Page 36 of The Triple Threat
“You’d had more beers than me so would have been useless, plus it was your night off. I know you’ve been busy these last few weeks helping down at the O’Reilly ranch.”
The O’Reilly’s bred cattle like us, but they bred Longhorn’s which were beef stock, whereas our Beefmaster were good for milk and meat. The O’Reilly’s also had a much bigger herd than me and Pop. It was probably three times the size, so while they had a few ranch hands they tended to call on Carter and Lance, but specifically Carter, much more than we did. I also had a fancy that Marie O'Reilly, their middle daughter, had taken a liking to Carter which was why he was called so often. Declan O’Reilly was desperate to see all five of his daughters married and Marie and sixteen-year-old Bernadette were the only two left.
“Hey,” I said, having a thought. “Marie O’Reilly was there last night, wasn’t she?”
As soon as Carter colored up, I knew I was right.
“You didn’t. Shit tell me you didn’t go there with Marie O’Reilly. If you did you know Declan will have you down that aisle faster than I can say, ‘you’re a dick’.”
“Fuck off,” Carter snapped, checking around the café. “No, I didn’t, and don’t even joke about it. I don’t want Declan, Eamon or Pat knocking on my door wanting to know if the rumors about me and their daughter and sister are true. I told you I spent the night talking to Minnesota, so drop it.”
I grinned getting the distinct impression my best friend was telling me a great big fat lie. No matter, I’d find out soon enough.
“Fuck’s sake,” Carter groaned. “Can’t I get a break from her.”
I looked over my shoulder to see he was talking about Ellie. She was huddled in some sort of girly chat and laughter with Bronte and they were walking into the café.
If I’d thought the kiss and my raging wood the night before had been purely down to the alcohol and a cute cheerleader outfit, I was sadly mistaken.
Fuck she looked amazing.
Her face was bare of makeup, her hair in one long braid over her shoulder and she had on a flannel shirt that I knew she’d had for years. Her jeans were ripped at the knees, and not those trendy ones bought like that, and on her feet were a pair of old scuffed cowboy boots. She looked like she hadn’t made any effort, yet still managed to look more beautiful than anyone I’d ever seen.
“Well look who it is,” Bronte sighed as they reached our table. “Carter the unstoppable douche machine.”
“If you must reference crap British Indie bands then get the name right.”
Bronte huffed. “You’re hardly an unstoppable sex machine, from what I hear.”
“Yeah, and that’s your problem, Bronte. You’ll only ever hear.”
Carter leaned back in his chair and smirked. I for one wondered how either of them knew about British Indie bands.
“Thank the lord. You’re such a douche even the Douche Club think you’re overqualified to join.”
“Oh, give it a rest, Bronte,” Carter sighed. “The fact that you kicked me in the balls last night should be enough.”
“You deserved it. Hi there, Hunter.”
Bronte flashed me a quick smile and then turned to Ellie.
“I’ll get us a table while your brother apologizes to you.”
As Ellie stepped forward smirking at her brother, the smell hit me. It was like I’d been hit by a truck straight in my chest. The pain slashed sharply and took my breath away.
That smell, that scent, it was home, it was fun, it was love, it was my mom.
“What the fuck, Ellie,” Carter complained. “Isn’t it enough that Dad gave me shit on the phone this morning.”
I watched Ellie’s mouth move but didn’t hear a word she said. I was too busy allowing the musky floral scent to invade my senses. I could smell her. I could feel her. And I could hear her. Ellie had done something that the bottle of perfume my pop had hidden away couldn’t do; she had brought Mom back to life.
I should have been glad, happy and joyful, but all I wanted to do was tell her to get out and take a shower. It was all too fucking much. I needed her away from me.
“Ellie, he apologized so just leave it,” I growled. “Now if you don’t mind, we want to eat in peace.”
I nodded toward Delphine who was carrying two coffees to our table.
“Hey, Ellie, darlin. You and Bronte staying to eat or just a coffee?”