It was never a secret that his brother Bear dreamed of owning the sprawling nine-hundred-sixty-acre ranch complete with the farmhouse. Bear had spoken often about what he’d do if he ever got the chance to buy it. The second his share of the money hit his account, he’d contacted a real estate agent. Sixty days later, Wyatt’s brother was the proud owner of the ranch two hours northeast of Amarillo.
Bear grinned as his gaze swept the foyer. “Yep, it took the whole year and a lot of work, but it’s done. Everyone is spending Thanksgiving through New Year’s here this year so we can prepare for the wedding. Nothin’ like a good dose of family bonding, right?” He chuckled.
“Well, with a house this size, it sure won’t feel crowded during the holiday family get-togethers.” Wyatt wasn’t sure if he liked that or not. There was something about being jammed into a home too small. What were the holidays without a little forced togetherness?
Bear nodded. “Yeah, well, I wanted this to be a place where we would all fit, especially since it’s a thirty-minute drive into town. This way, everyone can plan to stay for the weekend if they want to.”
Wyatt had to give him that. It would be nice not having to traipse back and forth between places. “I bet Mom and Dad love it.”
They’d tried hard to get their parents to claim the lottery money with them, but their dad wouldn’t budge. He wasn’t taking money from his children. It was the father’s job to provide, not the other way around. Stubborn old mule.
“They do. I just wish they hadn’t been so pig-headed about claiming the money with us.”
Of course, he and his siblings hadn’t let their parent’s refusal to take some of the money keep them from paying everything off. Not only had they paid their parents’ debt off, but Amos and Pauline Fredericks’s too. Family was family, after all, and the Fredericks were like family too. At least, that’s what they all thought.
“Is that Wyatt?” his sister called.
Carrie Anne had FaceTimed him the night before to tell him about her exciting news. Wyatt met her at the first-floor stair landing and swooped her into a hug. “I can’t believe my baby sister is getting married!”
Carrie Anne laughed as he set her back down. “What can I say, I found my guy.”
Israel was a good guy, too, a straight arrow, and there was no doubt he loved Carrie Anne. “Yeah, I guess he’s okay. I’m surprised he didn’t wait until Thanksgiving dinner and ask you in front of the whole family.”
“He got the letter, set the dinner up with Mom and Dad, and asked. I couldn’t and wouldn’t say no.” Her eyes glittered, and it warmed him to see his little sister so happy. At the same time, it put a spotlight on how lonely he was.
With as much as he traveled for the rodeo, it wasn’t fair to start something he couldn’t finish. Plus, that kind of stress never helped a relationship grow. In town one minute, gone two months in a row. That was no way to figure out if you could start a life with someone. He’d learned that lesson the hard way with his last girlfriend, Lori Edwards.
“Am I the last one home?” asked Wyatt as Bear joined them at the foot of the stairs.
“No,” Bear said, shaking his head. “Hunter and Josiah will be here tomorrow.”
Carrie Anne turned to Wyatt. “That reminds me. Gabby’s flying in tomorrow, and I promised I’d find someone to pick her up. Would you mind doing it?”
“Gabby?” She was his little sister’s best friend, like a second sister to him. He hadn’t seen her in years. Most of the time when their families were going to visit her, he’d have an event coming up and couldn’t go. He didn’t mind picking her up and looked forward to seeing her, but he’d just gotten home after being on the road most of the last year.
“Yeah, and I don’t want her stranded at the airport on her first visit home in five years. I’ve asked everyone, and they’re all busy. Even Bandit. He’s going to Lubbock tomorrow to visit his uncle.”
Wyatt liked Gabby, but he was hoping to stay put for a second. “Why can’t Bear do it?”
“I can’t,” Bear interjected. “Dad, Amos, and I are going to take the ATVs out and look over the property. I have a meeting with a cattle broker on Monday, and I need their input on getting this ranch working again now that the house is finished.”
“That makes sense.” Both of the older men had worked for the ranch when they were in their late teens and early twenties. They’d seen it in its prime. Getting their input on how things should be was a good idea.
