Page 8 of Relentless

Oakleigh lined up three travel mugs on the counter that morning while she waited for the cowboy coffee to begin to bubble. When the rich brew was ready to pour, she lifted the heavy percolator off the stove and tipped it, leaving just enough room for cream and sugar.

Leaning her palms on the marble countertop, she took in the brief moment of quiet, savoring the gentle crackling of the roaring fireplace. It wasn’t long before the silence began to press in, feeling nearly oppressive to her naturally extroverted personality. The familiar sound of paws scratching at the back door was a welcomed distraction. Oakleigh went to the wall of windows that overlooked the pasture and pulled open the sliding door that led to the balcony. Their hefty golden retriever hurtled through the door, nearly pushing Oakleigh to the ground.

“Aw, Dozer-dog,” she mused, stooping down and running her hands across his soft, furry ears. “You miss your Momma, don’t you.” He snuck a sloppy, wet lick to her face, whichbrought laughter bubbling out of her. “Me too, boy. She’ll be home any day now.”

Setting his bowl on the counter, she tugged open the fridge. There was a tub marked withDozer Onlyin bold black marker. Pulling open the container, she retrieved a large piece of chuck roast. She cracked an egg and topped off the dish with a side of kale. The moment she set the bowl on the ground, the large dog devoured his meal, not even missing the crumb of meat that slung haphazardly onto the floor. At Maeve’s orders, Dozer was officially the most well-fed member of the family — especially that week.

Taking a seat at the kitchen island, she took a long drink from her mug. She was doing fine managing the ranch in Maeve’s absence, far better than ever before, but she was missing their morning coffee chats. She couldn’t help but wonder if the dynamic would change now that Dallas was a part of the household.

Oakleigh perked up as she heard the heavy clunk of work boots on the hardwood stairs. She met Crew and Sawyer on the bottom step and handed them each their steel travel mug and a protein bar.

Crew put his free hand on her waist and pulled her close. She took in a deep breath of his scent, reminiscent of woodshavings and oiled leather. He leaned in and gave her a peck on the lips before taking a long swig of the near boiling hot coffee.

“Coffee’s good,” he said with a wink. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think Maeve made it.”

She couldn’t help but offer him an eye roll, knowing he was just telling her what she wanted to hear. Everyone knew that Maeve made the best coffee at Callaway Ranch.

Turning her attention to Sawyer, she tapped her fingers impatiently on the railing while waiting for him to take his first sip.

“And yours?” Oakleigh finally asked, hoping for once that the fussy cowboy wouldn’t be complicated. His order was simple — black coffee. Every great once in a while, he loved to keep Oakleigh on her toes and request a dash of cream.

Much to her relief, he tipped his mug back and gave her a thumbs up.

Oakleigh’s satisfaction was short-lived as Sawyer grimaced at the protein bar. “No breakfast again?”

“If you want breakfast, you’ve got two hands,” Oakleigh huffed, crossing her arms defiantly. “You can’t expect me to do everything around here.”

In a rare moment, Sawyer acquiesced. Unwrapping the bar, he took a bite without so much as a snide remark. The two still often struggled to find common ground, but Sawyer had finally begun to acknowledge her efforts around the ranch. In Oakleigh’s estimation, it was a day late and a dollar short, but she wouldn’t hold it against him.

“What’s on the agenda?” Crew asked. “I suppose we’re picking up chickens today?”

“And—” Oakleigh added, chewing on her pinky nail with a slight wince as she broke the news. “Possibly baby goats?”

When the words reached Sawyer, he had the disadvantage of having just taken a large gulp from his mug. The coffee nearly sprayed out of his mouth as he choked out his response. “Possibly meaning?”

She glanced at the ceiling, avoiding meeting his eyes.

“We’re getting baby goats.”

“And Mom knows about this?”Sawyer demanded.

Oakleigh’s voice raised as she pointed a sharp finger at herself. “I made the executive decision.” Despite her blustery performance, she feigned confidence she had yet to acquire. “And I think Maeve will be thrilled about my initiative.”

Even Crew looked unconvinced as his lips pressed into a thin line, exchanging a silent glance with Sawyer.

“You’re dead,” Sawyer announced.

“Oh, you’re so dramatic.” Oakleigh’s tone went high as she waved away their concern. “My followers voted for baby animals, and they’re going to get baby animals. It’ll be great, you’ll see.”

“Everything you do is great,” Crew reinforced her as always, pulling her close once again.

She quickly became lost again in his steel blue eyes that glimmered with attraction whenever he looked her way.

“You two make me sick,” Sawyer cringed, shaking his head as he went out the front door with a loud slam that shuddered the walls.

“Someone’s got to tighten those hinges,” she winced. While the floors were being replaced due to water damage fromthe stormy season, Oakleigh had talked Maeve into a rustic, hand-crafted front door — that slammed obnoxiously with the slightest whisper. No matter the circumstances, it made everyone sound as though they were making a furious exit.

“Add it to the list,” Crew shrugged. “And speaking of — we better head out if I’m going to be back in time to help with fences.” Going through the entryway, he pulled his cowboy hat off the hook.

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