Page 20 of Hot Times in Heart Falls, Vignettes Vol 3

Luke stripped off his shirt then raised his fists, already weaving slightly as if he expected Tucker to attack without warning. “Ready?”

Whatever his friend needed, Tucker would offer. He’d take what he needed at the same time.

He jerked his shirt forward over his head. “You really want to do this? I don’t want to mess up your pretty face before Friday night.”

“Aim low, then.”

Luke darted forward, jabbing hard at Tucker’s ribs. He got in half a blow before Tucker pivoted to the side and swung. His knuckles thudded into Luke’s chest.

Luke grabbed for him and tried to wrestle him to the ground.

“You’re just asking to be embarrassed,” Tucker drawled. He caught Luke around his torso and lifted his friend off his feet. Luke twisted far enough that Tucker lost his balance, and they both fell to the dirt floor.

Fighting was cathartic and, in a strange way, calming. An hour later, they were both sweaty and scuffed up, but Luke wore a grin and Tucker felt as if he were the king of the world.

“God, your fists are like rocks,” Luke complained, stretching out his legs as he sucked back water. His chest rocked with sharp inhalations as he fought to catch his breath.

“Your ribs are dangerous,” Tucker said dryly, settling onto a stool. “For a minute I thought I was going to get a hangnail.”

“Jerk.”

“Ass.”

Luke grinned at him. Then his expression fell. “I’m glad you’re here. Today sucks.”

Sadness welled up in Tucker’s belly. “It doesn’t get much easier, does it?”

His friend stared at the wall for a silent minute before speaking softly. “Parts do. Sometimes I go whole weeks without thinking ‘I need to let Dad know about—whatever.’ Yet every time it happens, it slices so hard it’s as if I just lost them.”

He cut off, his voice thick with sorrow.

Tucker bowed his head, letting the pressure in his throat and chest wash over him. He breathed deep then lifted his gaze to his friend’s. “Good.”

Luke’s brow furrowed, and his expression slid to confused.

“If it didn’t hurt, you’d be angry at yourself,” Tucker said quietly. “I know you. You’ve got a huge heart—it’s okay that it still aches.”

Luke nodded slowly. “Thanks. I needed to hear that.” He hesitated then offered a grimace. “This is on the down-low. Don’t tell anyone, okay?”

Tucker raised a brow at the other man. “Really? Do I need to pinkie swear that I’ll keep your secret?”

“It’s not my secret,” Luke said. “I overheard Wendy telling Caleb he was being ridiculous. That he was sentimental and stupid to try to hold onto the ranch.”

“Shit.” Tucker’s opinion of the woman hadn’t improved over time. He considered. “You think Caleb wants to sell the place?”

“Hell no, but wants to and needs to are different things, know what I mean?” Luke shook his head. “Wendy is not my favourite person.”

“Mine either,” Tucker agreed. “Be glad you don’t have to live with her.”

“Amen. I feel for Ginny, I really do.” Luke made a face. “Even living in the basement of the ranch house means too much exposure to Wendy’s negativity.”

“She could move out to the bunkhouse…” Tucker stopped himself, the image of the curvy brunette surrounded by the ranch hands of Silver Stone doing something terrible to his gut.

He trusted them to have her back, but what if…

He met Luke’s smirk. His friend snickered. “Yeah, that didn’t take you long.”

“Move in with Dare in the cottage?”