“Plus, I told Mom and Dad that I’d be taking care of Thanksgiving dinner this year.” Bear grinned.
Wyatt chuckled. “Which means Bandit is doing the actual cooking.”
Bear shrugged. “He’s my best friend, and he needed a job. I’m trying to convince him to open his own restaurant, but he’ll hear none of it. Told him I’d do a contract and everything, and he’s still telling me no.”
“He doesn’t want your friendship ruined over money.” Carrie Anne touched Bear’s shoulder. “I think that’s sweet.”
“Yeah, but what good is money if you can’t share it?”
“Do Mom and Dad suspect we’re getting their house redone?”
Shaking his head, Bear smiled and said, “Nope, Carrie Anne and I have it all planned.”
Carrie Anne nodded as her lips broke into a wide mischievous grin. “They’re leaving for Hawaii in February for an entire month. It’s perfect because they’ll just think we’re treating them to an anniversary gift.”
“If they’d just taken some of the money, it wouldn’t be a big deal.” Bear crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t know why Dad has to be so stubborn.”
Carrie Anne and Wyatt raised their eyebrows simultaneously, snickering as they did.
“You’ve got no clue, huh?” Wyatt asked. His brother was as bull-headed as they came.
Bear narrowed his eyes. “Shut up.” He trudged off, and the next thing Wyatt heard was the back door slamming shut.
“What gopher crawled up his britches?” Wyatt asked.
Carrie Anne looked in the direction Bear went. “He’s still hurting.”
“That was a year ago. He needs to move on.” He paused. “Not everyone is out for our money.”
She leaned back. “And you’re one to talk.”
Wyatt rolled his eyes. “I’m traveling too much to even think about a relationship. It wouldn’t be fair.”
“You are a lousy liar. Just admit Lori threw you for a loop.”
“She didn’t.”
Carrie Anne lifted a single eyebrow and pinched her lips together.
“I’m telling you, I’m fine. I just…haven’t found the right woman yet.” Right being the operative word. Sure, there were plenty of women hanging around the rodeo who were willing and ready, but Wyatt wanted more. He wanted family, home, and belonging.
“Back to Gabby, will you pick up Gabby for me? You’re the only one left to do it.” She grumbled under her breath about dealing with fire later.
“Did you say something about fire?” he asked.
She waved him off. “No, just talking to myself. So will you get her?”
“Yeah, I’ll pick her up. I haven’t seen her in ages.”
“Well, when I talked to her this morning, she said she was dating some guy named Tim.” Carrie folded her arms over her chest. “But I don’t believe her for a second.”
Wyatt felt a little kicked. Gabby dating? Then again, she wasn’t so little anymore, as evidenced by his sister tying the knot in six weeks. “Why?”
Carrie Anne stared at him a second like she was waiting for him to say something and then sighed. “Men are so dumb.” She spun on her heels and bounced up the stairs. “Just so, so dumb.” Her voice trailed off as she left Wyatt standing there gawking after her.
What did that even mean? How was he dumb? Shaking his head, he grabbed his bag and followed Carrie Anne. He’d be spending some time at home, hoping that he could figure between now and the next rodeo if he should dive in harder or hang it u
p. Maybe by the new year, he’d have his answer and a plan in place.
Chapter 3
Winding her way through Amarillo airport, Gabby wondered who would be picking her up. At least Wyatt wasn’t an option. He was at a rodeo two states over. She’d double-checked the night before just to be safe. And Carrie Anne wouldn’t do that to her anyway.
With a quick stop at the arrivals counter, she found where her luggage would be coming in and finished her trek through the airport. The same crowd she’d shared her plane with began to gather, waiting for their suitcases too.
Suddenly, she had the feeling she was being watched. She swept her gaze across the sea of people and froze. Wyatt West.
“No,” she whispered. It wasn’t possible. He was in Arkansas. She’d checked and double-checked. Even that morning when she’d pulled up the event, he was still listed as a bull rider.
Gabby was going to give Carrie Anne the chewing-out of a lifetime when she saw her. How could she send Wyatt?
