Page 6

Rick turned on the barstool and glanced at them. “Lyric, honey, your mom makes the best cinnamon rolls.” He licked his fingers.

Thathoneywas another too-familiar endearment she didn’t want coming from his lips.

Her dad glanced down at her, then turned to her mom. “What’s going on here, Robin?”

Mom raised a brow, catching Dad’s not so easygoing tone. “I was just welcoming Lyric’s friend to the ranch.” She looked at Lyric. “Why didn’t you tell me he was coming to stay?”

Lyric chose her words carefully, knowing her mom would pick up on the caution in her voice. “He surprised me. We just met last week in Nashville.”

Her mom’s eyes changed to that of knowing this wasn’t someone Lyric knew well and welcomed here.

“But we’ve been friends for a while now,” Rick supplied, then turned back to her mom. “Online. You know. Where everyone meets these days. Lyric and I can’t wait to collaborate and make some really awesome music. Maybe I’ll play at the bar, and she’ll put me up on her YouTube channel.”

Mom eyed her. “Well, that sounds amazing. But Lyric, are you going to have time between working at the bar, here, and your other activities?”

She did a lot of catering and cooked for those in need who stopped by the Dark Horse Dive Bar kitchen looking for a hot meal or even a bag of groceries to tide them over.

Jax walked into the kitchen from the mudroom holding his hand, blood dripping down his finger. “Hey. It smells really good in here.”

Mom immediately went to him. “What happened?”

“Sliced it on, of all things, a bag of grain. It’snothing. Just an annoying paper cut that won’t stop bleeding.”

Mom rushed into the half bath below the stairs and came back with a Band-Aid from the medicine cabinet.

Jax finished cleaning the cut and stared at the stranger in their house. “Who are you?”

“Rick Rowe. Lyric’s friend. I’m staying in one of the cabins for a while.”

“I’m Jax. Lyric’s brother.” Jax raised a brow at her.

“I’ll tell you later. Right now, I’ve got horses to ride.”

“Can I come?” Rick asked.

Fuck, no.“Have you ever been on a horse?”Please sayno.

“No.”

She tried not to show her relief. “Then, no,” she said, not wanting to spend time with him or teach him how to ride. She had a schedule, and she was already behind. “I don’t have time for a lesson. You’ll slow me down.” Okay, maybe that was too blunt and dismissive.

Rick didn’t drop it. “Come on, it can’t be that hard.”

Her dad intervened. “Jax, you’re all patched up. Mind taking our guest to his cabin, make sure he’s got everything he needs?” The tone didn’t make it a question of any kind.

Jax picked up on the off feeling in the room and hopped to it. “You bring yours.” He picked up one of the cinnamon rolls. “I’ll bring mine.”

Mom handed Jax a key. “Cabin ten.” The one farthest from the house. “It’s got the best heater. You’ll need it.” Mom eyed the coat Rick wore that would barely block the biting wind.

“Let’s go.” Jax headed for the front door.

Rick came to Lyric and smiled. “Your family is so nice. You’re lucky.” She didn’t want to read into that statement that maybe his family wasn’t good to him. “See you soon.”

Lyric held her mom’s gaze as Jax and Rick left. The second the front door closed, Mom asked, “What the hell is going on? He said he was your friend, but you’re acting like you don’t know him.”

“I don’t. Not really.” Lyric explained the best she could, telling her mom all she’d told her dad.

Her dad pulled out his phone. “I’m calling Hunt. We need to check this guy out.” He made the call, putting it on Speaker.