Page 48 of Drifter’s Heart

“Billy!” I leap at him. My arms and legs are flying as I crash into Coyote’s newest cowboy, who seems to have become a fixture since Lanie arrived in my brother’s life since he arrived at his ranch last year. I rumple the tall ranch hand, who presents well in a pressed blue shirt tucked into his jeans. “How’s my brother treating you?”

“Good, Winnie. He’s doing good up here.” Billy, the sweetheart that he is, does his best to read between the lines while he juggles my hug and his clipboard at the same time. “West.” His easy demeanor stays, but his tone… changes.

I look over my shoulder and find Mister Thundercloud glaring at us. His gaze drops pointedly to Billy’s hands on me. A sigh leaves me. “Excuse me,” I mutter to Billy, and jerk my head in West’s direction. “The brat is having issues.”

Billy snorts and gives me a squeeze. “I gotta get back. New setup, and I’m running headless. See you at dinner?”

“Sure.” I give him a wave and turn back to West. “What. In. the. Montana. Hell. Was. That?”

“I’m the brat, Winnie?” His hand shoots out to curl around the base of my neck, pulling me in close. I wasn’t sure if we were doing the possessive, public-relationship thing here up north, where friends and family can see us, but apparently we are.

I squeak. “I was on short notice?”

He ignores my attempt to defuse the situation. “Do you remember what I said about not caring if you danced with that doctor of yours all night?” Coal-gray eyes bore into mine.

“Nurse,” I manage as his fingers massage my nape, removing my ability to breathe.

A smile threatens the corners of his lips. “Nurse, then. All right. I don’t care about him, Winnie. But if a man from Coyote touches you, we’ll be having words.”

West drops his hand and saunters back to his truck, where Dustan leans against its side, sending me wide-eyed support glances and spirit fingers.

I stand still and let the rodeo be built around me. West gets Dustan’s kit out of his truck and directs him to where Dallas helps Slade, a Valiant Peak fixture, and Billy, along with other members of the Invitational crew who I recognize from the years that I’ve been around my brother. The setup might be different, but the people sure as hell aren’t.

“Well. I never thought I’d see the day. You tamed Wilder West.” Trixie Mayberry, Valiant Peak’s best female rider, appears beside me. One elbow pokes my ribs when I fail to respond the way she clearly wants.

“What?” I wave my hands in Dustan and West’s direction. “I obviously have no idea what I’m doing. West can’t be tamed. He’s like an out-of-control tornado ripping up a damaged path with no chance of stopping.”

Trixie is silent for far too long. When I turn to face her, she’s smirking. “Funnily enough”—she wiggles her ass—“I’ve heard him say something similar about you. Just in a hell of a lot grumpier voice. Are you coming to the party later?”

I blink. “There’s a party?”

“Ha. You haven’t been around this year, have you? Billy’s got a lot planned. So much planning. Cord… is getting used to it.” Trixie snickers.

“Same can be said about you and Slade,” I mutter, peeking around her for the cowboy she once had a one-night stand with who hasn’t left her alone since.

I never could work out if they’re on again or off again. But when they fight every Invitational, the whole setup crew knows about it and gives them both a wide berth, because what happens afterward is usually…

Spectacular.

“Uh, I haven’t had sleep in twenty-plus hours,” I beg off. “I had a date last night, and… you know.” I shrug. Glitter remnants trail across my vision.

Trixie’s snicker becomes a full-blown laugh that draws the attention of every man in the yard. “Oh, it’s like that, huh?”

“Not like that,” I hiss. “I threw West out and went on a date with another man. My best dances were with a pole, for fuck’s sake!”

Trixie’s face is nothing shy of comical as West strides over to grab my arm and haul me away. “Play nice,” he growls. “We’ll see you tonight,” he adds to Trixie.

“See you then.” She waves, still looking slightly shell-shocked at my glitter-encrusted revelation.

“What are you doing?” I pull my arm free. “I do not have the stamina to pull two all-nighters back-to-back. And Trixie’s party skills, especially where Slade is involved? That girl is legendary in many departments, barrel riding being the best and least of them.” I have no intention of dancing on a lit bar tonight, though I suspect Trix will.

And then outride every man she taunts come Friday night.

Kudos to her when she does. I’m feeling old in my bones as West winds his arms around me and pulls me in close. I soak in the security of his embrace, glad he encouraged me to change and shower before the drive up to Valiant Peak. Glad that he made me leave the house, where I would have stagnated on my own for a week without Sally.

I’d just gotten her back when Cord and Lanie decided they wanted her again. And I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to say no. That word has always been my weakness, first with Brad and then work. Yes always seems a whole lot easier. No matter how hard I’ve tried, the habit has stayed with me. Already I know I’ll cave because he hasn’t spent time with her over the last years, and I have… gah. Sometimes, I hate my brain. Clearly, for me in a social aspect and with family… no never quite cut it.

Somehow, West seems to understand that. Maybe we can double it down and do a motivational quarterly thing together. Practice saying no to my brother.