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Nora frowns like she’s reading my thoughts. “You need to give yourself a little grace, Harloe.”
“Grace about what?” Will asks, walking through my apartment door with three boxes stacked in his arms.
“Nothing.” I glare at Nora, silently warning her to keep quiet.
The ranch has its own struggles. Will does not need my problems added to the mix.
“Kitchen or bedroom?” he asks, stopping in front of me.
“Kitchen.”
He turns to his right, setting the boxes down on the kitchen table. The rickety legs wobble beneath the weight.
My studio apartment stretches the entire floor above Ransack. It’s spacious, but it’s technically only one room with a divider that sections off my bed from the rest of the space. Thin walls and floors let music filter upward, and the windows do nothing to keep out street noise.
It’s not much, but it’s home. And even if I hate that the stairs drop into the alley beside the building, living here is better than crashing with one of my brothers.
Will wipes his dark hair off his forehead; sweat drips down his neck. Nora’s gaze lowers when he stretches his arms overhead, revealing a hint of abs.
I nudge her arm, snapping her out of her trance, and her cheeks turn red.
“Just looking.” She turns away, flushed, and I laugh.
Will eyes us both, missing what happened entirely. It’s why he’s single at thirty-six. A girl could fall at his feet, and he would be too busy thinking about cattle to notice. All three of my brothers are annoyingly attractive and equally oblivious to the attention they get.
Asher and Liam walk inside behind Will, carrying more boxes. They’re twins, but opposites in almost every way. They have the same sapphire-blue eyes and black hair that makes them stand out, but Asher keeps his hair longer, while Liam’s is always perfectly cropped and styled.
Liam is the golden child of the family. When he isn’t fighting fires, he’s helping out with crop management at Will’s ranch. Whether it be volunteering, going to the gym, or working a double shift, he is constantly doing something.
Asher, on the other hand, is Liam’s opposite. He’s covered in tattoos, constantly getting into fights around town, and working as a ranch hand for Will because he hasn’t decided what he’s doing with his life. Responsibility and goals might as well be trigger words for him.
Asher sets a box on the bed beside me and then rubs his knuckles on the top of my head. “That’s the last of them… finally. You think you have enough shit, sis?”
“I never have enough shit.” I shove him away. “Thanks for the help, but go home and shower. You stink.”
“Your compliments are always good for the ego.” He grins, not the least bit offended as his gaze moves between me and Nora.
Liam’s phone rings, and he shoots upright. “I’ve got to get to the station.”
If I didn’t know him better, I’d worry there was an emergency. But that’s just how Liam operates. Constantly running from one end of town to the other.
“On that note.” Asher watches Liam disappear before I can thank him. “You need anything else?”
“No, now the unpacking begins, but thanks for your help.”
“You owe me drinks.” Asher points at me as he backs out the door.
“As if you don’t already have a bottomless tab at the bar.”
He smiles, not denying it as he leaves.
Will is the last to go. He grabs my shoulder and looks down at me like he’s going to say something. The wrinkle between his eyebrows deepens. Stress is wearing on him more and more each year.
“What’s wrong?” I sigh.
“If Zander gives you any trouble, let me know.” Will squeezes my shoulder.
“I can handle Zander.”