Page 19 of Wrangling a Wild Texan

He waited until he had pulled into the drop-off lane at the high school before he turned to her. “It was her choice to leave, Soph. No one made her. And she could have come home anytime she wanted. She chose not to.”

“Because she didn’t feel like you wanted her! She didn’t feel like you and Grandma cared. And you didn’t care. You didn’t care about her at all. You didn’t even care that she got cancer and died. You just cared that it inconvenienced you—that it’s still inconveniencing you. But you don’t have to worry. As soon as I can, I plan to stop inconveniencing you.” She jerked open the door of the truck and jumped out, slamming it hard behind her.

He started to open his door to go after her, but then stopped. Go after her and say what? That she wasn’t an inconvenience. She’d read through the lie as easily as she had read his mind.He did feel inconvenienced. And who wouldn’t when their sister called out of nowhere and dropped a huge burden on them?

Except it wasn’t the burden’s fault.

But somehow Reid had blamed Sophie anyway.

A cacophony of horn honking made him realize that he had brought the drop-off line to a complete standstill. He inched up and slowly followed the line out of the parking lot. He needed to get back to the ranch. He and Hallie had planned to check out the spring calves and make any changes they needed for the next breeding season. But his mind was racing so much he didn’t think he could plan anything.

What did Sophie mean when she’d said she was going to stop inconveniencing him? Was she going to run off like her mother had? Or maybe do something worse? He knew kids committed suicide, but surely Sophie wasn’t talking about that.

Was she?

A series of pings drew his attention to the glove box where he’d stashed Sophie’s phone when he had confiscated it. After what she had just said, he couldn’t help flipping it open and taking the cellphone out. A line of texts filled the screen.

Texts from someone named JC.

Where r u?

Still on for 2nite at Cooper Springs?

Got the johnnies so NP.

Reid was trying to figure out what the text meant when a horn blared.

This time, it wasn’t behind him.

It was in front of him.

As he was looking at the phone, he must have veered over into the opposite lane and was now heading straight for a big monster truck.

“Shit!” He swerved back into his lane before they hit, then watched with sick horror in his side mirror as the truck swervedoff the road and crushed an entire row of weeds before coming to a dust-spitting stop.

Reid made a quick U-turn and pulled up behind the truck. He knew the vehicle. Everyone in town knew the big-assed truck with its monster tires, faded bumper stickers, and Texas and American flags hanging from poles situated on either side of the chrome roll bar.

He jumped out, ready to profusely apologize to Jesse Cates.

But it wasn’t Jesse who hopped down from the seat of the high truck.

It was Sunny.

She wasn’t smiling her usual bright smile. For the first time, she looked pissed off. Like really pissed off. Her brown eyes flashed with anger as she stomped toward him in an ordinary pair of scuffed brown cowboy boots that actually looked like they had been worn for more than just two-stepping at the Hellhole. Her cut-off shorts and T-shirt were splattered with paint and her hair was twisted up in some kind of messy bun that sprouted in all directions.

She looked hot.

Or maybe he was the one who was hot. He suddenly felt like he’d swallowed a shovelful of hot coals and they were burning their way through his body. The feeling only intensified when she poked him hard in the chest with her finger.

“What is it with you Mitchells running people off the road? And don’t you dare try to make this out as my fault. I was minding my own business when you veered over on my side—” She thumped her chest and his gaze lowered to the swells of her full breasts in the pink lacy bra that was visible through the thin white cotton of her shirt. “My side! And believe me when I tell you that I’m over taking the blame for Mitchells who can’t drive!”

He pulled his gaze away from her breasts and back to her flashing eyes. He had no problem dealing with fake-smiling, frivolous Sunny, but there was something about this fiery, angry Sunny that made him speechless.

“Well?” She crossed her arms, causing tempting cleavage to fill the vee neckline of her shirt. Out of nowhere a vision popped into his head of brushing his tongue between those two sweet swells before sucking the soft flesh into his mou?—

He mentally shook himself.

What the hell, Reid. Get a grip!

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