A Lot Like Love

by Lane, Soraya

  “What’s wrong?”

  Ryder felt his eyebrows shoot up. How the hell did he know something was wrong? “Ah, well…”

  “Come and sit,” his granddad said, leaning back into the pillows on the bed and gesturing toward the big armchair beside it. “You look like you need to get something off your chest.”

  Ryder crossed the room and sat down, looking his granddad in the eye before dropping his head into his palms. He couldn’t do this. He was about to confess to the man he respected more than any other human being in the world, and the words just wouldn’t come.

  “Tell me, son. You know you can talk to me about anything.”

  “You’re never going to forgive me,” Ryder managed. “I wanted you to know first, before Nate and Chase find out, but…”

  “Ryder, go over to the bookcase and pull out that black album.”

  He hesitated, knowing he needed to just get it off his chest, but he did as he was told, returning with the album and placing it on his grandfather’s lap. Ryder sat back down again.

  “You broke my heart the day you left here, Ryder,” the old man said, voice still as strong and commanding as it had always been. “I might have a heart of stone when it comes to business, but you boys are the most important things in my life. Always have been, always will be.”

  Ryder balled his fists as he met his grandfather’s stare, refusing to give in to his emotions. Tears burned the backs of his eyes, but he refused to let one spill.

  “I’m back now,” Ryder said, because it was all he could think to say. “And I’m not going anywhere.” He’d been gone too long, the better part of four years, but the time he’d spent with his granddad since he’d been home had told him he should have come back a long time ago. He’d missed out on too much time, time that he could never get back.

  “You were young and you needed to find your way. But I want you to know how proud I was of you, even when you were gone.” His granddad opened the album, took his time looking at the first page, then nudged it toward him. “You might have been away, but you weren’t ever forgotten. Not for a second.”

  Ryder reached out and took the book, staring at the first page, then the second, hardly able to believe what he was looking at.

  “You have clippings from all my rodeo results?”

  Clay nodded. “If you were mentioned, I have it,” he said. “I’ve got every write-up, results draw, photo, you name it.”

  Ryder flicked through a few more pages before putting the book down on his lap and staring at his grandfather. “Why?”

  “Because I’m proud of you.” Clay laughed, never breaking eye contact for a second. “You made a name for yourself doing what you loved. What’s not to be proud of?”

  He’d had no idea. Ryder had left, been one hell of a rebellious teenager, and when he’d finally returned it had been to his brothers telling him to get his act together. Clay had never said anything other than to welcome him home, tell him how happy he was to have all three grandsons back together, but Ryder had always thought deep down than his grandfather had been disappointed in him.

  “I never thought you approved,” Ryder said.

  “Son, you made your own money when other kids were living off trust funds. I’ve always been proud of you.”

  Ryder moved to the edge of his chair and put the book on the side table, reaching for his granddad’s hand. Their dad might have starved them of affection, but Clay had always made them feel loved. He was formidable to almost everyone except his grandsons. But Ryder had never known quite how much his granddad thought of him.

  “I’ve made a huge mistake,” Ryder admitted, finding what he was about to say almost impossible. “What I’ve done, you’ll never forgive me.”

  His granddad shook his head, patting his hand. “There’s nothing you could do that’s unforgivable. Tell me what you’ve done and we’ll figure it out together.”

  Ryder pulled back, leaned into the chair, and blew out a big breath. It was now or never. “I was playing cards with Parker. I’d been winning all night and I bet my third of the ranch.”

  Clay didn’t say a word, just stared back at him before looking away, his gaze now through the window and into the distance.

  “I thought it was a sure thing, that I’d win the deeds to his ranch. I hate the bastard and I wanted to teach him a lesson.”

  Ryder felt like a boy about to be reprimanded, waiting for his punishment to be dealt out. His grandfather had never been rattled, never showed his anger, just used that deep voice and commanded everybody around him. One look had been enough to tell them all when they’d gone too far, one stare had been all they needed to stop and behave. But this wasn’t Ryder acting out in his boyhood, this was him fucking up when he should have known better.

