Page 14 of Lasso Lovebirds (Rainbow Ranch #4)

sky

Word traveled fast on Rainbow Ranch about Beau and Pris. I felt a sense of satisfaction that I’d had a hand in bringing those two together. And while many people might feel jealous, all I felt was a sense of excitement .

I walked through the front door for dinner and wasn’t surprised to see almost everyone already seated.

The teens had gone home early today, so it was just the group of adults who ran the ranch tonight.

My understanding was that there’d be a pride picnic this weekend since it was finally June, and I was thrilled to be here for it.

Winnie and Boone were putting food out on the table. Wylie, Billie, and Benny were all playing a lazy game of poker. Pris was leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed.

Beau was missing.

My heart lurched the moment she looked up at me. I could see her tense, but then I grinned, and she relaxed as I stole the chair next to her.

“Hey, cowgirl,” I said.

Pris snorted and leaned forward, using her body to block the two of us as she turned her head to look at me. “I was wondering where you’ve been.”

“Oh, I got some work in,” I said. “Used Beau’s office while it was free, since no one else needed any help.”

“Oh.” Her cheeks warmed and she lowered her voice. “I feel . . .”

“Pris,” I murmured, sliding my hand under the table. “I’m not jealous.”

She let out a slow breath and then nodded. “Okay. I don’t think we expected it.”

“Will you two get a room?” Benny quipped playfully.

Pris sighed dramatically. “We’ll return.”

“Better make it quick,” Boone called from the kitchen. “Beau should be here in five.”

She stood up, taking my hand with her as she led me out of the dining room. I blushed as a few eyes followed us, but everyone seemed to be happy for whatever was developing. What that was, I wasn’t entirely sure. But, it felt right.

And that’s all that mattered, right?

Pris led me to a door frame between the living room and the hall, and backed me against it. I tipped my head back, my body anticipating her touch.

“Are you sure this is okay?” she asked.

I answered by leaning forward to kiss her hard. She froze for a second and then melted, her hands cupping my face. Pris pulled back and let out a deep hum.

“Does that answer your question?” I whispered.

“Sure does,” she murmured.

“How are you and Beau?”

“Good. I don’t think either one of us expected to fall into bed. It just happened, and then I worried about ruining this with you . . .”

“The tension has been brewing for a long time, it seems like,” I said. “And you didn’t ruin anything. How many times should I say I like both of you? I like both of you, Pris. I like both of you a lot.”

“Well . . . I know I like you. I know he likes you.”

“Good,” I teased. “Glad we got that established.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Brat.”

“I can brat if you want me to. Or I can get on my knees for you. Really, I’ll do whatever you want . . .”

“Sky,” she hissed.

The front door swung open and Beau stepped in, his gaze immediately lifting to us. As if pulled by an invisible force, he crossed the living room to us.

I swallowed hard as the tension was set to boiling. Pris reached up and grabbed his hat, and surprised us both by putting it on my head.

“Lovebirds!” Billie called from the dining room. “Get your butts to the table before Boone puts you in timeout!”

Pris snorted and then gave us a flirty wink. “The stars are out tonight. And Beau’s got a truck. And no one will hear you when you moan. That’s all I’m saying.”

My mouth dropped as she sashayed away.

I started to take his hat off, but Beau shook his head. “Nope. I want you to wear my hat, little storm.”

My mouth dropped again .

Little storm.

He dipped his head down and pecked my cheek, then gave me a little pull toward the dining room. I followed him in a daze to the dining room, blushing as I ended up in a chair between him and Pris.

“Let’s eat,” Boone said, clapping his hands together.

The initial awkwardness I felt soon melted as conversations flowed and food was passed around. It was a home-cooked meal of brisket, mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, collard greens, and fresh rolls.

“This looks amazing,” I said. My mouth was watering. “I don’t know how you cook like this all the time.”

“He’s amazing,” Wylie said.

“Well, we gotta keep y’all fed for extracurricular activities,” Boone teased.

Oh god. Everyone had a different reaction to that. I blushed so deeply, I felt like I was gonna melt out of my damn chair. Beau sighed and gave his twin brother a look. Pris snorted. Billie and Winnie barked out a laugh, Benny scrunched his face, Wylie shook his head.

“Pay him no mind,” Beau sighed. “Anyway . . . How was everyone’s day?”

“Just peachy,” Billie said. “How was yours ?”

He sighed again, but there was an ease between him and everyone that was comforting. They were giving him a hard time because they loved him, not because they had an issue with his choices.

“I need to get some sound-proofing material next time I’m in Johnson Springs,” Benny said.

“Yep,” Pris agreed. “I like that idea.”

“I think we all like that idea,” Billie said.

“Not to change the subject from my sex life, but we should talk about the picnic this weekend,” Beau said.

“What about it?” Boone chimed. “We got all the food and things for it. About fifty people RSVP’d.”

“ Fifty ?” I asked in disbelief. “All the way out here?”

