Page 82 of Branded

“Yes.”

“You got married?” His voice goes up an octave. “When? To who? Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

“There wasn’t time.”

“Are you pregnant?”

“No, I’m not, that’s not… no. I’d rather not have to go over this a hundred times. Can you wait until we get home?”

“Lennox, if there’s one thing I know about you, it’s you won’t talk until you’re ready. So yeah, it can wait, but only because you’re stubborn.” He grips the wheel and steps on the gas.

I don’t say anything else, just watch the house come into view, surrounded by barns and corrals and the organized chaos of a working ranch.

I’m home, for the next four and a half days, at least.

Then I have to go back to Texas. Back to Sebastian. Back to figuring out how to make our fucked-up marriage work for the next two years.

But right now, I’m home.

28

LENNOX

The house looks the same as the day I left. Two stories of log and stone construction, practical rather than pretty, built to withstand Montana winters and house a family with six kids. The wide porch wraps around three sides, the rocking chairs my mother had insisted on still there, even though she’s been gone fifteen years. My father’s truck, dusty from morning work, is parked near the barn.

Everything is familiar. Everything is mine in a way Sebastian’s ranch could never be.

Cage parks and kills the engine, but neither of us move.

“Are you ready for this?” he asks.

“No.”

“They’re all inside waiting. Dad called everyone home the second he heard you were coming.” Cage turns to face me. “Crew and Lark drove up from Bozeman. Emma and Grace canceled their plans. Even Janie.” Cage’s eyes narrow. “What happened to her, Len? She won’t tell anyone anything, just keeps saying she can’t talk about it.”

“She had some trouble in California. I helped her out of it. That’s all.”

“That’s not all, but fine, keep your secrets.” He opens his door. “But Dad’s not going to let this go. You disappeared for months, apparently got married to someone none of us have met, and now you’re here without him. He’s going to want answers.”

“I know.”

We climb out of the truck, and I grab my bag from the back. The front door opens before we reach the porch, and my youngest sister Emma appears.

Twenty-two years old, blonde like me but taller, studying veterinary medicine at Montana State. She takes one look at me, and her eyes fill with tears.

“Lenny.” She flies down the steps and crashes into me. “Oh my God, we were so worried. You just disappeared and stopped answering calls, and Dad was talking about hiring private investigators.”

“I’m fine, Em. I’m okay.”

“You’re not okay. You look exhausted.” She pulls back, studying my face.

“It’s complicated, Sissy.”

She frowns when she looks down at my hand, before she grabs it, looking at the ring. “This is gorgeous. And expensive. And completely unlike you to do anything this impulsive. I want details.”

“Can we go inside? I just need to get this over with.”

Emma nods, linking her arm through mine as we walk up the porch steps.