  “You’re aware that our family has been feuding with Parker’s on and off for the past three decades?”

  Ryder nodded. “Yes.”

  “And are you asking for my help, or do you have the situation under control?”

  This time Ryder met his grandfather’s gaze, squaring his shoulders as he stared back at the man he admired most in the world. “Yes, sir. I will do anything I have to do to make this right. I’m dealing with it.”

  “Then that’s all I need to know.”

  Ryder swallowed, waiting to be told what an idiot he was, to be yelled at just like he deserved. He didn’t want to be let off, he needed to be told off.

  “You’re not angry with me?”

  “Oh, I’m plenty angry,” Clay said, “but you’re not a child anymore, Ryder, and if you tell me you’ve got something under control then I have to believe you.”

  Ryder stood. “I won’t let you down, Granddad. I promise.”

  “Are you going to tell your brothers?”

  “Do you think I should?”

  “Son, only you can make that decision,” Clay said. “Now how about you pour me a whiskey and tell me all about the gorgeous girl you’ve been romancing.”

  Ryder chuckled. “You make it sound like a formal courtship. And I think you’re supposed to be drinking tea, not liquor.”

  His granddad grumbled. “The doc’s told me I’ll be lucky to make it another year. If I can’t drink whiskey now, then when?”

  “Fair point,” Ryder said, disappearing into the other room and reappearing with two short glasses.

  “So I hear she’s blond and good at keeping you on your toes.”

  Ryder paused before taking a small sip of his drink. “How about I bring her over to meet you once this whole thing with Parker is sorted out?”

  “I’d like that.” Clay sipped his drink, staring at the golden-brown liquid for a while before looking up. “You know, you boys are great, but it’s about time we had a woman around the place. Aside from the housekeeper, if you get my drift.”

  “What, you want us all married off all of a sudden?”

  “No, I’d just like some women around the place. To know that you boys are being looked after A woman makes a house feel different, in the best kind of way.” He chuckled then stifled a cough. “Hell, I’d like a woman around to look after me. It’s been five years since your grandma died and I miss her like hell every day.”

  Ryder was about to tell him that Chloe was more than capable of looking after him, but he clamped his jaw shut and swirled the whiskey around the bottom of his glass instead. Chloe was going to be gone soon. As soon as the ranch was his again, as soon as she had what she wanted from him, she’d be gone and he’d most likely never see her again. She wasn’t his real girlfriend and he needed to remember it.

  “You tell her not to be a stranger. That I’d like to meet her.”

  He nodded. “Sure thing.” Ryder hated that he wanted to introduce her to his family, that he was starting to think of her as way more than just a good time. “I’ve got some things to do, Granddad. I’ll come by and see you again tonight.”

  “Be a good boy and get me another, would you?”

  Ryder took one look
at the empty glass in his grandfather’s outstretched hand and shook his head. “Your doctor would have my head on a plate. I’ll tell your nurse to get you a coffee.”

  Clay laughed and Ryder paused to press a kiss to his forehead. “Love you, Granddad.”

  “I love you, too, son.”

  Ryder walked out the door, keeping his big shoulders squared when all he wanted was to collapse and fall against the wall. He hadn’t deserved that, to be treated with so much respect when he’d been such an idiot, and the fact that Clay had a record of all his wins, all his rides? Unbelievable.

  “Where’re you sneaking off to?”

  Ryder spun around to find Nate standing behind him. He cleared his throat. “I was just in seeing Granddad.”

  Nate kept walking and Ryder walked alongside him toward the front door.

  “He okay?”

  “Asking for whiskey, so yeah, I guess he’s fine.”

  Ryder stopped at the front door, pulling it open, then leaning against it to listen to Nate.

  “You sure you’re okay?”

  “Fine,” Ryder asked. “You off to work?”

  “Yeah. I’ll catch you later. How about we grab a beer tonight, the three of us?”

