Page 52 of Every Beat of My Heart

“Her face was red. She was embarrassed. She wouldn’t feel that way unless she felt something more for you.”

That made me feel marginally better. “How can I trust you two? You have the emotional range of widgets.”

Wes threw a hand towel at me. “Like you’re any better.”

I rested a hand on my chest. “The women love me, and you know it.”

“You only want one woman to love you. That’s different than being the guy who can show anyone a good time. You have to be there for her, show her that a future with you is possible,” Wes said.

“I want to see if there’s something there and let it unravel how it will.” I didn’t know what the future would hold. If I’d be good in a long-term relationship. Especially when I’d never been in one. “She’s nervous about Owen cooking. I volunteered to be there when they cook together. Just to ease her mind.”

Wes’s lips quirked up. “You’re using the fireman role.”

I flexed my muscles. “I’ll use every advantage I’ve got. Just like you’d use your law enforcement job and uniform if it helped you.”

Wes rolled his eyes. “Women love the uniform. That doesn’t mean they’re good for me or want the man underneath.”

“Tell me about it,” Teddy said.

“How’s Sutton?” I asked Wes, needing to take the pressure off of me.

Wes sobered. “Her grandmother isn’t doing well. She called a meeting to discuss the will.”

“She called a meeting to discuss the will before she dies?” I asked, making sure I’d heard him right.

“She’s a tough old bat. She knows exactly what’s going on, and she likes to keep everyone jumping with her antics.”

“Is Sutton worried about being disinherited?” I asked him, knowing how close they were. At times, I thought Wes liked her, but I’d never gotten a sense of how Sutton felt about him.

“I don’t know where her head is at.”

I could tell he was worried about her though.

“Hopefully, her grandmother doesn’t do anything that hurts her family. That wouldn’t be cool,” Teddy said.

“I can’t begin to understand her family dynamics,” Wes said. “Wealth will fuck you up. That’s all I have to say about that.”

“Good thing we don’t have that to worry about,” I said as we drank our beers.

The look Wes gave me said he was worried about Sutton and whatever effect this meeting would have on her.

It was good to be with my brothers. I felt like we were finally connected on even footing. Maybe it was this new direction I was taking in my life. Or maybe they’d respected me all along, and I just hadn’t realized it.

CHAPTER 12

CLAIRE

After our visit to the Calloways’ farm, I floated through the rest of the weekend, not even minding all the laundry I had to do or dishes I had to wash. I invited Jameson over on Wednesday after practice to cook dinner together.

I planned an easy meal for the stove top. It was something we’d already served Jameson, but this time Owen would be preparing it.

After practice, Owen jumped in the shower.

I went to my room to change out of my work clothes into a T-shirt and cutoff jean shorts since it was an unusually mild day.

When Owen came downstairs and saw me gathering the ingredients, he asked, “Are you sure you want me to cook?”

“It’s like falling of a horse. You have to get back on and try again.”

---