to living with the pretty beekeeper.

  “How’s Abby?” Wyatt had seen the two together. Rumor had it that Cade was fire, and she was gasoline, but all he saw was smoldering love. “I see she hasn’t killed you yet.”

  Cade picked up a rock and skipped it across the surface of the water. “I’m her official bear killer, so I have a purpose. What about you? You got a girl somewhere?”

  How long had it been since he’d had a lady in his life? A year? Two? The life of a cattleman wasn’t glamorous. There were long days followed by lonely nights. Most women wouldn’t put up with giving a lot to get a little. At the end of the day, he had limited energy and money to offer. Women in the twenty-first century were looking for more than love. Sometimes love didn’t even enter the equation.

  “Nope. Women are problematic. You don’t even have to look at them, and you get booted off the ranch.”

  Cade laughed. “All Lloyd has left is his five daughters and a son who cooks better than any woman I know.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Don’t tell Abby I said that, or she’ll have me sleeping in the bunkhouse again.”

  Wyatt leaned back and looked at the sky. The sun was setting, and an orange glow lit the horizon.

  “I love it here, but it’s not panning out to be what I hoped for.”

  “Give it a chance. You might change your mind. Small-town life is tough to get used to, but it will grow on you.”

  It wasn’t small-town living that drove him nuts. Small-town thinking did the trick. Working on a ranch where the owner thought he would steal everything, including his annoying daughter, was a challenge. He’d heard how the last foreman took everything, but Wyatt wasn’t that guy, and he refused to pay the price for another man’s misdeeds.

  “Why did you leave Wyoming?” Wyatt asked. He knew Cade came from a horse ranch, although he preferred cattle. Who wouldn’t? Horses were like women. They needed a lot of attention. Cattle went about their day, not caring if you paid them any mind.

  “I left McKinley Ranch because I wanted more,” Cade said.

  “There’s nothing wrong with more.” He wanted more too. He had the skill to run a ranch but never the seniority or the money to start his own.

  “I wish I would have known you were unhappy at Big D’s.” Cade chuckled. It was hard not to when saying the name of Lloyd’s ranch. “I would have hired you here. As it is, someone is coming from the McKinley ranch to help me out. I’m growing faster than expected. It’s too big for one man to manage.”

  “Always a day late and a dollar short.” He blew out his frustration in a sigh.

  “You’ll figure it out.”

  Wyatt sat up and rolled to his feet. “That I will. The only thing I have to figure out today is if I want stew or chili for dinner.”

  Cade’s phone rang. He held up a finger as if asking Wyatt to wait. He answered on the second ring. “Miss me already?” Seconds later, he growled at the phone. “Don’t tell me, Angie is back.”

  Wyatt brushed the dust from his jeans and watched Cade plead.

  “Abby, I swear there’s no one else.”

  Cade looked at Wyatt and lifted his shoulders. “What does she look like?” They both turned to look at the white SUV in the distance.

  Abby gave him an answer that had Cade responding with a cross between a laugh and a choke.

  “Before you shoot her, ask her name.”

  The next thing Wyatt saw was Cade running to his horse. “Holy shit. Close the door and lock it. Tell her I’ve moved.” He whipped the reins around. “Sweetheart, you pegged her right. She’s trouble. Like a seismic ten on the Richter scale. Or a category five hurricane.”

  Cade hung up. “I have to go.”

  “Trouble?”

  “Yes. My sister’s here.”

  Chapter Three

  “Thanks for inviting me in. No doubt your hospitality won’t be popular with my brother.”

  “He doesn’t have a say so. This is my house.”

  “Well, that was a smart move. If I had resources, I’d have a house too, but sadly I’ve never had a permanent place
to call home.” That wasn’t an exaggeration. Home had always been wherever their father worked.

  Abby waved her in. “Come on. He’s on his way.”

  Trinity didn’t know the woman Cade had chosen. She only knew her brother had fallen hard. Abby wasn’t his normal type, but maybe that was the attraction. There was something prickly about her that lay under the surface. Something that felt familiar, as if she’d experienced the same pain. Maybe heartache was universal. In her case, it wasn’t over a man. Not really. This time it was over losing Pride. Not her own, but the mare she’d grown to love. During the trip from Texas to Colorado, she’d thought of at least a dozen ways to torture Blain for his cruelty. When she imagined sticking a cattle prod up his ass, she shuddered and let the thoughts go.

