Page 47 of Bull Rush

“Of course, dear. No problem.” She grins, and I nod my goodbyes before hurrying off.

I run around halfthe ranch and find Ramsey where I should have looked in the first place—in the stables with Wolfsbane on their way back from a ride. When I let him know his friends have come for a surprise visit, he looks wildly confused, worried, and then happy—his face running the gamut of emotions at the news in rapid order. He hands Wolfsbaneoff to Elliot with some protest, and we both go back inside together, breaking for him to follow his friends upstairs and me to find Amelia.

“Hazel!” she gushes when she opens her door. “You didn’t have to come all the way back here, sweetheart. I can get myself settled.”

“No! Let me help you with your bags, at least. I’ll get some tea going and help you get settled in.”

“It’s so good to see you.” She smiles at me, letting me take her larger bag and tuck it in the closet now that she has it unpacked.

“It’s good to see you. I’m sorry about that. I was all prepared for your visit when Grace told me you were coming this month after all. But I didn’t know about my husband’s friends coming. Had to rush around to get things done for them.”

“Your husband’s friends? I thought the wedding wasn’t for a bit yet. I set my save the date out on the mantel!” She looks at me with worry.

“Oh, yes. About that…” I blush because I’m not sure how to explain all of this to my sweet older friend. “Well. It’s a bit complicated in that I’m still married from my first marriage. We thought the divorce had gone through years ago, but it turns out, it hadn’t. So we’re working our way through that mess now.”

“Oh no. Don’t tell me you’ve lost the fiancé?”

I hate lying to Amelia, but the truth would make this even more complicated. “We’re on a bit of a break while my previous husband and I figure the divorce out.”

“Oh, honey! I’m so sorry. I was so looking forward to the wedding. Curtis is such a sweetheart, and I loved how well you two got along when I saw you last summer.”

“Me too. I’m sorry it’s such a mess for everyone involved,but I’m still hopeful it’ll all get worked out.” If I didn’t get worked out in the process anyway. Not that I’m about to share that with Amelia.

“Well… we have to catch up. You’ll have to tell me all the details.”

“Definitely. I’m not sure what the plans are going to be now that his friends are here, but it sounded like they had a short reservation. If I can’t catch up with you in the next day or two, we’ll definitely do dinner or lunch one day this week.”

“I’ll hold you to that!” She grins at me as I start up the tea kettle for her and put out a box of teas and a few of the cookies Kit baked this morning.

When I finish getting Amelia settled in, I go in search of Ramsey and his friends. I find them in the stables, surrounding Wolfsbane while they chat. I’m apprehensive as I approach because it’s obvious the three of them are close and clearly locked in a deep conversation about something—Ramsey’s parole, if I had to guess.

Sure enough. It’s the topic of discussion. They move from that one to a discussion of Cooper’s proposal a few moments later when Ramsey notices a flash of light on Bea’s hand as she pets Wolfsbane. It’s enough to make me want to melt into the floor or at least disappear to a dark part of the stables because the next question is about us.

“You must be so excited to have Ramsey back.” Bea grins at me. “We’re all quite sad we’ve lost him to Colorado for the time being.”

“He’s been a lot of help around here for sure.” I force my face into the appropriate order.

“She’s being kind. I’ve mostly been a pain in her ass, but she’s tolerating me pretty well.” Ramsey smiles at me and turns to his friends. “Trying to earn her goodwill back, mucking onehorse stall at a time. Ain’t that right, darlin’?” He glances back at me.

“I am trying to put him through his paces.” I return the beaming smile he has plastered on. I feel simultaneously happy for him and envious that there’s this version of him I haven’t known before. It’s clear he has an easy friendship with them, inside jokes and a softer demeanor than I’ve seen him have in this town. A whole life outside the one he had here it seems. One I know absolutely nothing about and one that appears so different from my Ramsey.

“Well, someone has to keep an eye on him, or he gets into trouble,” Cooper muses, looking back at his friend. I nod, and we stand in silence for a few moments before Bea finally turns it around.

“We need to go riding!” Bea turns to Cooper with a hopeful look.

“I haven’t been on a horse since I was a kid. This close to the season, they’ll kick my ass if I fall off a horse and hurt myself trying to impress you.”

Ramsey laughs. “Yeah, I’m not gonna be held responsible for that. Enough people on the Chaos coaching team are still mad at me.”

“I can take you out for a ride if you want,” I offer to Bea, and her brown eyes light up as she turns to look at me.

“You wouldn’t mind? It’s been so long, and I used to love it so much.” Bea smiles.

“Of course not. We can ride out to the falls and back. It’ll take us a couple of hours, but we can take some food and drinks with us, if you’re up for it.” She’s so kind it’s hard not to want to indulge her. I wouldn’t mind learning a little about Ramsey’s other life in the process.

“Sounds perfect.”

“You’ll have to pick a different horse though. Wolf’s picky about his riders.” I flash a look at Ramsey, and he grins.

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