Page 129 of Braving the Storm

She settles herself on the armrest of Colt’s chair and immediately swipes his beer to steal a sip.

“Let me feed you dinner and make it up to you?”

I try to think of an excuse to leave, the last thing I feel like doing is sitting around watching these two be a pair of lovebirds all night.

“Don’t pretend you’re not hungry. I know how you eat. Stick around for a bit, there’s even a bed if you want to crash here for the night.” Colt says.

“Bit cozy, isn’t it? How does that work anyway, you and Kayce all under one roof? Isn’t that too weird for him?” I raise an eyebrow.

Layla immediately flushes.

I’ll take that as a yes.

Knowing how these two can’t seem to keep their hands to themselves for five seconds, that doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.

“We’re actually living up in the cabin on the ridge, but when it’s nights like tonight, we’ll stay down here at the main house.” Colt gets to his feet. “Kayce is overnighting in Crimson Ridge for a couple of days and training over at Rhodes’ ranch.”

“Good. He needs a few bronc rides that’ll try to chew him up and spit him out before the season starts.”

“Come on, let’s figure out what we’re gonna feed you.” Layla pats my shoulder as she stops beside my chair. “Wanna make yourself useful and chop some potatoes for me?”

“As long as you promise not to ask me shit about fuck, I’m happy.”

“Ok.” Layla twists her lips, and her expression softens slightly. “Although, just saying, if you need help booking the next available flight out of here, I’m your gal. Hell, just give me the signal, and I’ll drive you to the airport like our tails are on fire.”

My default scowl is met with a smile that says she knows all my secrets.

As Colt and Layla head inside, I pause before following them. Their Wi-Fi might be patchy, but it sometimes works out here, and today it would seem that I’m in luck for being able to check my messages.

I scroll straight past all the notifications from Beau, other business inquiries, and stupid, brainless comments left on my social media posts.

There’s only one name I’m looking for.

There’s only one message thread I open, confirming for myself what I already knew would be the case.

No reply.

I’ve already fucked up so much in this life. I’m not going to dare ruin Briar’s by being selfish. Except, she’s read my latest message, and if she’s seen that, then surely she’s been seeing my daily photos showing her the cabin, the flowers, all the things I’d do for her, if only she’d let me take care of her forever.

Jesus. Maybe Colt was right, and Idoneed to go find out the facts for myself. How much longer am I gonna be content to sit here alone, not knowing?

As I lock my phone screen, tucking it away in my back pocket, and kick my boots off at the door I’m already hollering.

“Layla.”

She pops her head around the corner from the kitchen, a grintaking over her face as she recognizes my furrowed brow and determined expression.

“We’re getting your city girl back?” Excitement lights her green eyes.

“Let that man of yours take over the cooking…” I grab her by the shoulders and steer us in the direction of where I know Colt’s office and computer live. “I’m gonna need you to help me book a flight.”

Chapter 44

The gravel scrapes beneath my tires as I pull up in front of the cabin with a skid. If there’s any chance in hell of me making it to the airport to catch this fucking plane, I’m gonna need to haul ass.

I don’t bother removing the keys, hurling myself out the door, and refuse to pause, not even for the extra second it might take to shut it behind me. All I gotta find is a clean set of clothes and I’ll figure everything else out later.

Except, as I jump down, there’s a flicker of flames visible through the window that catches my eye. Smoke fills the air, hanging low and heavy with the cold dragging it down to ground level.