  “Sure thing.”

  Ryder headed for his truck and jumped behind the wheel, heading down the drive even though he had nowhere he needed to be. What he needed was to get his ranch back, secure his stake in his family’s land before it was too late, before he had to admit what he’d done to Nate. His grandfather believed in him, and he believed in Chloe.

  She was expecting Parker to be there the night after next, which meant it was almost over. All she had to do was kick ass like she had in Vegas and it wouldn’t be a problem. If only it was that easy.

  Chapter 16

  Ryder grinned at Chloe as she put three shots of tequila in front of them. Her blond hair was pulled up into a ponytail and he was itching to reach across the bar and yank the tie out so he could see it tumbling over her shoulders. It wasn’t that she didn’t look hot with it up, but when it was down it reminded him of how she looked in his bed.

  “Bottoms up, boys.” She laughed. “And I don’t envy you one bit.”

  Nate slapped him on the back but he was busy grinning at Chloe. He knew she’d never throw back tequila again.

  “This one’s a keeper,” Nate said with a laugh. “She actually wants us to drink shots. Perfect woman in my books.”

  Ryder bristled. When Nate decided he wanted a woman, he stopped at nothing until he got what he wanted, but there was no way he was touching Chloe. Not now and certainly not when their arrangement ended. He was still trying to figure out himself how to keep her..

  “You do realize how big your tips are, right?” Ryder asked. “She’s a bartender and you’re a big drinker. Of course she’s gonna keep pouring.”

  Nate chuckled, clearly not giving a shit what he said about him. And then Ryder saw a pretty brunette tossing her hair over her shoulder, saw the way she glanced at Nate from across the bar. Bingo. If there was ever a way to get Nate all twisted in knots it was seeing the one woman he refused to talk about, or look at.

  “Hey, isn’t that Sam’s little sister?” Ryder asked, giving Chase a nudge as he spoke. “She’s all grown up now, ain’t she? Think we should go say hi, see if it’s her or not? I reckon she looks just like Chase’s type.”

  Nate spun around to look, his face like thunder when he turned back to him. “Back off,” he demanded.

  “Hey, I’m just looking, it’s Chase you need to worry about.”

  Nate turned his glare on Chase, who just held his hands up in the air. Chase’s wink in Ryder’s direction didn’t help the situation, both he and Ryder howling with laughter at how easy their brother was to rattle. Ryder had no idea what had gone down with Nate and Sam’s sister, or maybe it was what hadn’t happened, but Nate went into serious protective mode just talking about her.

  “So you don’t want her, but you don’t want anyone else to have her either?” Ryder asked. “Sound about right?”

  Nate made a noise that sounded like a growl. “Back off. Just back the hell off, okay? I don’t want you guys near her. Don’t push me on this, just leave her the hell alone.”

  Chase shrugged and Ryder laughed again. He’d missed this when he’d lived away, the hours spent hanging out with his brothers and talking shit. He reached for the shot he’d forgotten about and raised the tiny glass in the air. Nate might be fun to tease, but Ryder had no intention of riling him up any more—he had his hands full just trying to figure out what the hell was going on between him and Chloe, without worrying about an itch that Nate hadn’t been able to scratch.

  “To chasing different women,” he toasted.

  Nate knocked their glasses, waiting for Chase to lift his and banging theirs together a little too hard. “Too damn right.”

  “Hey, how did Sam get on with that colt?” Chase asked. “I saw him working him in the round pen the other day. He looked good.”

  Nate’s big shoulders relaxed, happy to talk about his best friend so long as it didn’t involve that friend’s little sister.

  Ryder tuned out the conversation around them when Chloe caught his eye, although he did see Nate disappear through the crowd.

  “What time do you get off tonight?”

  He frowned when the big smile she’d been flashing him wiped from her face. Ryder went to reach for her, then froze when she shook her head, eyes wide. He slowly looked over his shoulder and saw what’d she’d seen. Parker was standing at a table near the entrance. Fuck. They hadn’t expected him to show until Saturday.

