Page 61 of Downpour

I grabbed my bag and jogged up the ramp. The house smelled like food, but nothing was on the stove or in the oven. I slipped into the guest room and dropped my things.

“Ray?” I didn’t want to bother him, but I didn’t want to startle him either.

No answer.

His bedroom door was closed like usual, so I knocked. “Ray?”

Still nothing.

That was weird.

“Ray,” I called out again. “I’m home.” I heard the sliding door roll back, and looked over my shoulder. “Hey.”

Ray looked absolutely sinful in a tight t-shirt, a pair of gym shorts, and sneakers. His hair was damp, and his scruff had been shaped up. I salivated at the sight of him.

“Hey, Sunnyside.”

I laughed. “Why do you call me that?”

He cracked a smile. “Can’t let you forget about those eggs you murdered, can I?”

I rolled my eyes like I was annoyed, but I wasn’t. Not in the slightest. Because he was smiling today. “I was just letting you know I was here.” I picked at my fingernails. “Thanks for letting me come back early.”

He shrugged as he backed up his wheelchair so it wasn’t blocking the door. “Have you eaten yet?”

The gurgle in my stomach responded before I could. “I forgot.”

His brows knitted together, forming a deep valley above his aquiline nose. “Why?”

I shrugged. “Things were… a little crazy at home.”

I didn’t miss the way his jaw flexed as he ground his teeth together.

I lifted my hands. “I know our deal. I’ll leave you alone.”

Ray didn’t argue, huff, or grunt. He didn’t growl or groan.

There was a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

“Come with me.”

I looked down at my feet. “Are flip-flops okay?”

“Just fine. Come on.”

I followed Ray out to the deck and pulled the door closed behind me. Mickey the cow was hanging out under the shade of the house, sporting a pair of pink and purple pool noodles on his horns.

“Did your car do alright leaving and coming back?” he asked.

“Surprisingly, it did,” I said as I walked by his side down the ramp. “I am a little curious how the engine magically doesn’t rattle anymore. Or how the oil magically got changed? Or how the sticker on my dashboard disappeared?”

Ray didn’t even glance over at me. “Weird shit happens on the ranch. Could’ve been the cows.”

“Uh-huh.” I stopped at the bottom of the ramp. “And if I asked CJ how much work he did on my car, what would he say?”

Ray looked up at me. “He’d say he didn’t do any work on your car.”

“And what about Christian?”

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