  “Thank you.” Trinity’s heart felt like it was on a horse rounding a barrel with the way it moved inside her chest. She entered the warm and cozy cabin and glanced around. It didn’t have the high-end finishes that made Blain’s feel like a homestead built for Hollywood, but instead looked like a cabin that grew up with the land. “This is lovely. Have you lived here all your life?”

  Abby laughed. “No, but this house and land have been in my family for hundreds of years.” She pointed toward the door. “The Coolidges owned the land across the way, the acreage where your brother is building his ranch, but that’s a long story. It was basically the Hatfields and McCoys, but instead of a pig, it was cattle and water that started the war. In my family’s case, only one person died.”

  In Trinity’s mind or at least her experience, there was little in life to fight for. “That sounds awful.”

  “Tea? I have fresh honey.” Abby pointed to the kitchen table and set the instant kettle to boil.

  “You raise bees, right?”

  “I do, although I’m not sure you can call it raising them. They do all the work, and now that your brother built a fence around the property to keep out other wildlife, there isn’t much for me to do except sit back and wait. Harvest time isn’t until the fall. While they do their thing, I’m learning how to ride a horse and get used to the smell of a T-bone steak in the making.” She scrunched her nose. “I prefer the after product.”

  She couldn’t remember exactly what she’d heard about Abby. None of it came from Cade because they didn’t chat that often. Her brother Luke only called if he needed a woman’s perspective. Most of her insider information came from their father. He was the reason Trinity was taking a chair at Abby’s table. If she didn’t talk to him on the regular, she wouldn’t know anything about her brothers.

  When the pot whistled, Abby brought it to the table and pulled out several canisters of loose tea, a honeypot, and two strainers. The teacups sitting in front of them were the real deal, with saucers and all.

  “You go big for your tea.” Trinity chose the English breakfast tea even though it was evening. Completely skipping over the next few hours and moving straight to tomorrow morning sounded appealing.

  “I love a great cup of tea. What makes it better is a helping of honey.” She took the honeypot and removed the dipper, letting the amber liquid trickle into the hot tea. “You know what goes even better with tea?” Abby asked.

  “No, but I bet you’ll tell me.”

  “Gossip. Fill me in on everything about Cade that he wouldn’t share himself.” She laughed. “Not the dirty details, but the fun stuff about him as a kid.”

  She’d barely opened her mouth when the door flung open, and he stomped inside. The one thing about the Mosiers was they were the calm in the storm until they became the storm. By the look in his eyes, he was building up to be a doozy.

  Trinity rose from her seat and walked over to him. Despite his I’m-going-to-kill you look, she kissed his cheek. “Hey, big brother. I’ve missed you.”

  He pointed to the door. “Out.”

  She shook her head. “Is that any way to greet me? I haven’t seen you in two years.” The last time she’d seen him, Cade and her father were delivering a horse to Wallaby Ranch for Angel. The same horse Trinity had trained.

  Cade looked from her to Abby. “You’re right.” He drew her into his arms and gave her a bear hug. After several seconds, he stepped back, pointed at the exit, and said, “Out.”

  Abby, despite her size, was next to them in a few strides. She stood in front of Cade. “Don’t forget this is my house, and while I love sharing it with you, you don’t get to decide who stays and who goes.”

  Trinity watched her brother get smaller with each of Abby’s words. It was funny how the right person could influence everything.

  “You’re right, sweetheart, but I’m trying to protect what we have.” He turned to Trinity. “She’s a damn hurricane. A reckless tornado. A tsunami. Everywhere she goes becomes her next disaster.”

  Trinity fisted her hips. “Not true. If you ever took the time to weigh the facts, you’d know that listening to others is a waste of time. What’s worse is you never listened to me, and I’m family. We share DNA.”

  He nodded. “I trust the Y chromosome version of the stories over your DNA fabricated tales.” His voice rose with each word. “You don’t get to come here and wreak havoc. I won’t let you put an end to what I’m starting.”

