Page 5 of Shadow

“Tag,” the guy holds out his hand.

I still want to punch him in his pretty-boy face. “Garrett,” I grit out.

“It’s Tag’s first day over at the stables but I told him he should grab breakfast with us first. It’s the least we could do since Gran sent him all the way to California to pick up Lindsey and bring her home to us.”

The tension I’d been holding on to since the night before dissipates just a little. Funny that Lindsey didn’t bother to mention who Tag was while we talked, though.

Tag goes back to making his plate and Kevin nudges my side. “If you’re still avoiding you know who, she’s already awake. You might want to take that coffee and a plate to go.”

Her warm laugh rolls from the dining room into the kitchen. Fuck that. Two can play her little game.

“Ain’t avoiding nobody,” I grunt and fill a plate and my coffee cup. She’s only been home less than 24 hours. She’s the one who went running from me.

The fact that Lindsey is sitting beside what is usually my spot, isn’t lost on me. I slide up beside her, tap her with my knee and smirk when she rolls her eyes at me. Kevin takes his usual place across from me and the pretty boy sits across from Linds. Fallon must still be at their house on the west side of the property with Garrison. Probably working on the ranch’s social media and marketing, no doubt.

Harriett passes a coffee pot around for everyone to refill their cups and goes on and on about how excited she is to have Tag and his mile-long accolades as a horse trainer and roper while I try hard not to shoot death glares his way. On paper, he’d be a much better fit for Lindsey and I can’t help but wonder if she got him the job. Maybe they really are secret lovers, but if that was the case, why was she so worried about if I had a woman in life when we talked last night.

“The hell is wrong with you, Garrett?” Neville barks when Harriett finally takes a breath.

“Huh?” I look over at him and he shoots me a glare back. “Uh, uhm. Headache. Nothing I can’t handle, Sir.”

“Quit with the Sir bullshit. I tell you about that at least twice a day, boy.” He continues to glare at me over top of his coffee cup. “Too much drinking last night?”

Kevin chuckles and Lindsey gasps softly. There goes the goddamn tent in my pants like I’m some horny teenager again. Her grandfather is ready to lay into my ass for being hungover and I’m picturing what she’d look like gasping underneath me.

“God, no. Learned that lesson the hard way, plenty of years ago.”

“Hm,” he murmurs. “Must be a woman then. Good for you boy. It’s been a while since you’ve had a lady friend. Have some decency and bring her over for dinner.”

I nearly spit my eggs out. What would he say if he knew the only lady I was interested in was sitting at the table already?

“Oooo. Has Garrett been having lady callers? Please tell me you don’t kick them out as soon as you’re finished with them.” Lindsey bats her eyes and Kevin bursts into laughter. She’s baiting me now.

“Christ. I’ve dated but I’m not a pig.” I tell her with a pointed gaze. There’s so much more I want to say to her. Like how it’s her face I’ve imagined nearly every night since our first and only kiss. How no one has ever sparked my interest the way she has.

I don’t know what it is about her. Deep down, I’m afraid my attraction to her is solely because I know she’s off-limits. Plus, it would really not look good if she was tangled up with one of her sponsors. Even if she doesn’t know about my affiliation to her sponsor or the fact that part of Addington Ranch’s sponsorship is paid for by me too.

The Addington’s pay me well for my time and experience on the ranch. I rodeo on the weekends from time to time for a little fun and I’ve a sponsorship of my own because of it. I’m not rich by a long shot, but being here on the ranch, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to save a penny or two.

“Oink. Oink.” Kevin teases, pulling back into the conversation.

“Well, you kids finish up. I’m headed to a phone meeting with one of our vendors. I’ll catch up with you later.” Neville takes his dishes into the kitchen and kisses Harriett on the cheek. “Love you.”

Like always, she blushes and swats at her husband. “Be safe, my love.”

Once he’s out the front door, Harriett takes Tag’s empty plate and hers to the kitchen. “Thank you for joining us this morning, Tag. Feel free to stop by every morning. There’s always plenty,” she says with a sweet smile.

“Thank you. I should get going too. According to the schedule, I’ve got a few riders coming in early this morning,” Tag says.

“I have a zoom meeting, myself. You two behave.” Kevin makes his escape, leaving me alone with Lindsey and I curse under my breath. “Dad should be back today Linds, I know he’ll be excited to see you.” He pauses only for a minute to call out over his shoulder.

She nods. “I guess, I’ll start on the dishes and you can go do whatever it is you do.”

I’m well aware I’ve been dismissed.

Leaving her to it, I head for the barn to turn the family horses out and clean the stalls, except someone has already beat me to it. I check the feed buckets and they’re good to go too. Moving on down my list, I head over to check on the pigs and chickens. While the ranch’s income comes from the cattle we breed, raise, and sell; the plot of land that the Addington’s private residence sits on is also set up so that they can mostly live off the land. The livestock and crops I manage help cut down on the Addington’s grocery bill, in addition to a few extras for the farmer’s market, that’s for sure.

I couldn’t do it all alone though. That’s where Austin, Lindsey and Kevin’s cousin, my good friend and second in charge of the private farm, comes in. I haven’t spotted him yet, but he must have come in early today and beat me to some of the chores.

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