Heart & Hope (Rosewood Ranch #2)

Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

REED

R uby stands beside me, wringing her hands in front of her. If I wasn’t as strung out as her, I would be giving her shit about being worried about nothing. But I ain’t, cos I am.

The driveway stretches out before us.

Ruby checks her watch again. The tablet she will use to check in the guests balances on the top of the fence.

Ten minutes until the arrival of the first official guest of R good for you.”

“Well, thanks. What brings you to Montana?”

She leans a little, eyeing her husband as he pulls the bags from the trunk of their car. “You could call it a midlife crisis, I suppose. Not mine, though. But that can stay between us, hey?”

Ruby chuckles. “Mum’s the word. Nothing like a trip around the world to give you some time, space, and perspective.”

“Oh, you nailed it, love. But I can’t complain, beats the North Queensland summer, hands down.”

“Wow, you will have to tell me about home. You are signed up for the dinner tonight, so I will see you there. But if there’s anything you need, shoot me or Reed a text, okay? Our numbers are on the welcome info right inside the front door on the small table,” Ruby says, excitement lining her gorgeous brown eyes.

“Righteo, thanks, you two. I better help unpack before I hear about it.” She offers a smile and walks toward the accommodations, snapping pictures on her phone as she goes. Traveling around the world. That’s been on my bucket list since I graduated high school. Maybe one day.

When Denise disappears through the screen door, Ruby squeals. She’s doing a little dance, the tablet firmly clutched in one hand. I chuckle and crowd her against the yard fence. Her excitement peters to a grin.

“I like happy on you, Ruby baby.”

“Me too,” she whispers.

I take her face in my hands and kiss her mouth. And when she melts for me, I can’t help but press my body into hers. She opens, and I sweep in, tasting her. The blood that was racing through my veins a moment ago with the arrival of our first guest sinks south fast.

The wind picks up, sending a hiss through the trees by the house as gravel crunches again. I break from Ruby reluctantly to find two vehicles creeping along the driveway. I dot a kiss to her forehead. “Showtime, baby.”

“Let’s do this, Reed.”

I wink at her as we push off the fence and walk toward the approaching guests.

The absurd amount of fairy lights currently twinkling all over the ranch and specifically arched over the double doors to the barn could be mistaken for a small city from space. But the absolute wonder that fills the face of every guest that pours out of their trucks was worth the effort.

They love it.

And it was the right choice. Fairy lights are always the right choice. Harry and Louisa’s silver Chevy rolls in, parking over by the house. Soft country music plays on the speaker system that we installed in each corner of the barn. The long tables inside are filling up fast. And with the catering from Lewistown that we booked months ago, this night is turning out to be stellar.

Harry and Ma walk over, arm in arm. Harry’s gaze runs over the building, inspecting our hours of last-minute prepping, and when those grey-blue eyes meet mine, he smiles. And it’s a sight to behold.

“Harry,” Ruby says as he folds her in a one-armed hug, squeezing her tight. All cologne and clean-faced. He’s handsome for an old man.

“Well, you have outdone yourself here, Ruby, darlin’. The place is looking damn fine.”

Ma pulls me into a hug as I stand a little stunned. The fragrant smell of what must be her new perfume from the shopping trip in Great Falls Ruby and her made shrouds me in the embrace. “Y’all have done a wonderful job. We are so darn proud of you both.”

When she releases me, she scrunches her face, as if trying to quell the silver now lining her eyes. She cups my cheek with her hand briefly and leads Harry inside. Their gasps are audible from where we stand. I fold Ruby into my chest a heartbeat later. “I think the old man is impressed, baby.”

She huffs a laugh. “Seems that way. Everyone find a table okay?”

“Yep, got Tim and Denise squared away. They are practically begging for the dancing to start. But first, we need to stab a big, fat bird and make this thing official.”

“You mean slice the turkey. Let the catering do it so people don’t have to eat hacked-up white meat, Reedsy.”

“I miss that.”

“What?”

“Reedsy.”

“Ah, but that was my friend zone name for you. Not entirely appropriate anymore.”

“So, what do you want to call me?—”

A hand slaps my shoulder. Hudson messes up my hair with one hand, leaning over to kiss Ruby’s cheek as he does. “Nice work, Robbins. You sure have pulled off a stunning event.”

“You haven’t been inside yet,” she says brightly.

“Oh, we are about to. This old man needs a whiskey.”

Addy walks up behind him. “You ain’t old, Huddy. Just tired. Let’s find some gasoline and a chair.”

“My lord, Adds really is one of us now.” I shake my head with a laugh. “You seen Mack yet?”

“No, actually. You?” Huddo says.

“Nope. Guess he’ll turn up.”

I crook my arm like I have so many times and tilt my head. It took Ruby twenty minutes to pick my clothes, saying everything had to be perfect. I’m dressed in a crisp light blue shirt, sleeves rolled up as always, the top button left open, white t-shirt, and dark Wranglers that hug my ass. My caramel leather jacket, the only semi-city piece of clothing I own. Cowboy boots under the jeans like the ones Ruby wears right now that I bought her months ago. My once neat hair is now slightly mussed, and by the sparkle in Ruby’s eyes, she loves it. She smells divine, sending the blood straight to my cock every time she moves closer. Her brown eyes bore into me. “Beautiful?”

She beams up at me. The crooked arm, the ‘milady,’ it’s kind of our thing, and she slides her arm through and takes my hand with her free one. Rising on tip toes, lips brushing against my ear, she says, “To a magnificent first event.”

