Page 9 of Piece Of Me

“A rattler?”

“Boa constrictor.” That was from Cal, who stood a few feet from her gesturing with his hands, indicating it was large.

“His name is Eddie.” Nora grinned. “Eddie the snake.”

“Well,” Scarlett said, lifting Hank out of the chair. “I guess I have to come now.”

“Really?” Nora squealed.

“Sure do. I’ve never met a snake called Eddie before.”

She figured it was the snake’s fault that nearly ninety minutes later Scarlett found herself at Taz Pullman’s ranch. They’d pulled up exactly two minutes earlier, and while Millie Sue, Cal, Benton, and Nora had made their way over to the barn decked out with more pink balloons than she’d ever seen in one place, Scarlett lingered by the truck, Hank on her hip.

Matt Weaver had been older than Scarlett; she didn’t know him all that well, but his family was not unlike hers with ties to Big Bend that went back generations. And though the ranch was nowhere near the scale of the Triple B, it was big enough. The main house was a two storey with a large front porch and had been updated with a new roof and windows, while the outbuildings sported fresh paint. It didn’t look like a working ranch. In fact, it seemed more like a hobby farm to Scarlett. She noticed several paddocks that held cows, pigs, chickens, goats, a few ponies, and her niece was right, several donkeys. There was another barn farther away, and beyond that another paddock that housed several horses.

There were a lot of vehicles parked along the treelined drive, and she frowned at the thought of all those faces. Scarlett was more like her older brother Cal than she’d realized. She’d left Big Bend the minute she turned eighteen and had access to the trust fund her mother had set up. She was only twenty-five, but it felt as if she’d lived an entire lifetime since she’d been away. And though she’d never been one to care much about gossip, she had a little boy now and if anyone looked at him sideways, she wouldn’t be responsible for her actions.

Her stomach fluttered nervously as Scarlett smoothed out the simple white dress she’d pulled on. Strapless, it was made of soft cotton and had an eyelet skirt. It was tight across the chest and could use a bit more room in the hip area but after having Hank, nothing she had in the closet fit like it should. The important thing was that it fell to just above her knees, wasn’t see through, and there wasn’t a pink unicorn in sight. Her hair was loose, the faded purple ends waving down her back and shoulders, and her makeup was minimal. Some mascara and gloss were pretty much it. Her skin held a healthy glow from all the time she’d spent out at the jumping rock, and aside from the baby weight around her hips she felt pretty good about herself.

She glanced down at her chest. She’d made sure to double up on the breast pads just in case and had nursed Hank an hour ago.

“Glad to see you made it.”

Shit. Where the hell had he come from?

Scarlett took a few moments before she slowly raised her head. Taz Pullman stood not more than two feet away, a lazy smile on that too-handsome face of his. Facial hair suggested he hadn’t shaved since she’d seen him the day before, and his thick, wavy, coppery-brown hair shone in the sunlight. Shot through with blond from the sun, it was a foil to his dark lashes and tanned skin.

He was so damn pretty it hurt to look at him. But look at him she did. Hell, how could she not? She’d never seen so much pink on a man before. Though truthfully, it sure as heck looked good on him.

“I think I was tricked,” she replied easily, as she eyed up his outfit. Pink board shorts, slung low on his hips, coupled with a pink T-shirt that had Barbie Forever splayed across his impressive chest. “I’m going to guess there’s a theme and I’m wearing the wrong color.”

“The girls love Barbie,” he chuckled, arms out to the side, “so here we are.” He nodded. “That’s a cute little guy you have there.”

Pride welled up in her chest—she couldn’t help it—and she smiled in return. Her son was nestled against her chest, his head tucked into that sweet spot between her collarbone and neck. He was fast asleep. “His name is Hank.”

“Six months or around there?” he asked.

Surprised, she found herself nodding. “How’d you know?”

“He looks to be about the same size as the girls when my…” His smile faded a bit. “When I came to Montana.”

“Oh,” she said softly. “I’m sorry.” An awkward few seconds passed and then Taz looked down.

“All good.” A moment passed. “So the package.”

“Package?” Confused, she gazed at him.

“From the post office. I suppose I shouldn’t ask but I’m just wondering what was so damn important you drove to town in nothing but a see-through nightgown.”

“It wasn’t see-through.”

“Your underwear was baby blue.” He flashed a smile that could make a nun fall. “Skimpy ones.”

“If you were a gentleman, you wouldn’t have looked.”

“I guess that’s true. But then I’m no gentleman.” His response was light. “So what was it?”

Scarlett considered not answering because really, it wasn’t any of his business, but then she shrugged and picked at a piece of lint on Hank’s shoulder. “Sweet and Sours.”

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