Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44134 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
I expect Bronco to take the empty chair beside me, but instead he moves closer to the fire and claps Ridge on the back. He says something in a low tone that I don’t catch, because my attention is back on Cord and Flint.
Flint is the one who brings me into the conversation. “Be real here, Lauren. Which one of us do you think would win if we were wrestling a bear?”
Cord lifts his head, and now they’re both focused on me.
Ridge saves me by settling into the chair next to me with a noisy sigh of contentment. He crosses his ankles and gives me an assessing look. “How’s the auction going?”
“Pretty good,” I answer. “Cord is already taken, and Flint is on the auction block now. Someone keeps upping the bid. She must really want you.”
“Or she’s just desperate,” Cord points out.
Flint shrugs. “Desperate works for me.”
“Probably the only way he’s ever gotten a date,” Ridge adds which earns him a flipped bird from Flint.
Ridge nudges the cooler between us with his boot then opens it. It’s filled with sodas and beers. “What can I get you?”
“I’m good with a water, thanks,” I tell him.
When he passes it to me, I take a long sip and roll the edge of the wrapper underneath my thumbnail. The other guys on the ranch have already agreed to have their photos taken tomorrow. The only one I haven’t had a chance to talk with yet is Ridge. He’s one of the older guys here, a silver-haired fox with a blue gaze that never seems to miss anything.
“What do you think if I put you on the auction block?” I ask him.
“What do you think if I make a sizeable donation to your cause?” He offers in return.
“Come on, some sweet girl wants to win that pretty face,” Flint teases.
“You never know. You might get lucky,” Cord adds.
“To be clear, we’re not encouraging hook-ups,” I point out, not sure if that helps the cause in Ridge’s eyes or not. It’s hard to read him. What is it with these tough, macho military men? Do they take a special course that teaches them how to school their expressions so well?
“Color me disappointed,” Flint drawls. “Are you saying if I get some sassy little vixen who wants a ride on the Flint Express I can’t rock her world?”
“The Flint Express?” Cord chuckles. “Sounds like it should be a credit card.”
“Unlimited rewards with every ride.” Flint waggles his eyebrows.
Ridge snorts. “If I agree, does that mean the idiot over there has to shut up?”
“I’ll make him stop calling it the Flint Express,” I promise.
“Done.” Ridge clinks his beer can against my water.
The rest of my time around the fire passes far too quickly. The men here spend all of their time teasing each other, eating countless burgers, recalling funny memories from their time in the service, and remembering what it means to come home.
“What are you thinking about?” Bronco asks me as we walk back toward his place. It’s dusk, the sun having set already and the crickets are singing love songs tonight. Menace is following along with us, content to stay close to my side.
“I’m thinking about you.”
“Me?”
“And what a good thing you’ve done here with Valor Ranch. It’s really cool, Bronco, and it’s exactly what these guys need.”
“It was Vale’s idea,” he says the words softly, and they hang between us. The ghost of my brother will always be the quiet third wheel. Not unwanted but not letting either of us move forward either.
“You brought it to life though,” I point out.
He shrugs and doesn’t say anything. Of course, he doesn’t. I’ve never seen him take credit for anything. He’s content to simply be in the background, unseen and unnoticed but quietly making sure the world is still spinning.
As we approach the house, he fights a yawn and manages to say around it, “I’ll get the guest room set up for you. Won’t be much but it’s clean.”
I stop him on the front porch. “I think I’m going to stay out here for a minute. Maybe record a live video for viewers following the auction.”
He nods and disappears into the house.
While he’s gone, I set up my phone on a mini-tripod, fluff my hair twice, and hit the button to go live. Talking to the camera feels natural to me. Maybe it’s because I love this farm so much or my heart is so filled after spending time with these amazing cowboys. Whatever the reason, it’s easy to chat with the viewers. I watch the reactions and comments come in, responding to them in the moment.
Then Bronco opens the door and steps back outside.
I gesture him close to me, so viewers can get a look at him. “And this is Bronco, one of the cowboys from the ranch.”