Page 18 of Wrangled and Tangled (Raven Peak Ranch #1)

T he second I saw Heath in the back of that cruiser, I knew in my gut something wasn’t right. He’s made some mistakes, sure, but murder? I don’t think he’s capable.

“I can’t believe he’s gone. What am I gonna do? Call his parents–that I’ve only met a handful of times–and tell them their son’s dead?”

Letting her rant while I drive us home seems like the only option I’ve got. She’s going on and on. Everything on her mind pours out as waves of tears break up her monologuing.

“Lucy Loo, take a breath,” reaching across the seat, I grip her hand. “You don’t have to make any decisions tonight, okay?”

Her heavy sigh is punctuated by a hiccup, and her head hits the window. Passing The Raven, I veer off to the left, where Mawmaw’s house sits with only a few interior lights and the front porch light on.

“You’ve been through a lot tonight,” I begin, parking the truck and turning it off so I can look at her.

Her face is puffy, her eyes are red when she turns my way, and I know that my words won’t be the coddle she wants.

“Brent shouldn’t have given you all those details.

Identifying him and having to see that his throat was slashed, I can’t imagine what’s goin’ on in your head right about now. ”

Her lips turn down, the bottom one quivers, and I know this is gonna hurt like hell tonight.

“You’re gonna be okay,” I promise before dropping the question that’s been burning my brain since we found out his body was found face down in the dumpster.

“There are a lot of people that want to hurt Levi, and a lot of those people are rodeo folk. Did Levi say anythin’ before he left this mornin’? "

Her tears spill over as she looks at me, “We,” she hiccups and lets out a burst of noise that I can’t name. Something’s welling inside of her, and I’m not sure I’m equipped to handle it. “We fought this mornin’,” she sobs, “and he left.”

Wrapping my arm around her, I pull her as close as the console will allow and kiss the top of her head. “I’m sorry, Loo.”

Staring out at the dark sky, we sit like that for a bit.

My eyes scan what I can see of the pasture and house.

It needs a fresh coat of paint, and it could probably use new windows, but Mawmaw would rather pour her earnings back into Maxine’s Place, the diner in town.

I can’t say I blame her. Any extra funds I have go toward the garage, as long as Briar doesn’t get to them first.

Lucy sighs and brushes off my arm before reaching for the handle. She pauses, her hand hovering above the metal, she twists in her seat. “Do you think Heath did it?”

Shaking my head, I worried she would circle around to this question eventually. “I’d like to think no, and my gut tells me he didn’t...”

Nodding her head, she pops the door open and gets out, slumped shoulders curved in as she rubs her arms. The heat tapers off when the sun goes down, and it’s a little balmy tonight. Fireflies spark and dim, spark and dim, out in the fields. It’s peaceful here. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

The two-story house Mawmaw and Lucy call home is a safe haven for family and friends. It’s housed many tears, smiles, and memories to last a few lifetimes. Mawmaw’s sitting in her rocker with one of her glasses of sweet tea and a pitcher with two empty glasses waiting for us.

Reaching behind her chair, she produces a bottle of whiskey and a shot glass. “I figured it might be a heavier hitter type a night?”

Lucy crumbles into the chair beside her, and I look through the screen door into the house, searching for my daughter.

“She’s in your sister's bed,” Mawmaw supplies when I start to open the door.

Lucy’s reaching for the bottle without the glass.

Mawmaw and I make eye contact, but neither of us says a word as she takes a long pull of the amber liquid.

Her face screws up into a tight scrunch, and she shakes her head.

Passing the bottle back to Mawmaw, she tilts it toward me, but I decline.

I’ve got Briar to think about, plus I’d like to know what’s happening with Heath.

“Did the sheriff say anythin’?” Mawmaw asks, putting the bottle of whisky down and looking between Lucy and me.

Lucy doesn’t comment, only stands and wordlessly heads into the house. As if in a daze, she walks up the stairs and out of view from the front door.

“She identified his body,” I offer. “After that, I don’t know everythin’ they told her, but she saw his throat slashed.”

Mawmaw nods, takes a swig of her tea, and leans forward. “I don’t think that cowboy coulda murdered Levi like that.”

“Heath?”

She nods slowly, eyes connected with mine. “You don’t either, by the look on your face.”

“I don’t, but how well do I actually know him after a week and one night together?” I say with a heavy sigh. “After all Maw, he did lie to me. He’s engaged, and I didn’t know. We–It doesn’t matter. I don’t have the time or capacity for anythin’ remotely close to love.”

“Love doesn’t work on a clock, baby. It’s got its own timeline, and it’s up to you whether or not you wanna jump on the horse or let it pass you by.

” Leaning back into her chair, we sit in companionable silence.

Mawmaw sips her tea until it’s gone, and the crickets and the frogs are singing louder than my thoughts.

“I’ll grab Briar in the mornin’,” standing, my knees crack and my back constricts.

I swear getting old is for the fucking birds.

Stretching out my back with my arms above my head, I allow my body to do what it needs before breathing in the night air.

Bending down, I place a kiss on Mawmaw’s cheek, and before I straighten, she puts her hand to mine, and I pause.

“I’m tellin’ you, son, a life without love isn’t a life worth livin’,” she squeezes my jaw and continues, “And I’m not talkin’ about the love you have for your own blood either.”

She winks, lets go of my face, and stands. Before she makes it inside, my phone rings in my pocket.

“You better answer that, might be that horse runnin’ by.”