My breaths shallow out.

Ruby has always taken my breath away. But this? This is a whole new level. Doing the thing I love with the person I adore—it feels too good to be true.

So, I smile and track my gaze to inside the double doors. Guests mingle, some by the rustic bar on the right that marks the front of the servers’ kitchen, some by the tables, already settled in and waiting for the meal. Some wander around the big old barn, pointing and chatting. The drone of the music is an elegant background for the night.

And, of course, draped strings of fairy light twisted with long sheer panels of cloth, strung between the rafters. Countless candles blaze along each table. The wildflowers that Addy is so fond of that grow on the hills of Rosewood Ranch are dotted across them in jars, rattan chairs in front of each place setting.

The entrées are carried out to the crowd by a handful of servers as we enter. We head for the table closest to the dance floor, where Harry and Ma are already seated. Mack rolls in the door behind us and catches up. “Hey, sorry I’m late, got stuck in traffic,” he says with a grin.

Red lipstick stains the corner of his mouth.

“What in the red-light district, bro?” I grin at him like a fool.

“Huh?” Mack says, wide-eyed.

Ruby steps closer and plucks a tissue from the pocket of her dress. “Here, you must have hit a red light.”

I cackle beside her as I tap the corner of my lips to clue Mack in.

“Oh shit.” He wipes the lipstick away and hands Ruby the tissue.

“That one’s all yours, Mack. Keep it. Never know, you might need it later.” She winks at him, and I swear our sergeant blushes.

We turn and make for the table as I lean down, arms winding around Ruby’s waist. “What else you got in that pretty white dress, Ruby baby?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know, Rawlins.”

“Rawlins!” The familiar voice prickles the second it lands.

And when I turn back to find Justin Morley with the two women from the bar hanging off his arms, my gut plummets. Starr steps forward, still half swinging off Justin’s arm. “Wow, who’d a thought you two would be a thing.” She chews on her gum, running her stare up and down the both of us, and it snags on our wedding-band-less fingers.

How the hell did these three book seats for the dinner? Ruby’s face falls, and I know she’ll be scanning the last few months through her memory, fast. She grabs my arm hard, spinning me away from them. “I didn’t vet the guest list. I always vet the list, for this very reason. How could I be so damn stupid?” Her words are no more than a frantic hiss.

“Morley, sure you don’t have somewhere else you’d rather be?” Mack says, stepping over to where I now stand rigid, palms sweaty and heart hammering. I move forward, putting myself between Morley and Rubes.

“So, you two aren’t married?” Skye says with a taunting laugh.

Fuck off, bitch.

Rub salt into a man’s wounds, why don’t ya? I home in on her with a glare that could melt a glacier when Morley smirks.

“You oughta watch that mouth of yours?—”

Ruby grabs my arm before I can make a scene in her honor. I absolutely fuckin’ would, too. Mack is staring at us in confusion.

“Our personal life is not a topic up for discussion tonight. If you wouldn’t mind returning to your vehicle,” Ruby says in her best I-mean-business voice.

Starr glances at Mack, who sets his shoulders back. Hudson files in on the other side of me. Intimidation pouring from his posture, he says, “Guess y’all should head back to town, Morley.”

“I paid good money to have Thanksgiving here, Rawlins.”

“I ain’t askin’, Morley.” Huddo sets his shoulders back, jaw clenched. The ultimate Harry move. An incredulous expression claims Starr’s face as she checks out Hudson.

“Now, Justin,” I growl.

“I will happily refund your money, Justin. Sorry for the inconvenience,” Ruby says with absolute mockery. But we’ll have to give him his money back—it is against the law to keep it if he’s unable to attend. And with no refund policy to protect the ranch, we have no choice. That will be the first thing that is adjusted come Monday morning.

Justin scans the room, pausing on Harry, who is now sitting back in his chair, whiskey in one hand, his other arm wrapped around Ma. He tips his glass to Morley and winks at him. I tamper a laugh and flatten a smile as I gesture for the three to leave.

Luckily, this little scene went mostly unnoticed. And as Morley’s truck roars away down the driveway, the first flakes of snow start to fall. They glisten under the twinkling fairy lights, setting the ground awash with a shimmering white glow. It’s gorgeous.

Pretty as a picture—it’s perfect.

When I turn back, Ruby stands between my brothers, their arms over their chests, smiles pushing their handsome faces. I grin at her.

“What?” she insists as I step back inside.

“Did you make a mistake, Ruby Rawlins?” Mack quips, turning to look at her.

Is he talking about Morley being here or Starr’s fuckin’ comment?

“I—”

“She did no such thing,” I interject, alternating my focus from Ruby’s stunned face to Mack’s shit-eating grin. Realization hits me.

Rawlins.

He called her Ruby Rawlins.

I don’t know whether to be annoyed or ecstatic. And when Adds wanders over, cuddling into Hudson’s side to watch the snow falling behind me, I fix my gaze to Ruby’s with a smile I couldn’t tamper if I tried. But she simply steps into my arms and presses her back into my chest. “For your information, Mackinlay, I did make a mistake... Inviting you.”

Mack slaps my shoulder with a chuckle as footsteps crunch in the snow outside.

“Well, I didn’t expect a welcoming party, but I’ll take it.”

I turn back on a dime, still holding on to Ruby. Each of our gazes tracks to the man standing in the doorway in Levi’s and a dress shirt with shiny loafers and a long, New York-style trench, the shoulders now dusted in snow. And the happiest fuckin’ smile on his handsome face.

Lawson.