Page 24 of Wrangling a Wild Texan

“That’s shitty.”

Sunny nodded. “Yep. It was pretty shitty. You think moving once and having to make friends at a new school is tough, try doing it eight times.”

“Eight times?”

“It might have been seven. I lost count. But it doesn’t matter. What matters is that your uncle didn’t try to pawn you off, Sophie—even when he doesn’t understand the first thing about taking care of a teenager. He kept you and he’s trying his best to make you happy and give you a good life. So maybe you could help him out a little and try not to be so hard on him.”

“Why do I have to be the one who is nice to him? Why can’t he be nice to me? He’s the adult. I’m just a kid who feels all . . . icky inside. And I don’t know why!” She burst out in tears.

Sunny pulled her into her arms and spoke in a soft voice. “Oh, honey, don’t cry. You feel all icky inside because your mama died and you’ve been thrust into this new life with an uncle you don’t really know. Not to mention, you have a bunch of teenage hormones racing around inside you, making you feel anxious and confused. But take it from someone who knows, doing badthings isn’t going to make you feel better . . . at least not in the long run. It might make you feel better at the time, but then it just makes you feel more icky.”

Sophie drew back, her cheeks wet with tears. “What bad things did you do?”

Sunny hesitated, wondering just how much she should share with Sophie. She had already shared too much. But then she realized if she were going to help the teenager, she’d have to gain her trust. And the only way to do that was to be completely honest.

“I painted an extraton theButon the Nothin’ But Muffins sign and then almost peed my pants laughing when people drove by and did a double take.”

Sophie’s eyes widened before a giggle escaped. It was nice to see the solemn teenager smile. “You did that?”

She nodded. “I also stole a pair of the mayor’s huge heart-covered boxer shorts off his clothesline and hoisted them up the flagpole at the town hall.” When Sophie laughed harder, she continued. “And I stole Mrs. Stokes’s Cadillac out of her driveway and parked it out in the middle of Mr. Milford’s corn maze—I had a driver’s license and wasn’t texting while I did it, I might add.”

“Oh my gosh, you were a hellion.”

“Something I’m not proud of, Sophie. I did a lot of things I regret.” She hesitated. “One of them was having sex before I was ready. Now I don’t know what you were doing here tonight with that boy, but whatever it was, you didn’t look like you were ready for it.”

Sophie looked away and swiped at the tears on her cheeks. “I just wanted someone to like me.”

“Yeah, well, like and lust are two different things, honey. If you get them confused, you’ll only end up getting hurt. Take my word for it.”

Sophie looked back at her and nodded. “Please don’t tell Uncle Reid. He doesn’t even know I snuck out. In fact, I better get back before he discovers I’m gone.”

Sunny should have let her go, but Sophie seemed so alone and lost, she couldn’t do it. Sunny knew the feeling of not knowing where you belong in the world. Or if you belong in the world.

“Wait, Sophie.” When she turned, Sunny shrugged. “Since you already snuck out, it seems a shame not to do something a little wild.”

“Like what?”

Sunny smiled. “Have you ever gone skinny-dipping beneath a—” She looked at the sky. “Semi-full moon?”

Chapter Nine

Reid hadn’t intended to threaten a teenager. But when JC headed toward him, he couldn’t help stepping out of the trees and issuing a warning.

“Stay away from Sophie, you little shit.”

The kid startled and stumbled back, tripping over a rock and landing hard on his butt with a look of terror in his eyes. The terror grew when Reid’s words were repeated in a loud, screeching voice.

“Little shit! Little shit!”

If the spreading wet spot on the front of the kid’s jeans was any indication, he was scared pissless. Reid couldn’t very well blame him. He was feeling a little scared himself as he glanced up into the dark trees where the voice had come from. As the teenager raced away like the hounds of hell were after him, Reid saw a movement on an oak limb.

“Who’s there?”

“Bullshit!”

There was something about the tone of the voice that made Reid realize it wasn’t human. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and turned on the flashlight, directing the light at the tree branches. Sure enough, a bird sat on the limb. A gray parrot thathad no business being in an oak tree in the middle of a Texas ranch.

“What the fuck?”

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