“Oh, there’ll be more,” Pris said. “It’s one of the only events like this in Oklahoma. We should have about two hundred people.”

“That’s amazing,” I said. “Wow. You know, I’ve never been to a pride event.”

“ What ?” everyone exclaimed together.

“Oh my god,” Billie said excitedly. “We have a pride virgin in our midst.”

“Careful, Billie,” Boone said. “We don’t want to scare them off.”

“We do have to throw glitter on them,” Benny said.

“Or, I can make a shirt that says My First Time ,” Billie teased.

“Billie,” Beau sighed. “Really?”

“What? It’s the truth! You can’t deny us this.”

I laughed, shaking my head at them as the four siblings went back and forth. My head spun as a realization hit me.

This felt like home.

More than any place had ever felt before.

Beau’s hand settled on my right thigh under the table, and Pris’ settled on my left. Being between the two of them with casual, comforting touches—my eyes stung with tears for a second before I managed to chase them away by biting into a soft roll.

Wylie cleared his throat. “They’re going hog wild over this.”

“They are,” I said.

Winnie offered me a soft smile. “You get used to it the longer you’re around.”

“Do you?” Pris chuckled. “I’ve known them for years and always feel like I’m in a cowboy circus.”

“Hey,” Boone quipped. “You like cowboys.”

“Damn right I do.”

Everyone burst out laughing again, and the conversations settled into overlapping topics. The picnic, the horses, Noodles and Dennis’ unlikely friendship, the strange lack of storms since I arrived on the ranch.

“Do you think we’ll have more tornadoes?” Wylie asked me.

I nodded. “We’re still in storm season for a bit. I’m sure a storm will brew up sometime soon.”

“And will you go tornado hunting?” Winnie asked.

I nodded again. “Yep. That’s the whole reason I’m out here right now. I’ve been keeping an eye on radar so when it does come up, I’ll go chasing.”

“Alone?” Boone asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “It’ll be okay. I used to have an assistant, but we had a falling out a few weeks ago. But when I first started, it was just me and the trusty van.”

“What made you start storm chasing?” Billie asked curiously.

A slow breath left me. “Well, growing up, I lived in a small town that was torn apart by one. The community never truly recovered, honestly. It was a small, forgotten town that was leveled. We were lucky to have survived.”

I could still remember the wind. Like a freight train barreling down on what little we owned, taking everything with it.

Still to this day, I’d wake up from a nightmare of those moments as a child where I’d been certain I wouldn’t see the sun again.

I’d never forget my mom holding onto me, praying that we’d make it.

We did. We were lucky. There were many families in that town who didn’t.

“I’m sorry,” Beau murmured. “That sounds horrifying.”

“It was,” I said simply. “But that horrible situation made me wonder why we’re not able to prevent the destruction.

We have tornado sirens and warnings now, but we didn’t get any sort of heads up when it happened.

One minute I was playing in the yard, and the next, the sky was swirling green and it sounded like the world was being ripped apart.

Since then, I’ve always wanted to help people.

Whatever I can do to contribute to our understanding of how they work means I’m helping families, towns, and communities avoid unimaginable devastation. ”

Everyone nodded solemnly, and Pris gave my thigh a squeeze.

“I think it’s amazing,” she said. “And next time there’s a storm, I’ll go with you.”

Beau gave my thigh a squeeze. “Me too.”

I raised a brow. “I guess I have room for two.”

“Good,” Pris said, letting out a soft laugh.

She’d been right about Beau, of course. That he’d want to join us if the chance arose.

“It can be dangerous though, right?” Boone asked.

“It can be,” I admitted. “I have a good sense, though.”

There’d been a lot of close calls over the years, but somehow I’d always managed to escape. It was as if my instincts took over and I was able to pull out of the way, or into a spot that the worst of the tornado would miss.

“Besides, I’m really just there to take pictures and to gather data. Then I send all that information to a group of scientists, and they take it from there. Can’t say it pays a lot, but it’s work I feel good about.”

“You should live here,” Benny said lightly. “You’ll see all the storms in Oklahoma, and then when it’s not the season for it, you could work with Pris.”

My eyes widened. I opened my mouth to say that I’d like that, but Pris cleared her throat. “I’m sure they’ll be ready to be done with us by then.”

That wasn’t true. I looked over at her as a moment of awkwardness passed, but Boone filled it quickly.

“Well, I’ve got some chocolate cake for everyone,” he announced. “Someone help me bring all the things out.”

“I’ll help,” Wylie said, jumping up before anyone else could.

I leaned back in my chair as everyone started to chat amongst themselves again. I looked over at Pris again, but she wouldn’t look at me.

What if I stayed? What would happen then?

Usually in the storm off-seasons, I picked up a job wherever I could. Would work for a few months then move on.

But I was ready to put down roots.

I was ready to stop only chasing my dreams. I wanted something more.

I deserved something more.

But was that more here? At Rainbow Ranch?

With Pris and Beau?

A shimmering ray of hope broke through my thoughts. Maybe. Just maybe, it was.