What was Gabby going to do now? How much would a ride from Amarillo to Caprock Canyon cost? Whatever it was, it would be worth it not to be trapped in a vehicle with him for two hours. Just as she was plotting her way out, their gazes locked.
Hat in hand, he smiled that signature smile of his. The kind where one side of his lips quirked up and just a bit of his teeth showed. She had a list of her favorite smiles, and this one was the humdinger of them all. It was the kind that made her feel lightheaded and stupid.
And she was stupid. He was a married man of many years now. She’d even seen the invitation. Not that she was spying, really. She couldn’t help that it had shown up on her mom’s Facebook timeline as one of the choices Lori was considering.
In the time that it took for him to reach her, she’d somewhat gathered her thoughts. She was the little sister’s best friend, and he was married. It wasn’t like they really ran in the same circles in high school, even though she was only a year behind.
When he moved in like he was going to hug her, she crossed her arms over her chest and cocked her hip, stopping him in his tracks. “I thought you were going to be out of town.”
Wyatt blinked. “Are you mad? I haven’t seen you in five years.”
For a second, she stared at him, and then she let her arms fall to her sides. “No. Carrie Anne just said someone was picking me up. I didn’t question her because the last time we spoke, she said you had a rodeo event during Thanksgiving weekend and you wouldn’t be home.” No way was she going to confess she’d double-checked it.
He scratched the back of his neck with his free hand. “Well, I was supposed to be at an event, but it got canceled due to weather.”
“That’s—” She caught herself before finishing the sentence. Why hadn’t that been on the events website page? “Oh.”
Wyatt held her gaze with his eyebrows knitted together. “Are you upset that I’m picking you up?”
Yes, but he didn’t need to know that, and now she was stuck with him because finding another way home would lead to questions she didn’t want to answer. “No, I’m fine.” Then she noticed a jagged line along his jaw and stepped closer. “Is that a scar along your jaw?”
Stepping in to get a better look was a mistake. Whatever cologne or aftershave he wore swirled around her, and the scent made her skin tingle. A rush of memories and longing hit her so hard her heart physically hurt.
“Yeah, I got bucked bad a couple of years back. Broke a few bones and got this scar and a couple more you can’t see. I couldn’t afford plastic surgery at the time, and to be honest, I like them because it reminds me to remain humble.”
Carrie Anne had mentioned he’d been in a bad accident. She’d even seen a few pictures, but in person, it hit her a little harder. “Carrie Anne said you’d been in an accident. I’m sorry you were hurt.”
He nodded. “I was lucky it wasn’t worse.” Pausing, his gaze roamed over her face. “You sure look different.”
The words sobered her. Stepping back, she held his gaze. “I am different.”
“I guess we all are, huh?”
“Maybe.” Her gaze traveled to his hand. Where was his wedding band? He’d never struck Gabby as a man who would get married and then run around pretending he wasn’t. “Is Lori okay with you not wearing your wedding band?”
“Lori? I’m not married.”
“What?” she asked softly.
Wyatt’s eyebrows drew together. “Didn’t Carrie Anne tell you? I would have thought she’d have wasted no time telling you. I never married Lori. She…never mind.” He paused and cast his gaze to the floor. “It’s been over with her for a while now.”
Over? For a while? But the invitations. “I just figured…by now—” She stopped short.
A little sprig of hope hit so hard, she felt gut-punched. But she got ahold of it quick. Wyatt was never going to be interested in her, and the feeling was mutual. She’d repeat that until it stuck.
“She wasn’t good enough for you anyway.” The sentence slipped out before she could stop it.
He lifted his head and narrowed his eyes. “Why would you say that?”
She waved him off. It didn’t matter now, did it? Gabby was over him, and he was probably dating someone else. “It’s water under the bridge. I need to get my luggage. Mom and Dad are expecting me to be there when they get home.”
“My understanding is that we’re all staying at Casa Bear through the holidays.”
She blinked a few times as she tried to process what Wyatt had said. She would only be there for Thanksgiving weekend, not all the holidays, but staying with the Wests for even five days? As in, in the same vicinity as Wyatt? Clearly, the start of the holidays had been declared open season on Gabby Fredericks. Was this another thing Carrie Anne didn’t tell her? “What?”
