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“At the moment you’re serious about it,” Ben says.
My hands clench at my sides.
“Dad’s right. After we get you running more of the ranch, you can make a business plan.” Jude turns to the right to head toward his house. He waves his goodbye. “See you.”
“Ben?” I arch an eyebrow, hopeful he’ll reconsider and take me seriously.
He looks over his shoulder. This is where he turns off from me. “You know I don’t have much to do with the ranch. I’m a football coach, Emmett.”
“But—”
He’s gone, though, starting toward his house. I stop walking, rock my head back, and stare at the dark, star-filled sky.
A car pulls down the road that goes past our houses, but Ben stops it before it reaches me. Inside I can just make out the blonde who has been sneaking her way into my beat-off sessions lately. So she’s back in Willowbrook for a longer visit this time? Must be if she’s going to be teaching yoga on the ranch.
My dick twitches, so I look down and shake my head. “Sorry, big guy, she’s off-limits.”
Sucks that there’s nothing I love better than a challenge. Which is why I walk toward the headlights when I should run away from them.
Chapter Two
Briar
I know I’m on the Plain Daisy Ranch, but other than that, I’m lost.
My car rounds a corner, and my headlights shine down the small one-way road that supposedly leads to Ben and Gillian’s house, which they just built. However, I don’t see any houses other than the white family house I passed after driving under the arches.
I stop and turn on the interior light, then try to find my phone in my purse to call my sister and ask for more specific instructions other than to turn left after the fourth tree that’s missing a limb. But my phone must have fallen out and slid under the seat when I had to slam on the brakes when a deer ran out onto the road.
I’m sure I passed their drive, but I’m not sure I can just turn around without going off the road, and since it’s dark, I’m not one hundred percent sure I won’t go into a ditch or something. I put the car in drive and press on the gas, but a big figure shines in the headlights with his hand held up.
I slam on the brakes. “Shit.”
Ben taps the hood of the car and walks around to the driver’s side with that easy smile of his. Must be nice to have everything you ever dreamed of in your life. Farther down the road is another broad figure, and my stomach clenches.
Emmett Noughton, the party boy, take-life-as-it-comes, immature jackass. Why doesn’t he just go inside his house?
“Hey, Briar,” Ben says, standing outside my window. “Turned around? We’re back that way.” He points as if that vague direction is clear.
“Yeah, does this drive go all the way around the lake?”
He chuckles. “No. Just to Jude’s, and he spooks easily with Sadie being pregnant, so better to stay out of that driveway.”
“I don’t want to run over the grass,” I say, pretending I don’t see the tall figure standing in the distance, even though I can feel his eyes on me.
If I gave Emmett the time of day, he’d probably stop acting as though my hatred toward him is some kind of flirtation when it’s actually real and true hatred.
Ben looks around at either side of us, hemming and hawing. He turns toward Emmett and mumbles something under his breath. “Yeah, go down to the next drive and turn around. Then we’ll get you to the house.” His shoulders sink.
I point in front of me. “That way?” He can’t be serious.
“Yeah.” He releases another deep sigh. “Roll up your windows and lock the doors.” His voice is strained, and he doesn’t crack a smile.
“Is the boogeyman going to come and get me?”
He mumbles again, but I don’t catch it. “Just ignore any of his antics.”
I ease off the gas and inch my car toward where Ben wants me to turn around, which I’m guessing is Emmett’s place. That’s the reason he’s still standing there.
