Page 32 of Wrangled and Tangled (Raven Peak Ranch #1)
A fter falling asleep while talking with Heath last night, I’m finding it hard to keep him at a distance.
I know I said I wanted to take it slow, and I’m still being cautious–mainly because it’s not just me in this family, and something shady is going on in this town–but I slept better last night than I have in years, and I find myself trying to remember why I can’t have him in my bed every night.
When I’m done with my shower, I get dressed and head out, unsure what I’m expecting. But seeing Heath and Briar sitting on the couch with bowls of cereal watching some reality show, wasn’t it.
She laughs at something on the television and makes a comment to Heath that I don’t quite hear. He says something back and she whips her head his way with a look that can only be described as scandalous.
“You’re a Staley fan?” Her gasp is dramatic and when she sees me, she says, “Daddy, can we keep him.”
Laughing so hard, my belly shakes. I grab my own bowl and pour the wheat cereal in along with the milk left in the fridge.
“So, are you two dating?” She asks as soon as my ass hits the leather.
Looking at Heath, he looks at me and I swallow down the bite I’d had in my mouth. “We’re taking things slow.”
Her squeal pierces my ears, and she jumps off the couch, milk sloshing out of her bowl and hitting the floor. Thelma skitters out from under the coffee table to lick at it, and Briar crosses the room, throwing her arms around me.
“You deserve to be happy, Dad,” she whispers in my ear, “I think he’s the one for you. I feel it here.”
When she stands, she points to her stomach and skips back over to her spot on the couch, and looks between us.
“Are you movin’ in?” She asks, eyebrows wiggling up and down.
Heath laughs and shakes his head, “I’ll be here for a while since the police towed my trailer, but no, I’m not movin’ in.”
A smile tugs at my lips, his answer was perfect.
“Wait, why do I have to stay with Mawmaw if y'all are snugglin’ anyways?” Briar asks. I don’t have an answer other than my initial reaction of wanting to keep her away from someone I didn’t really know, who I thought may have been involved in something heinous.
But I no longer believe he could’ve done it, so why can’t my daughter come home?
“You can come back home once Pen leaves, alright, Flower?”
“Promise?”
“Pinky.”
We finish up and leave Heath at the house to head to the garage. I’ve got some work to catch up on before traveling to get Pen. He didn’t want me to leave him alone, so I called Mawmaw to keep him company. I can only imagine the trouble those two will get into.
Briar’s singing in the office, scrolling through her phone while I finish up the last service on today’s list. Closing the bay door, Briar pops up at the desk. “Is it time to go?”
With a laugh, I nod and toss her the keys to get the truck running. The summer heat’s only gotten worse, and it gets hot as hell here. On our way, I let Briar pick the music, and she sings along with almost every word.
After about an hour and a half, we’re pulling into their driveway, and Pen rushes out. She’s got a huge smile on her face, her dark hair’s cut to her shoulders, and Briar hops out to meet her before I’ve even put the truck into park.
“Briar!” I holler, but it falls on deaf ears. She’s already caught her cousin in the air, Pen’s legs wrap around Briar’s hips, and their arms circle each other’s shoulders. They untangle themselves as I step out and Clive hits the top of the steps.
“Spencer,” Clive calls, his hands already out, waiting for me to shake. Grabbing his hand he moves in and slaps my back. “It’s good to see you, man.”
He smacks my stomach and then his and says, “I see you’re rockin’ the dad bod too these days.”
With a nod, I chuckle, “I like to think I make it work.”
“That you do!” He says, looking over at the girls. They’re talking a mile a minute, holding hands, and seeing them like this makes me happy.
“Thank you for callin’,” Clive says, still looking at our daughters, “Pen’s been missin’ home.”
“It’s nothin’ really,” I tell him, “Briar’s missed her, and Mawmaw’s texted about four times already.”
“Ol’ Maxine,” he snickers.
The two girls run into the house and grab Pen’s bag. Briar tosses it into the back of the truck, and Pen comes over to hug her dad.
“Bye, Dad! Love you!” She says, kissing his cheek and walking to the truck.
Clive looks at me, and I shake my head, “I’m in for one hell-of-a-week.”
His hand lands on my shoulder, and he nods, “I don’t envy you.”
“Thanks,” I laugh, “tell Ravena I’ll take care of your girl.”
“We know you will, Spence,” he says, looking me in the eye and shaking my hand again.
“You got all your things?” He asks Pen through the window, leaning his arms on the sill.
“Yes Dad,” she leans out and shakes her head.
“I love you,” he tells her, looking behind her at Briar, “you too, Briar.”
The two of them return his love, and since I left the truck running, the air blows their hair around.
They sit in the back so they can talk the whole ride there, and I get my music back.
It’s funny how these two are so connected, and how in sync with one another they are despite the distance between them.
Heath calls, and it connects to the truck, I debate not answering, but decide it might be an emergency.
“Hello,” I answer.
“Your mawmaw has coerced me into bringin’ Fiona into the barn,” he laughs, and I can hear Mawmaw in the back yelling something. “But if you think it’s a bad idea to keep her here, I can have Eddie take her home.”
Hearing him call somewhere else home hits me like a rock crushing my chest. It takes me a minute to understand what he’s asking.
“No, it’s fine, I shoulda thought about it,” I tell him, looking at the clock on the dash. “We’ll be home in about fifteen.”
“Oh, I know. Maxine’s watchin’,” he chuckles. I guess that app she claims to hate so much is coming in handy. “See you in a few.”
“Yeah,” I click the button on the steering wheel to end the call, and my thoughts circle back to Heath calling somewhere else home and how it made me feel. He’s spent a week at my house now, and I don’t think I want that to end.