Page 10

Chapter Ten

L uke was literally shoveling shit. He filled the wheelbarrow from the yearling barn stalls and Matt rolled it out so they could lay out fresh bedding.

Matt had already tackled the water buckets, and Luke had refilled them.

When had this become the best part of his day?

The horses, the work, the rhythm of ranch life. It eased him down to the bone. He grinned, still kinda stunned at himself. Mr. Next Mission was settling down, he guessed. That didn’t bother him as much as he’d worried it would.

Maybe it was time to start thinking of himself as something other than an ex-SEAL.

Maybe he could be… Luke the Sometime Cowboy.

He hooted. Yeah. Luke the Not So Awful? That would work.

“What’s funny, Lulu?”

“Lulu. Hilarious guy.” He flipped off Matt. “I was just thinking how I didn’t suck.”

“Oh, that’s good. If I throw the feed sacks over the truck, can you catch them? ”

“You know it.” He was a pretty good catch. That thought made him chuckle again.

“Rock on. Let’s go. I want to get it unloaded before it starts raining.”

Yeah, his chair was not mud-friendly. Hell, not terribly water friendly. He rolled out into the yard, frowning when a big pickup came roaring down the lane.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” Matt rolled his eyes. “Maybe they’re looking for someone else, huh? I’m busy.”

“Maybe.” That wasn’t Rory McConnell’s truck this time, and Luke was kinda surprised at how disappointed he was. Only because he wanted to see for himself that the guy was okay, mind.

It was a huge monstrosity of a truck that rumbled to a stop, and this giant beefy old dude squeezed himself out of the passenger side. Damn.

Matt went stiff and angry in a heartbeat. “What the hell do you want, Harris?”

“Must be nice to be courted by every landshark in Titus county,” he muttered under his breath.

“I came to make you an offer you can’t refuse, son.”

Oh, Matt wasn’t gonna love that…

“I can refuse you all I want.” Matt’s chin jutted out. “My note is paid up.”

“Look. I want this land. You obviously need help running the outfit. I’ll offer you twenty thousand over what it’s worth.”

“Not good enough.” Matt didn’t even hesitate, which worked, because Luke had just learned to be at home here. “I already have another investor, so back the fuck off.”

“Look, son…”

“He’s not your son, man,” Luke snapped. He hated his shit. “You made your offer. He turned you down flat. Period. Get the hell off this land. ”

Matt glanced at him, eyebrows raised, but Luke meant it.

Harris snorted. “You and whose army will make me, boy?”

“Pardon me?” He rolled up, the rage and fury that lived under his skin bubbling right up to the forefront. He didn’t need some doughy fuck threatening him on his own turf. He’d faced down the scariest motherfuckers there were. This prick didn’t even register.

Matt backed away slowly, giving him room. Just like old times. Matt was a lover, really. Luke had always been the fighter.

“Come on, now. You’re a hero and all, but I?—”

Luke didn’t monologue. He grabbed the old man’s wrist, spun Harris about and had the thick, meaty arm behind the guy’s back before his driver could get out of the truck.

“I am a Navy Motherfucking SEAL. I have caused more damage before pancakes and sausage than anyone you’ve ever met. You get off my land and do it quick before I show you some of the tricks I learned involving explosives.”

“I’ll have you for assault…”

Matt laughed, a short bark of sound. “On my land? Who’s the sheriff gonna believe? You’re trespassing.”

“Not only that, but I’m wheelchair-bound. A decorated war veteran. Fuck off and tell your muscle that if he pulls that rifle out of the truck, I’ll fuck him with it.”

Harris staggered forward when Luke let go. “You’ll pay for this,” the old man blustered. But he waved off the hired muscle and headed back to the truck.

“Undoubtedly. Question is, is it worth you collecting? Make sure you ask yourself that.”

Harris gave them what was no doubt meant to be a death glare and roared out of the yard.

Matt laughed a little, coming to put a hand on his shoulder. “My brother the stud. You’re something else, you know that? That was amazing. ”

All Luke could do was snort. “He’s a rich, soft old man. His rotten core makes it easy to hit him where he lives, which is in constant fear.”

“Still, if you weren’t my brother, that would have been hot.”

“I’m totally telling Mom you said that.”

“Oh fuck, no. She’d put me in therapy.” Matt squeezed his shoulder. “How about some lunch? Lupper? What time is it?”

“We’re unloading feed, first, ‘o distracted one. Pay attention.”

“Right. Sorry.” Matt nodded, moving away so they could get back to work.

“Then I was thinking beer and burgers on the grill.” Luke rolled up and put on his brakes.

“I like it. I got bacon and blue cheese.”

“Uhn.” The yummy sound was pure instinct.

“Yep. I liked the mushroom swiss okay, but—” Matt stopped, tilting his head. “You hear that? Sounds like Rusty barking his fool head off.”

He frowned, pushed himself up on the chair arms. “You see anything?”

“No. Shit, I hope he doesn’t have another copperhead or something.”

“He’s been bit enough that he’d just swell some.” Lord, had he just said that? Had that been him? What the ever-loving fuck was wrong with him? Country boy, ahoy.

Matt started up toward the main road, tromping across the tall grasses. Cussing. Luke had to grin, because he got out of shit like that right now thanks to the wheelchair.

“You see anything?” he yelled.

“No!” Matt was disappearing on the horizon, so Luke shrugged, figuring he’d finish moving what feed sacks he could.

He really wanted that burger.