Page 168 of Ironwood Ranch Cowboys

Except not remotely normal because the woman currently occupying my emotional stability hooked up with all three of us last night and now we apparently have to continue existing as functioning adults.

Behind me, boots sound against the floorboards.

“You’re cooking angry again,” Cody says.

I glance over my shoulder. “I’m cooking with passion.”

“You nearly snapped a spatula in half.”

“It knows what it did.”

Cody ignores that and reaches for the coffee pot. His hair’s still damp from the shower, sleeves rolled up, glasses low on his nose while he scans his phone.

Which would probably look very calm and controlled to anyone who didn’t know him. But I know him.

That man hasn’t slept worth a damn.

“You look terrible,” I tell him affectionately.

“Natural state.” He pours coffee. “Silas already left for the south pasture.”

“Of course he did.” I plate scrambled eggs. “Man experiences vulnerability once and immediately goes to stare at fencing about it.”

Cody’s mouth twitches despite himself.

“And Annie?” I ask carefully.

“She’s already in the office.”

Well. There goes my ability to pretend I wasn’t planning to hover around her as a deeply handsome security threat.

I grab a plate before Cody can say anything smug. Eggs, bacon, toast, fruit because Annie occasionally remembers nutrition exists, and an iced coffee because she’s a menace who drinks cold caffeine even when the weather could legally classify as hostile.

“You’re bringing her breakfast,” Cody says flatly.

“No,” I lie.

He stares at the plate.

I stare back. “This is just… portable hospitality.”

“You’re embarrassingly obvious.”

“Jealous?”

“Yes,” he says, which startles a laugh out of me.

“Damn,” I say. “Look at us growing.”

“Don’t make it weird.”

“Too late.”

I carry the plate out before he can throw something at me.

The ranch is already awake around me. Trucks moving, horses shifting in the paddocks, ranch hands starting the day.

Ironwood’s running on its usual rhythm despite the fact that under the surface everything currently feels one hard shove away from catching fire.