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She grinned up at him. “Guess you’re just pretty or something.”

He grinned down at her. “I know your sister is here and all, but I plan on sneaking you away later.”

She bit her lip, giving him a once-over. “I’ll hold you to that, cowboy,” she murmured before sauntering off after Lilly and Brandon.

Shane walked over to the stables, more than justpleasedwith himself and how things were going. But as he entered the building, Boone’s voice interrupted all that peace and contentment.

“Long as your mom says it’s okay, you can come with us. It’s about three days, and we drive the cattle—”

“No.” The command came out of his mouth before Shane even thought of it, before Boone or Micah had even realized he was there.

Boone turned slowly, that icy cold look in his eye. “You’re not in charge of me, Shane.”

“No, but I am in charge of this ranch, and, unfortunately, Micah’s age makes him a liability.” He noted Micah’s mutinous expression and did what he could to assuage it, though he knew, thanks to Boone, he was going to be the bad guy no matter what. “I’m sorry, Micah. Those are the rules. They always have been the rules. I can’t change them when they’re there for safety reasons.”

“But Boone said—”

“Boone was wrong and spoke out of turn. We can’t have anyone on the cattle drive under the age of fifteen. That’s the beginning and end of it.”

“It doesn’t have to be,” Boone said.

“Yes, it does. You’ve been home for a few weeks tops. You don’t get to sweep in and change things. We’re talking about a kid’s safety here. Not your pride.”

“Fuck you.”

“Maybe you should stay away from the kid since you can’t seem to control your mouth.”

“Whatever,” Micah mumbled. “I don’t even care.” Then he stormed out of the stables, very clearlycaring.

“You’re being a dick,” Boone growled, pressing his luck.

“You’re being completely irresponsible. You cannot take a twelve-year-old who is still just getting used to horses on that kind of drive.”

“You and Gavin went all the time when you were kids. I’m not stupid. You ended that practice because you didn’t want the rest of us underfoot, not because it wasdangerous.”

“I ended that practice because people got hurt,” Shane bit out. He did everything in his power to keep his temper under control, but screw Boone for always swooping in, trying to be the fun-time guy.

“Who?”

Oh, he wanted to go down this road? Fine. “You really buy the story Dad died accidentally with no interference?”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“Nothing.” He was not losing it like this over something so small. Much as he hated to admit it, he was more angry with Boone for making him the bad guy with Micah than anything else. That didn’t excuse this outburst though. “Like I said, I’m in charge. On this matter, what I say goes.”

“Oh, hell no, you don’t get to shut it down. What did you mean? Dad did die accidentally.”

“Yeah, he did.”

Boone took a step forward and fisted his hand in Shane’s shirt. Shane resisted the urge to push him away. He would not get in a fistfight with hisinjuredbrother. Not with Cora out there, that was for damn sure.

“Then what did you mean?” Boone asked in a low, threatening tone.

“It means it was an accident, but it could have been avoided.” Shane hadn’t told anyone this. Not even Mom. Not Cora, not Gavin, no one. “I was underfoot, about got myself trampled. Dad saved me, andthat’show he died. Keeping my ass alive. So. Yeah, an accident, but one that wouldn’t have happened if he’d kept kids out of it. Next time you want to include Micah on something, you run it by me first.”

“Because you’re his daddy?” Boone asked, giving Shane a hard shove as he released him. A bubbling fury in his gaze that stoked Shane’s own.

“Because I’m the only adult around here. I’m the only one who takes responsibility for anyone else. You’re going to listen to me because I’m the foreman. Because I’m the oldest. Because I damn well know what I’m talking about. You ran away, Boone. You played with your bulls and got your ass handed to you. Now, you’re back. Well, you’re going to have to prove you belong.”