Page 50 of A Rancher's Love

Tucker was still grinning as he turned onto the main highway and headed them on the shortest route cross country. “Thanks for the coffee.”

“You need to stop flirting with my wife. Get yourself a woman of your own,” Luke said dryly.

Tucker wasn’t going to touch that. Not yet.

Didn’t help that Jack stuck to the same tune. “Anyone you have to say goodbye to while we’re packing your stuff?” he asked from the backseat.

“No one,” Tucker assured him. “Packing won’t take long, but my boss needs some help moving horses. Before we leave, I’ll grab my trailer so I can bring my ride with us on the return journey.”

“Braggart is a sweet thing,” Luke informed Jack. “Ashton trained her, and I swear she can read Tucker’s mind sometimes.”

“The best kind of woman,” Jack said with a grin. “Human or equine.”

Tucker chuckled. “I’m pretty sure that’s the sort of talk that gets you kicked out of bed in the evening as well as the morning. You know, comparing her to a horse.”

“Are you kidding?” Jack said. “Diane knows it’s a compliment of the highest order when I start talking horsey.”

“That’s just wrong,” Luke complained. “You’re giving me so many openings for crude jokes, when I’m working to be polite and not shock Tucker.”

“I think you were one step away from shocking my uncle,” Tucker said. He wasn’t about to share what Ashton had confessed, but he was curious how well his uncle had been keeping secrets.

“With my little ‘why don’t you simply confess what you’ve been up to’ oops? Yeah, not my business, but damn is it tempting to poke the man at times.” Luke took a sip of coffee and eased back in his seat. “He didn’t take me apart too badly when I got involved with Kelli, so I like to give him a little slack when it comes to his love life.”

“I hope my relationship situation is a whole lot less complicated when I’m in my sixties,” Jack said. “Good to get it established while we’re young.”

“So your ladies can train you up right?” Tucker teased.

“Definitely.” Jack laughed. “Let me know if you need help finding someone. I’ve got a couple skilled trainers I could send your way who are single.”

Tucker glanced at Luke. “Is he pimping me out?”

“Not my fault,” Luke insisted. “Maybe you should take him up on it. Get some new blood happening. There’s no one around town. Of course, I shouldn’t say that. You know the Fields sisters. And there’s a few others who—”

“I’m not looking to get set up,” Tucker said quickly.

Thirteen hours on the road. This would be one hell of a trip if he had to spend the entire time convincing his friends he wasn’t in need of female companionship.

Tucker glanced beside him to discover Luke grinning from ear to ear.

“We’ll stop now. You’re probably focused on the whole mentoring thing, and I get it. I’m pretty pumped myself,” Luke admitted. “And what a way to start. Road trip for the win. Although I should not be shotgun, but behind the wheel.”

“Hell, no,” Tucker returned. “When your dad taught us to drive, he said I was a far better student than you. Safety-conscious and astute.”

“Boring brownnoser. You’re lucky he didn’t see you doing doughnuts in the community hall parking lot a month later,” Luke snapped back.

“You were too chicken.” Tucker said it dryly, then braced for the inevitable.

Sure enough…

His entire body rocked when Luke smacked his fist into Tucker’s biceps. “Jerk.”

“Ass.”

Laughter rolled from the backseat. “It’s like a Canadian comedy show, with lesseh’s than expected.”

Tucker raised a hand and flashed his middle finger, snickering hard when he realized Luke had done the exact same thing beside him.

“You guys crack me up.” Jack groaned then sighed heavily. “Wake me when we’re five minutes from our next pit stop, will you? I’m still not adjusted from the time zone difference.”