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“Maybe he was.” His dark eyes boring into hers, Jake implored, “But they shouldn’t have survived. So many who set out on that trail west didn’t. And look at what they left us. What they taught us. The community we have.
“You want to know what’s crazy?” He ticked his chin toward Kellan. “Your man here can wrangle a hundred grand for a single bull. Tanner doesn’t need to break horses, he talks to ’em. Every investment your stepfather makes for Brookside turns to gold. How can that be, huh?”
“I don’t know.”
“Because the old man was right, Arien.”
The server came with the food. Smiling up at Kellan, she lifted the burger, smothered in mounds of green chili deliciousness, to her mouth. Tasting heaven, she moaned out loud, “Oh, God. Sooo fucking good.”
“Careful now. You’re gettin’ me hard, baby cakes.”
“Don’t take much.” Tanner rubbed her thigh. She’d swat him for that remark, if it didn’t mean taking her hands off her burger.
With a cocky shrug of his shoulders, Kellan conceded to the fact, and they all laughed.
Devouring her orgasmic burger, the wild notions of Pythagoras and a crazy, old mountain man were all but forgotten. She’d been missing it, craving it, for months. And just like that, Arien knew what the next entry for her blog project would be. Colorado green chili. Why hadn’t she thought of it before?
“How’s your dad and Jennifer doing?” Billy asked.
Her ears pricked at the mention of her mother’s name.
“Great.” Arien could hear the grin in Tanner’s voice. “Belly’s growin’.”
“I hope they’re favored with a boy,” Jake softly said. “The third son.”
“What’s wrong with having a girl?”
“Nothing.” He gently smiled. “Girls are lovely. But three of anything brings good fortune with it. And so a boy, Matthew’s third son, may negate his unfortunate luck…the deaths of his wives.”
Fucking nonsense.
“Wow, you really are superstitious.” Biting into her lip so she wouldn’t laugh, her head bobbed from side to side. “My maybe baby brother is a lucky charm now?”
“In a manner of speaking.” Reaching across the table, Jake took her hand. “Matthew has been given the most precious gifts of all. The love of your mother. A child. Still, he took great risk entering into a traditional marriage.”
Not knowing how to take that, Arien snickered. “My mom’s the third wife. Isn’t that lucky too?”
Kellan and Tanner exchanged a wary glance.
“Maybe.”
But his answer lacked conviction.
“At least, I hope so. For all our sakes.”
Arien and her stepfather were the only ones around to clean up the kitchen. Grams, Aunt Kim, and Emily had long since gone home. Kellan and Tanner were out, tending to their evening chores. Mom was taking an after-dinner nap, same as she usually did.
Rinsing off plates, Matthew stacked them in the dishwasher, while Arien took care of the leftovers. She was actually surprised they had any. Most often, her stepbrothers made sure they didn’t.
Fuckers can eat. She giggled to herself.
“Want to let me in on the joke?” A wet plate in his hand, Matthew chuckled with her.
“There isn’t one.” Arien stuffed half a tray of lasagna into the oversized fridge and walked over to her stepfather. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Course, honey.” He set the plate down. “You can come to me for anything, you know that.”
“I know, but it’s kind of personal.”