  She growled and stomped her boots. “The only havoc I’ll create is the disappearance of your body. If I were a guy, everything that happened wouldn’t be an issue. Two girls fight over a guy, and he’s a stud. Same thing happens to me, and I’m a whore. It only becomes an issue because I have a vagina.”

  “Not true.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

  Abby stepped back and leaned on the sofa. The smile pulling at her lips told Trinity she was enjoying this sibling argument.

  “It is true. If it wasn’t, how come I was the only one that had to leave when shit hit the fan in Wyoming?”

  “You caused the problem.”

  “Because I was a female.”

  “This isn’t up for debate. Three guys laid down fists over you.”

  “You’re right, but no one asked why; they just assumed I created the issue. I didn’t come here because I wanted to. I came here because I had no other choice.” She hated being forced to crawl back to family. At thirty, she should have been able to care for herself. She was a hard worker and a good trainer, but room and board plus a small monthly stipend didn’t afford her many options.

  “What happened in Texas?” Cade asked. “I thought things were going well.”

  She shrugged. “They were until he fired me.”

  Cade scrubbed his face with both hands. “Did you sleep with him?”

  “You know what? Coming home to family was the worst decision.” She turned to Abby. “You wanted some inside information?” She pointed to her brother. “Look at him. He’d sell me to the Taliban before he took me in.”

  Cade marched toward the refrigerator and grabbed a beer. He popped the top and took a long drink. “If I sold you to terrorists, they’d agree to peace in order for us to take you back.”

  “Fine.” She walked to the table and picked up her purse. She returned to Abby. “Thank you for the tea and your kindness.” She pointed to her brother. “Big animals are hard to train, so I wish you luck.”

  She moved to the door.

  “Wait,” Abby called after her. “Don’t leave.”

  “Abby,” Cade said. “It’s me or Trinity. You choose because we can’t both live in your house.”

  Abby frowned. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Cade, because I love you, but I also know you’ll be okay on your own. I’d like to get to know your sister better.” She looked at Trinity. “You want to stay the night?”

  After spending sixteen hours in her SUV, a bed was all she wanted. But by nature, she wasn’t a mischief-maker. “I appreciate the offer, but I didn’t come here to cause trouble. I’ll sleep in my car.”

  Abby moved quickly to block her exit. “No. You’ll sleep here. Cade can sleep in the bunkhouse.”

  “I what?”

&nbs
p; Abby opened the door. “You heard me.” She pointed toward the porch. “Out.”

  “But Abby,” he pleaded.

  “No buts. I don’t know who you are if you can turn your back on your sister. Family is everything. Seems to me, like you might need to have a night alone to think about it.” At just over five feet tall, Abby poked against Cade’s six-foot frame until he stepped out the door, and she closed it. “Now, where were we?”

  Trinity couldn’t move. She’d never had anyone choose her blindly. Right then, she knew Abby was an ally.

  “Tea, we were drinking tea.”

  “Yes, and you were telling me stuff about Cade.”

  Trinity went back to the table and took a seat. Physically and emotionally drained, her energy faded, and all she wanted was a soft bed and ten hours of sleep. Given that Abby had gifted her with kindness, she was happy to share a few memories. She wasn’t much of a storyteller. She’d learned early on that no matter what she said, whether it was the truth or a lie, no one believed her. The men in her family jumped to conclusions first. If her father had his stories straight, her brother Luke had done the same with his girl Riley when he accused her of being an arsonist. She wondered what Cade had thought of Abby at the start. No doubt, his initial impressions were far from accurate.

  “I’m not much of a storyteller, but I’ve got a few tales to share.” Trinity had Abby laughing by the time she finished.

  “I know he’s afraid of bees, but I didn’t know he feared spiders. He’s frightened of dragonflies too?”

  Trinity giggled. “Yep, he says they’re the scorpions of the skies.”

  “What about you?” Abby rose from the table and dished up the pasta and sauce that was simmering on the stovetop. “What are you afraid of?”

  Trinity sipped her tea. “Never belonging anywhere.” She hadn’t expected to be so open about her feelings. Maybe she let her guard down because she was tired, or maybe it was Abby who made her feel safe to share something personal.

  “You are Cade’s family, and you belong here.” Abby set a plate of spaghetti with meat sauce in front of her. “Eat up, and then I’ll show you where you’re sleeping.”