Page 40 of Saddle Storm

“Picking up Storm and Max from the other side of the planet.”

He sighs. “Oh. Heard you took them out last ni—”

“Where they live, Wilder. What do you know about it?” I snap, no time for small talk.

“Silas, don’t get all worked up over things you can’t help.”

I’m about to ask what he means by that but bypass it and aim straight for the hit I know will get me the goal. “Tell me or I’ll be dropping wedding bells hints from now to December.”

He curses under his breath. “All right, all right,” he sighs. “Tom Dalton got sick about three years ago. He didn’t have a lot in retirement but between him and Storm, they pulled what they could to get him treatment. Early last year, Tom had to go into a facility and they sold the townhouse. Didn’t go for much in its condition, so Storm didn’t have enough to buy or rent decent property for her and Max. That’s when she came to Blue River Ranch. We offered her fifty percent more than she was getting at Callahan. Now before you go losing your tights over it, she gets more than any other trainer we’ve had on staff. Heck, we pay her almost as much as Ginger.”

“That can’t be right. Where’s it all going, cause it sure as fuck isn’t that apartment.”

“The money from the townhouse got him a room at the facility. But the treatments still pile up.”

I exhale a loud breath. “Got it. Thanks. I’ll see you back at the ranch soon.”

“Silas.”

“What?”

“Think before you act. It’s not just Storm you’re dealing with here.”

I mutter a thanks and hang up as I pull up to Storm’s building. My hopes of it looking a bit more appealing in the light flying out the window. Grabbing the drinks but leaving the food in the car, I head up to the apartment.

With Wilder’s and Dallas’s warning in my head, I know how this looks to anyone watching—the dinner, the drop-bys, the way I keep finding reasons to be near her and Max. I should think twice. I should be cautious and know where the line’s drawn.

Hell, Storm drew it last night when she called a truce and let me off the hook for high school—calling attention to an end date.

But the truth is, I don’t want an end date. I don’t want to stay away from Storm Dalton. And I’m sick of people telling me to.

This line’s become something you’d have to break all my limbs to keep me from crossing.

“Silas,” Max’s face lights up as he opens the door to me, and I wonder how much longer I can stay an idol in his eyes. What I might do to screw it up. The thought terrifies me.

“Hey buddy.” I scan his jeans, polo shirt, and hoodie. Then to the same worn shoes from the other day. “Lookin’ sharp. Can I come in?”

He stands back, welcoming me in. “Mom’s in the shower because we ran out of hot water after mine yesterday.”

I frown. “Oh, well is there anything I can do to help?” I glance around the apartment. It’s clean, but small. There’s barely a corridor between the door and the kitchen. There’s a small island, piled with papers, bottles, devices, and mail. The living room stretches, but not for very long before hitting a wall with a double window and blue curtains. The sofa bed is open with a spread of linens.

“How about I help with the bed?”

He seems concerned for a moment, hesitating. My sling is back on because it was a bitch driving her truck through town last night and I needed the reminder to rest it.

“We can surprise your mom,” I offer encouragingly.

“Okay, I usually help her fold.”

“You sleep here?” I ask.

“Yeah. Mom wanted to give me the bedroom, but all her stuff is in there anyway. Plus, what good is having your own room if your mom’s always coming in?”

I chuckle. “Yeah, I don’t see the purpose. Except each of my bothers and I had our own room and our mom was always in there. Judging, rattling off chores. Throwing away magazines we had no business—well—you get the point. Here, you fold the sheets, and I’ll get the sofa.”

He nods and starts folding in a somewhat functional manner—certainly better than anything I could do with one hand. “I had so much fun yesterday.” He beams.

“Yeah, me too. Hey, solid choice with that Polaroid by the way,” I wink, referencing our conversation from the other day.