“Bear invited our families to spend the weekend at the ranch house for Thanksgiving. It’s all fixed up and ready to go. He did a bang-up job on it too. Looks like a brand-new house in my opinion.”
“Oh.” She nodded as her gaze traveled to the floor, muttering to herself, “The weekend. I can do that.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t catch that last part,” Wyatt said.
Yeah, and she wasn’t providing a net. She smiled as she brought her gaze back to his. “Nothing. This’ll be great. I won’t have to divide my time between my family and Carrie Anne.” She turned and walked to the nearly empty conveyor belt.
Wyatt kept pace with her, stopping at the same time she did. Awkward silence fell between them as they waited for her luggage. Her large red bag rounded the corner, and they both reached for it at the same time.
Their hands touched, and for a second, she thought she’d actually been hit with electricity. Then the lingering jolt rolled like a wave from her hand, up her arm, and settled in the pit of her stomach, setting her heart racing. No, no, no, she couldn’t let that happen. She was home to spend time with her family. There’d be no…whatever it was that just happened. She’d wear gloves if necessary.
Gabby jerked her hand back, and he pulled her luggage off the belt. Laughing, she said, “Staticky.”
He caught her gaze a second and then nodded. “Yeah, I guess it was.”
She turned on her heels, and looking over her shoulder, she said, “The quicker we get on the road, the quicker we get there.”
As she reached the door, she nearly tripped over herself getting out of the airport. The brisk wind took her breath away and gave her goosebumps. “Holy cow, it’s cold.” It got cold in Charleston, but the wind there was nothing like the winds in the Panhandle. This air felt like it had sharp claws and fangs.
“Oh, it’s even colder now,” Wyatt said as he joined her outside, setting his hat on his head.
“I should have watched the weather closer. It wasn’t nearly this cold in Charleston.” Not even close. She hadn’t remembered it ever being this cold. Had she thought about it, she’d have brought long underwear.
He set her luggage down and slipped out of
his coat. “Here, that little blouse of yours is no match for West Texas winds.” He smiled and helped her put it on.
“Yeah.” Except she wasn’t thinking west wind lowercase, she was thinking West wind. With one tiny whiff, his scent washed over her, and she was a teenager again, endlessly scribbling Mrs. West on the edges of her school notebooks. Little hearts and plus signs.
The longer she was around him, the clearer it became that she wasn’t prepared to deal with him just yet. How was she going to make it through the holiday while spending the night in the same house as him?
Another sharp gust blew, and Wyatt grabbed her luggage. “Actually, you stay here and get back inside. I’ll go get the truck. Don’t want that pretty face of yours getting chapped from all this harsh wind.”
Before she could gather her wits or her words, Wyatt was out of earshot. He’d said pretty face. He’d only done that once before, on the night of her senior prom. He and Bear had been outside, playing football, and she’d walked across the street to meet up with Carrie Anne.
Just as her foot had hit the sidewalk, Wyatt had looked her way and said, “Whoa,” right before taking a hit to the stomach. She’d run over to him, and just as he looked up, he’d called her beautiful.
That single word had taken her crush to a whole new level. She’d gone from being slightly infatuated to full-blown out of her mind for him. To her reasoning, a guy didn’t call a girl beautiful for no reason. From that moment on, Wyatt had held her heart…until he proposed to Lori. A woman he hadn’t even married.
Why hadn’t he married Lori, anyway? Gabby never thought Lori was the right girl for him, but Wyatt was over the moon for her. She was a little on the stuck-up side and a lot self-absorbed. More than once, she’d broken up with him just so she could date another guy for a week or two, only to come around again. They were always breaking up and getting back together. She never understood it. Which was another reason why Gabby had been so shocked when he asked Lori to marry him. How could he marry a girl who seemed to only love him when it was convenient? Maybe it hadn’t made sense to him either and that’s why he didn’t marry her.
The Best Friend's Billionaire Brother (Caprock Canyon Romance Book 1) Page 2
