Page 15 of Wrangled and Tangled (Raven Peak Ranch #1)

S eeing him here feels like fate, though, I’m sure it’s because there are only two places to eat here in Goldspur Ridge, and I had a fifty-fifty chance of running into him.

His lips turn down into a thin line, and I smile, vaguely wondering if something’s wrong with me.

This gorgeous man, that I thoroughly enjoyed fucking, still wants me, and he hates it. I can see it every time he looks at me.

That I can work with.

The diner’s got a fun vibe. Black and white checkered floors, turquoise booths around the perimeter of the space, tables, and chairs with mixed-matched furniture in the center, and a bar along the back wall with a long window that shows the kitchen.

A choked shriek interrupts my gazing. Turning my head to see what’s going on, I find a young girl who looks like a damn replica of Spencer, staring at me.

Her long blonde hair is darker than his, but her eyes, they’re the same.

Those same green eyes are wide as saucers while she continues to gawk at me and Eddie.

“Heath Macabe is in my Mawmaw’s diner.” She mutters as if to herself.

Chuckling, I nod, “You betcha, Maxine’s lucky to have such a beautiful granddaughter.”

“Well great-granddaughter,” she waves her hand in front of her face and walks over to us, “nevermind, holy shit. You’re here!”

“I do need to eat,” I crack, “and I’ve heard Maxine’s chicken pie is the best in the state.”

“Oh, it is,” she replies with a sly smile, all uncertainty gone. “You should join us!”

I can hear his groan from here as she turns to look at Spencer. I was right. She is his daughter. She’s gotta be at least fourteen…

“We’d love to join you, but I think your dad might not be open to that idea,” Eddie says, pulling me from my thoughts.

She looks over at him, and I can tell whatever his daughter asks, he will agree. The admiration in his eyes when he looks at her threatens to weaken my knees.

“Oh, he’s grumpy in general–that’s just his face sometimes.” Holding her hand up so her mouth is hidden from Spencer, she says, “We’re workin’ on his RBF.”

Laughter bursts from Eddie, and I can’t help but join. Especially since she’s busting her dad’s balls.

“So, join us?” Her shoulder lifts up to her ear, and her lips twist to one side.

Looking at Eddie with a smile, he knows what I’m gonna say and rolls his eyes with a smile forming on his lips.

“It would be rude to turn down that offer,” nodding toward where Spencer’s sitting, I allow her to walk us over and introduce us.

To his credit, Eddie doesn’t say a word when she introduces her father, even though I told him everything about him already.

“I’m Heath, and this is Eddie. He’s my best friend and flankman,” that gets a quick flash of Spencer’s eyes. I guess he didn’t forget everything I said that night.

“Briar,” one of his eyebrows pops up when she twirls to meet his stare. “I think they might be tired of people asking them to do things. Let ‘em go enjoy their dinner on their own.”

“Dad, don’t be silly, Heath said he didn’t mind.” Her smile is so big that even I’d be disappointed if we didn’t sit down.

“Really, it’s not any trouble,” Eddie says, sliding into the booth so he’s across from Spencer.

“Plus, it would help to have a full table so people don’t invite themselves,” I admit, though I don’t think people around here would do it. But it’s happened before.

“By all means then,” Spencer says. His fake smile makes me want to laugh, but if he wants to pretend we don’t know each other for his daughter’s benefit, that’s fine. I like to role play.

“It’s nice to meet you, Spencer,” Eddie says, reaching across the table to offer his hand. “You’ve got a very persuasive daughter.”

Spencer looks over at her and smiles, a genuine smile that fractures my heart a little. He loves her, and by the look she’s giving him, she loves him too.

“Dad says I could sell ice to an igloo,” she boasts, and I can see that. She’s also stunning, like her dad. Her freckled skin is dusted with a hint of makeup, and her eyes–the same green as Spencer’s–are so bright against her dark lashes.

Makes me wonder what her mama looks like. I’ll bet she’s stunning. Spencer having a daughter surprises the hell outta me, though–his house only has two other doors, and it doesn’t seem large enough to hold all of Briar’s personality. She’s spunky, someone I could see running the circuit one day.

“How long have you been a rider?” Briar asks, trampling over my thoughts.

“I was raised on a ranch, so I’ve been riding my whole life,” sliding my eyes over to Spencer. I can tell he’s listening, though his head’s turned away. “My Dad sat me on a horse the second I started to walk.”

Briar laughs and elbows her dad under the table, “I guess ranch dads have that in common.”

Spencer huffs, “I didn’t put you on a horse that soon.”

“I can saddle a horse blindfolded,” she argues, “I think it’s safe to say it was that early.”

“It was not, and it was a pony that Lucy had the reins to the whole time,” Spencer lobs back. The two of them argue, and I sit back, enjoying watching these two. They talk to each other with so much passion, and I find it refreshing that he talks to her as an equal.

The voluptuous woman from the arena saunters over, “Y’all gonna eat or gab all night?”

Briar turns her megawatt smile on her and laughs, “Sorry Aunt Loo, I’ve invited Heath and Eddie to eat dinner with me and Dad.”

“Mhmm,” she mutters, spearing Eddie and me a hard look. She doesn’t even acknowledge Spencer. “So what’ll it be, boys?”

Briar orders first, then Spencer and Eddie–then finally, it’s my turn. She turns her cold blue eyes my way and I smile, hoping she’ll melt a little. When she doesn’t, I order the chicken pie with potatoes and gravy. She writes it all down before walking away.

“So, how long are y’all in town?” Briar asks, sipping on the tea her aunt brought her.

“Only as long as the rodeo’s here,” Eddie answers, kicking my boot under the table while Spencer looks away.

“Not long then, huh?” She leans back into the booth and sighs. “God, wait until I tell my friends I had dinner with Heath Macabe.”

That gets a chuckle outta Spencer, and just as he starts to settle into the conversation—

A scream erupts from somewhere in the back. Spencer’s out of his seat, hopping over his daughter. “Stay here.” He instructs Briar and darts off to the chrome door that swings back and forth.

“The hell?” Eddie nods, I shrug and step out from the booth. If someone’s in trouble, surely he could use the extra hands. “Heath,” he warns.

“If I can help, I’ve got to,” I argue, heading to the door Spencer disappeared through.

I only catch the last few words Lucy sobs through while I take in the scene. The discarded, and cracked cell phone on the floor in front of me.

“He’s dead!” Lucy screams and collapses into Spencer’s arms. “Levi’s dead.”

Her cries are painful. I can feel it in my chest as dread sours my stomach. Levi’s dead, and if the fire in her eyes means anything, it wasn’t an accident, and she thinks I had something to do with it.