Page 13 of On the Wild Side

“This ishilarious,” Erin says with glee. I can hear her walking through her house, and I bite my fingernail as I wait.

“You can’t tell anyone.”

“My lips are sealed…until we meet with the other girls and have a couple of margaritas. And then the secret will be between the five of us.”

I cringe and then can’t help but laugh with her. “Tell me you found it.”

“Nope, not here. Let me check the pillow.”

She’s quiet for a second, and then I hear something land on the floor.Hard.

“Found it,” she announces. “Hey, this is a nice one. Send me the link.”

I giggle now and blow out a breath. “ThankGodyou found it and not Daisy. I’ll come out and get it.”

“Don’t worry, he’s safe with me until you get here. You might as well plan on staying for dinner. I’m making sloppy joes.”

“I never could turn down a sloppy joe. Thanks, friend. See you soon.”

CHAPTER THREE

BRADY

“You coming up to the house for dinner?” Remington passes me the tack from his horse, and I hang it up for him. “Erin’s making sloppy joes.”

“Sure.” I’m fuckingstarving. It’s been another long day of work on the ranch. If the damn weather would just let up, even a little bit, it wouldn’t be so bad. Instead, we’re getting more snow every day, and it’s colder than shit outside. “I just have to go home and shower, and then I’ll be there.”

“See you in a bit,” Rem says with a nod as he heads for his truck, and I climb into the 4Runner.

Thirty minutes later, after a quick shower and a change of clothes, I’m headed over to the farmhouse, the one that all of us grew up in, for dinner.

Several years ago, when our parents decided to build themselves a smaller, more manageable house for the two of them, Rem moved himself and his kids into the big house. We all supported that idea because Remington is now running the show at Wild River Ranch, and he had the kiddos, too. It felt like a tradition, a passing of a torch.

And it just made sense.

I park near the back door and enter through the kitchen, like I usually do. I can hear Holly telling a story in the dining room, and it makes me grin.

Holly and Johnny own me, and they know it.

“Uncle Brady,” Johnny exclaims when he sees me. “I’m glad you’re here. We’re outnumbered.”

“By who?”

I walk all the way into the room and come up short.

“By the girls,” he finishes, just as Daisy shoots me the biggest smile and comes running to me, wraps her arms around my waist, and gives me a hug.

“I haven’t seen you inforever.”

I pat her back and look across the room at Abbi, who’s watching me with serious blue eyes.

Yeah, I’m an asshole. I’ve done nothing but think of these two for the past couple of weeks, but I didn’t call or stop by. Because that’s pointless and does nothing but send mixed signals.

“We’re having sloppy joes,” Daisy informs me, pulling me out of my reverie.

“I heard,” I say with a grin and boop her little nose. “Did you save some for me?”

“We haven’t had any yet,” she replies and then hurries back over to her bestie.

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