Page 52 of Strike Zone

“Colt, shouldn’t you be fixing the planter?” I ask. My arms are crossed over my chest with my hands clamped into tight fists to keep me from pulling Wren away from my brother.

“Already done. I was just getting to know your friend, birdie, here.”

“Wren. You call her Wren,” I say between gritted teeth. My mom rolls her lips to keep from smiling. Ford chuckles, knowing full well what Colt is doing. And that it’s working.

Wren’s eyes bounce between the members of my family trying to figure out what is going on. She doesn’t know that we don’t bring girls home. Not since Lenny’s mom bolted. She doesn’t know that having her here, even under the pretense of being a friend, has triggered every wild thought in my mama’s mind.

She walks across the room and stops in front of me. “Are you alright? You look a little tense.” She at least has the courtesy to whisper. Not that it matters, since I swear my entire family was born with sonic hearing.

“I’m fine. Are you going to be okay in here with my parents and Willow? We need to get started plowing the field.”

“Wasn’t I supposed to help with that?”

“Do you want to be outside sweating and getting dirty?”

“No. I suppose not.” She glances around the room. “I’ll be alright. I like them.”

“Of course you do. They like the same things you do.” Wren’s brow bends in confusion. “Ragging on me.”

“It is kind of fun. But if it bothers you—”

“It doesn’t,” I say, cutting her off. “Don’t believe everything you hear. Colt likes to stretch the truth.”

She places her hand on my forearm. My eye drifts to where we’re connected and the electric pulse I feel pumping through my veins. “So you didn’t run around the farm in only a cowboy hat and boots, buckaroo?” Wren’s lips tilt up. “You don’t have to confirm. Your mom is going to show me pictures. Have fun outside.” She winks.

Before she can walk away, I grab her arm and pull her back into my chest. “Remember whatever you plan to do to me with this information, I will make you pay ten times over for it.”

Her eyes drift over my body and back to my face. “I look forward to it.”

What in the actual fuck was that?

“Come on, little brother,” Ford says, slapping me on the back while I’m stunned speechless. “We’ve got work to do. Lenny, are you coming or staying here with Grammy?”

Lenny places a finger on her chin. Her eyes go to the ceiling. “Are you going to question Uncle Wyatt?”

“Of course.” He pretends to be offended that she even had to ask.

“Then I’ll stay and get what I can from the new girl.”

Oh for fucks sake. I would apologize to Wren if she wasn’t busy trying not to laugh at the little sleuth.

“We’ll meet after dinner in the treehouse for ice cream sandwiches and compare notes.”

“Deal,” Lenny agrees with her dad and shakes on it.

“Dad,” I plead as I pass him on the way out the door. He knows what I’m asking. We all call on him to keep the others in line.

“I’ll do the best I can, son.” His face is full of mirth. I already know he’s going to turn on the baseball game and let Willow, Mama, and Lenny have their way with Wren.

I glance at Wren one last time. She shrugs with a smile on her face.

“Let’s get this done so you can get back here and rescue her from the vultures,” Mason says, dragging me out the door.

13

WREN

Wyatt gives me one last glance before walking out the door with his brothers. I’m not sure what was going on in my head to say something like that to him. I look forward to it. Look forward to what exactly? What am I hoping he’ll do?

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