Page 12

Chapter Eleven

RED

I circled the airport for an hour, arguing with myself that I had no right to interfere with her life. She wasn’t in mine, for Christ’s sake! Snow made it impossible for me to drive as fast as I’d like to dispel some of the anger I was feeling.

She’s going home.

Leaving me to go home to another man.

I didn’t know him personally, but I’d never hated another human being as much I did at this very moment.

When I finally made it home, the house was packed, and the smell coming from the kitchen was the reason why. It doesn’t snow much in Texas, but when it does, Ma always makes chicken and dumplings. So that means the whole damn family is here.

“Red, why do you look like someone pissed in your hat?” Ma says as she ladles up bowl after bowl and passes them to my little sister.

“Hey, Princess,” I kiss her head as she swats me away.

“Reckon, it has something to do with that blonde at the restaurant the other night.” Eliza’s twin, Easton, says, taking the bowl she offers him.

“Has someone finally said no to Big Red?” Kit snickers from the couch as he blows the steam off his own bowl.

“Cami didn’t.” I stop talking when I see I gave him exactly what he wanted.

“What a pretty name.” He muses, and I’ve had enough of his shit already.

“You fixin’ for a row out back? He looks fit to be tied. I’d let this one go.” Clay walks past our troublemaker of a brother and the whole reason I got this stupid fucking nickname.

“Now, Red. Be reasonable. It’s been years. Surely you’re not still mad over a tiny little prank.” Kit’s grin grows as my anger boils over.

I know it’s just my emotions running amuck, but if he’s going to flaunt such a great outlet in front of me, sure as shit, I’m going to take it. I shrug out of my flannel and hang up my hat.

“Fuck,” Colton sighs as Kit follows suit and then walks out the back door to wait for me.

“Boys, I’m fresh outta crazy glue and thread. Make sure you don’t track blood or mud into my house. I just mopped these floors.” Ma continues serving up the food she cooked like this is an everyday occurrence around here.

After raising nine boys, I guess it is.

Pa just watches as I walk past him and right out the back door. Colton leans up against the house, trying to stay out of the snow as Kit jumps around in place. Steam rises from where the flakes melt on his exposed skin.

“Drinks on me when you two fools are done.” Clayton passes us on his way to the barn.

He must be taking his horse down to the bar since the snow will stop him from riding his Harley. Kit notices my distraction, and the little fuck takes a cheap shot nailing me in the gut.

“FUCK,” I growl as I bend over.

“Gotta be quicker than that old man.” He bounces around me like the boxer he’s trained as.

“Thirty-three ain’t old asshole.” I swing and catch his jaw.

He shakes it off and then grins at me before landing two jabs and an uppercut. My head spins for a moment, and he leans in to hiss at me.

“I’m a decade younger and faster bitch.” My vision is spotty, but I manage to grab him by the neck and take him down to the ground.

I might not be able to outbox him, but he’s always been shit on the mats. We roll in the snow until I get the upper hand.

“Tap out,” I yell out as Kit tries to break my hold on his neck.

“He’s got you, Christopher,” Pa says from the open doorway, but my younger brother is as stubborn as a mule.

His body goes limp, and I push him away.

“That boy will never learn.” I stand and then bend in half, trying to catch my breath.

“Leave him there to cool off.” Pa turns back into the house as Colton approaches to help me lift Kit off the ground.

“In the snow?” Colton calls out, making Pa stop and spin around to face us.

“You heard your mother. Her floors are clean.” He shrugs, and I look at Kit.

“Barn?” Colton groans, and we both lift him up.

We manage to drop him into the hay bales so he doesn’t freeze to death in the snow, and the fucker curls up into a ball, letting out a loud snore like he did when he was little.

“Some things never change,” I laugh at Colton as I walk over to Jett’s stall.

My Friesian stallion neighs and chuffs as I open his door. His thick black coat shines almost blue as he moves under the overhead lights.

“Are we still on track to mate these two?” Colton’s voice has gone soft as he straddles his mare, Marigold.

We’ve discussed breeding his sorrel mare before, but Kit advised against it since she was still too young. I shrug and gently toss my saddle on Jett.

“She should be old enough now. We’ll discuss it with Stephan in the spring.” We work together in silence and mount up to head over to Clayton’s bar.

The Courthouse is a fifteen-minute ride through our family trails, but the snow slows us down. I wasn’t expecting there to be much activity, but the place is fucking packed.

“Snow must be good for business,” Clayton comments as we tie up our horses next to Clayton’s six-year-old Gypsy Vanner mare, Stella.

The Courthouse is standing-room only. We fight the crowd of bikers to the bar and watch Clayton pouring pitchers of local ale. He jerks his head towards the back of the bar where his office is.

“Head on back. I’ll grab a bottle and meet y’all back there as soon as I catch us up.” I snort, knowing we’re not seeing him for a while.

“Wanna tell me what had you in such a foul mood when you got home?” Clayton starts in on me as soon as the office door is over.

“I need a reason to beat on Kit?” I chuckle, knowing damn well that asshole earns every one of his licks.

“Well, no, but this wasn’t about him tonight.” I sigh and rub my jaw.

Fucker has caught me good and almost knocked me out. We’ve been going at it for years since the itching powder fiasco, but he’d never gotten as close to winning a fight as he did tonight. And we both know it’s because he pulls his punches. My little brother is no slouch in the ring.

“It’s that girl, isn’t it?” I glance up at Colton, who’s sporting a knowing look on his face.

“And if it is?” He chuckles at me.

“Well, I’ll be damned. You’re smitten, ain’t ya? The mighty Big Red has finally met his match. So where the hell is she then?” I pinch the bridge of my nose, wanting to keep my thoughts to myself, but they tumble out of their own accord.

“On a plane back to another man.” Colton hisses at my words.

“Fuck.” I couldn’t agree with him more.

“What y’all gonna do?” Now isn’t that a great fucking question.

“Drink,” I say as the office door opens.

Clayton passes out three tumblers and starts pouring the Johnny Walker Black label. I reach over to his desk and grab the TV remote. I need to watch the weather to see what I’m doing in the morning with the animals. I flip to the weather channel as Clay and Colt talk.

“This storm is fucking insane. It’s shut down the airport.” The remote falls from my hand as I tune into their conversation.

“What?” Clayton points over his shoulder.

“That’s why it’s so busy. I’ve got whole families stranded for the night.

I’m gonna have to kick the bikers out for the evening.

I think I’m going to be a makeshift bed and breakfast until this blows over.

Where the fuck are you going, Red?” I stood and moved to the door before I could track my own movements.

“She must still be here.” I look at Colton.

“She?” Clay finishes his whiskey and pours himself another.

“Red has found himself a girl.” Colton hides his amusement behind his glass.

“No shit. Wait! Not the pretty little blonde that turned you down the other night?” I narrow my eyes at him.

“No shit? A girl said no to Big Red? Fuck, she’s perfect! Well, go on. Go save your princess.” I slam the door in both their laughing faces.

How the hell was I getting to the airport in this mess? No way was I riding Jett, so that left only one option. I make my way back to the house and cool down Jett. I give him extra salt licks and put on his blankets before heading to the garage.

I pull the tarps off the ATVs and check the gas tank. We haven’t used them this season, and I’m sure they need tuning, but I’m desperate to get to Cami. She’s been sitting in that airport for hours now.

If she’s even there.