  Chloe came closer and leaned over the bar toward him, her hand on his shoulder. “You need to go.”

  Ryder stared into her eyes, wished to hell things weren’t so damn complicated.

  “If he says something things are gonna turn nasty,” he muttered. “For me and for him.”

  “Just tell them,” she murmured in his ear so only he could hear. “Get the hell out of here and tell them before he does. He’s gonna be furious you haven’t already handed over the place.”

  “You think he’s here to play tonight? That something changed?” Ryder asked.

  She shrugged as she pulled back. “Don’t know. But if he is, then tonight’s the night. I’m prepped either way so we can pull it off whenever we need to. Shelly can cover my shift, I’ve told her what’s going on.”

  Ryder nodded, knowing he could count on her. She’d planned everything, what she was going to say and how she was going to join the game once they started playing, and it was just a matter of setting the ball in motion. Their plan was as simple as her teasing them, making them think she didn’t know what she was doing, then winning the lot out from under an unsuspecting Parker. “If I come crawling back in here on my hands and knees after telling them, will you still want me?”

  Chloe leaned forward again and placed her hand on his cheek. “Even if you’re black and blue, I’ll still want you.” She kissed him, her mouth warm as it covered his. There was something familiar about her touch now and he was starting to crave it, liking the fact that he knew the feel of her lips against his, the softness of her palm across his skin. “I’ll win it back, just keep reminding yourself of that. It’ll all be over soon.”

  “Boys, how about we get out of here,” Ryder suggested, pulling away from Chloe and facing his brothers now that Nate was back. “Time to move this party, huh?” He didn’t want to have this particular conversation with anyone in earshot.

  “You okay with this, Chloe?” Chase asked with a wink.

  “Just make sure he’s a good boy. I can trust you guys with that, right?”

  Ryder slipped on his jacket and winked at Chloe as his brothers laughed, keeping his head down as he headed for the door. He knew it was impossible for him to blend in, especially with his brothers flanking him—they were all six-four and it wasn’t exactly easy to go incognito. All he needed was to get past Parker. The table he
was at was off to the left, not in the direct line to the door, but still…

  “Hey, King!”

  Ryder cringed, recognizing Parker’s drunken slur. He kept walking, hoping his brothers either hadn’t heard or didn’t care enough to stop.

  “I’m talking to you, King boy. Come over here, you lying bastard.”

  “What the fuck did he say?” Nate asked, stopping and staring in Parker’s direction.

  Ryder slapped a hand on Nate’s shoulder. “Let’s just go. We don’t need this shit.”

  “No one speaks to you like that and gets away with it. What the hell’s he on about?”

  Chase came closer. “That scumbag’s the one spreading the bullshit rumors about you. Time we ended this feud once and for all, huh?”

  Ryder stood his ground, not taking his eyes off Parker for a second. Everything was about to turn to shit and there was nothing he could do about it.

  “What bullshit?” Nate asked.

  “Let’s go, come on,” Ryder said, giving them both a shove forward. It didn’t work—he might as well have tried to push solid marble through the bar on his own. “It’s not worth it.”

  “To hell it isn’t,” Chase said, stalking toward Parker before Ryder could do anything about it.

  Damn. Ryder had been ready for his brothers to beat the shit out of him when he told them, but he hadn’t anticipated them doing the same to Parker first. Which meant he either had to tell them damn fast before it came to that, or just ride out the shit storm and hope for the best.

  Dammit. He knew what he had to do.

  “Nate, stop,” Ryder said, closing his hand over Nate’s shoulder just as Chase swung a punch at Parker.

  “You lying asshole,” Chase yelled as his fist connected with Parker’s cheek.

  Fuck! Parker stumbled backward, but before he was down his two goons came in swinging. Ryder ran forward and shoved Nate out of the way, one of the heavy’s fists grazing the side of his face as he ducked too slow before he managed to slam his bunched fist into the guy’s stomach.