Page 86

Story: Ruthless Promise

“And my boyfriend.”

Ivy’s jaw dropped but then firmed again when she watched Hunter and Colton talking in rapid sentences. “I mean, who is the guy Colton’s talking to?”

“That’s our new ranch hand—Hunter. He was friends with Forest too, and now he’s coming to the ranch to…lend a hand.” She hadn’t yet told Ivy the tale of what happened on the ranch—or how their father seemed to be involved.

“Come on.” She dragged her sister a few feet over to where the guys stood. “Ivy, meet Colton.”

“You look a lot different from the picture Forest carried of you.” Colton smiled.

“I must have been about thirteen in that photo.” Ivy rolled her eyes, which pulled a snort out of the new ranch hand.

Ivy’s head whipped around and she sent him a glare that would shrivel a lesser man. Hunter, however, was no lesser man.

“And this is Hunter,” Colton introduced them.

Ivy cocked a brow.

Hunter’s lips twisted in one part sneer, one part amusement. “We’ve met.” His tone was dry.

Meadow locked eyes with Colton. Whatever was going on between her sister and the former SEAL was anyone’s guess.

“What’s your name again? Princess?” Hunter’s sarcasm drew a grumble from Ivy.

“It’s Ivy, as I told you before on the plane. But you must have amnesia.” She turned her nose up in the air. “Get me home. I need to change out of these clothes and go see our father.”

Meadow hung back with Colton for a moment, allowing the pair to walk to baggage claim ahead of them. “What do you think happened on the plane?” she asked him.

He shrugged. “If she’s anything like you, she just needs a firm hand to straighten her out.”

Meadows’s jaw dropped in outrage, and she lightly punched his arm. Then she leaned on tiptoe to kiss him fully on the lips. “You know how much I love that firm hand of yours.”

He slipped his hand low over her spine, stopping short of caressing her backside. “And I love teaching you lessons, baby.”

Even though there was a lot to worry about, Meadow knew that, with Colton at her side, everything would work out. Love—and family—would prevail.