Page 15 of Wild Rose (Blue River Springs #1)

“You’re in my kitchen, you eat what I make you.

” He winks with a smirk, then starts to move around with the kind of ease that comes from years of repetition.

It reminds me of all the times he was back home from school, either for the summer or winter break, and showed off all the cool things he’d learned.

“Do you cook for events here too?” I ask, resting my chin on my hand as I watch him whip up some eggs. I’ve seen the ledgers with parties they book on the ranch. Rodeos, weddings, anniversaries, corporate retreats. I can’t imagine he caters them all.

“Our kitchen staff is too small. A few years back we made it a requirement that the hosts choose their own caterer to avoid any complaints or disappointments.”

“Smart.”

He plates my breakfast. “So, you’ve been here a whole week. How’s it going? Other than the fact that you’ve been late every day.”

I purse my lips. “How do you know?”

Wes leans against the counter with his arms crossed, watching me with an intensity that would make anyone shift in their seat. Or maybe just me, because I’m not sure I’ve stopped blushing since I left the Saddle Room. “Wild guess.”

I glance down at the beverage. “So he hasn’t complained?”

Wes hesitates. “No. But I heard some of the guys at breakfast complaining about their paychecks. Take it that’s your doing?”

“I just didn’t categorize some hours right .?.?. or the rates.”

Wes blows out a heavy breath. “Shit, did he yell at you? Oh no, did you slap him?”

I laugh. “I’m not sure I could reach him if I wanted to. But no, he just said he’d do it himself.”

He cocks his head like it’s foolish for me to get upset over this. “Cut yourself a break. You’ll get the hang of it. I’m not great with numbers either. But I know there’s a hell of a lot you are good at.” He shrugs. “Just have to find how it fits in.”

I roll my shoulders back. He’s right. “I’ve got this. If I can survive ranch living, I can handle a grumpy cowboy.”

He huffs. “Millie’s old cottage is hardly ranch living. The place looks like Mary Poppins threw up in it.”

I don’t react. I sip my fresh coffee instead. But my brother’s radar is too good.

“Rose?”

“I .?.?. refused the cottage.”

“What do you mean you refused the cottage?” There’s that tone again.

“Wes, I can’t take Dallas’s dead fiancée’s house. It wouldn’t feel right.”

Another deep exhale. “Where have you been staying?”

“Cabin number four,” I say, like I’m naming some fancy hotel.

Wes laughs. “No, really, where are you staying? You got an Uber taking you back and forth from The Springs Inn?”

“There’s an inn ? Seriously, when are you going to give me a tour of the town?”

He drops his head in his hands. “Oh my God, you are staying in a cabin. Rose. What, are you afraid of a ghost? Millie didn’t die in that house.”

“I know, but it’s weird. It almost feels disrespectful to just use her stuff and sleep on her bed. What if I move things out of place and they get upset?”

Wes smirks.

“What?”

“Does our wild child have a soft side?”

I cock my head. “Only for those who matter to you, big brother.”

Wes shakes his head. “Well, in that case, spare my best friend if he gets a little snippy sometimes.”

“What’s his deal, anyway?”

He shrugs. “If you ask me, it’s gotten worse since Dallas checked out. Responsibilities doubled. Plus .?.?.”

“What?”

“Couple of years ago, the tables were reversed.” His jaw tightens. “Wilder was .?.?. leaving. Wanted to give up his share of the ranch, including any rights to buy it back and, well, it caused drama in the Thorne family. Mostly between Wilder, Dallas, and Connor, their father.”

“He wanted to leave? Why?”

Wes hesitates, then rolls his eyes. “To follow his heart.”

“The man’s got a heart?”

“Oh, he did. Her name was Bonnie. Blonde country girl rockstar.”

My eyes go wide. “A rockstar?”

“More like a singer. They were together for two years before Bonnie wanted to hit the road. Travel, perform, get discovered or whatnot. He just wanted to make her happy. Anything she wanted.” He sighs.

“Feud in his family went on, and at the end of the day, he chose her. Not the ranch. Not working alongside Dallas.”

“But you worked here.”

“Yep.”

“He was going to just abandon you too?”

That jaw works again. “Yep.”

“So what happened? He changed his mind about leaving with her?”

“She changed it for him. Said he’s a family man at heart and left.”

The love of his life left him? When he was ready to give it all up to be with her? How crushing .

Man, I need to raise my standards. Last year, I dated a guy who made me switch to Hawaiian pizza because he preferred it over pepperoni.

“Who is she? Would I have heard of her?” I’m ready to whip out my phone and google this Bonnie. “Does she have a stage name?”

He almost laughs. “She didn’t get very far. Got knocked up by a drummer and lives a few miles outside the ranch.”

I set my phone down. “She lives here? With another man?”

Wes nods. “And his baby.” He wipes down the countertop. “Dodged a bullet, if you ask me. He deserved better. It all happened too quickly with Bonnie and Tom. Everyone’s guess is that they were already sleeping together.”

A chill runs through me. “Everyone?”

“Oh yeah, it was the talk of the town.”

“How sad. How are things with his family now?”

“That’s the thing. They’ve long forgiven him. It’s just not the Thorne way to hold a grudge. Even I felt bad for him. But Wilder’s been trying to prove his loyalty ever since.”

“Even to you?”

Wes shrugs with a soft chuckle. “I’ve got nothing here for him to prove his loyalty. But yeah, I guess me too. Said he’d never do anything to compromise our friendship.”

My eyes drop to my hands. They tingle with the ghost feeling of his broad chest.

We hear some bustling in the main hall, and Wes straightens. “Anyway, I know you wouldn’t know this, but before all that, he used to be a lot more laid-back, fun to be around.” He shrugs. “He just took a bad hit.”

I humph. “You’re right, I wouldn’t know.”

He clears my plate. “Cabin four, you say? I’d have paid anything to see you survive your first night. But I guess that kind of validates what I told Wilder about you.”

“What was that?”

“That you’re tougher than you look.”

I stare at him. A wave of warmth hitting me. Of all the things I’d expect my brother to say about me—that’s never been one of them. “You really think that?”

He perks a brow. “Think you just proved it.”

My stomach flutters but I play it down with a coy shrug. “Well, I’d probably surprise you because I think those cabins are kind of cool. In fact, I’m very much enjoying my stay.”

He nods like he’s waiting for the punchline of a bad joke.

“Now tell me more about this inn,” I ask hopefully.

“I knew it. You called his bluff on staying there and now you’re puttin’ up your white flag.”

“Never.”

He laughs, and I grin back, missing this between us. He’s always so worried about me that being real and unguarded with him hasn’t been a choice.

But this .?.?. it’s been nice.

“I should get back to work,” I tell him. “See you in a few for lunch?”

“I might skip it. I need to do some damage control with payroll.”

And other things .?.?.