Page 17 of Saving Jared

6

The sun set lowerin the sky, while the scents of woodsmoke and delicious food lingered in the air—along with chattering voices, restless horses with guest riders atop ready to head back to the ranch, and idling tractor engines.

Jared folded his arms across his chest and relaxed back against one of the chuckwagons. It had been a long day and he was ready to head home. But not until he was sure all the guests were well on their way back to the main part of the ranch. He eyed the quick work his hands were making with cleaning and packing up. With Russ overseeing them, he had no doubt they’d be done in record time.

A few guests rode past, following a couple more tractors pulling away with hayride trailers full of guests hauled behind them. Several tractors had already crested the slight rise in the makeshift road that ran through their property.

Guests not participating in the drive had arrived on them in time for the big cookout. Everyone had enjoyed slices from the side of beef roasting on an open flame, beans, biscuits, and apple pie. He grinned at the several guest horses tied to the backs of the trailers. Not everyone was riding back. Sore rumps could be a bitch for those not used to being in a saddle all day.

“When you headed back to the ranch?”

Jared lifted himself away from where he leaned and gave Jude a tired grin. His brother looked about as exhausted as he felt.

“As soon as I can haul my weary ass back in the saddle. How about you?”

Jude threw a thumbed fist over his shoulder. “Kinsley’s talking to one of our guests about Mending Morgans-Mending Lives. I’m riding back with her.” Jared glanced to where Kinsley stood talking animatedly with a man who looked to be in his mid-forties, then back at Jude.

“That could take a while,” Jared said with a laugh, then took a closer look at the guest. “Mike Howard, right?” He’d met him and his husband briefly that morning at breakfast.

“Yeah,” Jude said with a grin. “Nice guy. I shared a dinner table with him and Roman. We talked a little.” Jude’s expression sobered. “Marine vet. I think he’s been through a lot. I happened to mention what Kinsley’s doing. He’s interested.”

“Then hopefully we’ll be seeing him again.” Who could say no to their sister? He checked where the two continued talking. Kinsley didn’t appear to be winding down at all. “You could be here awhile.”

Jude shrugged. “She loves what she’s doing. So, it’s good.”

“She does. So, let’s just hope she keeps her cool with Hartman Fremont on Sunday so she can do more.”

“Yeah, about that,” Jude said, lowering his head and scuffing the toe of his boot into the ground. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” His brother raised his face and Jared tensed at the guilty look crossing his features.

“What?”

“I got a text a little while ago confirming the Fremonts are attending the formal dinner Saturday night.”

“You invited them?”

Jude shrugged. “Yes and no. Shayla forwarded a call to me from the Fremont’s publicist wanting to talk to our marketing department.”

“We don’t have a marketing department.”

“Right, but I do all the marketing. So, Shayla figured I should take it.”

“Is that why you disappeared?”

Jude shrugged again. “I had to get away where I could talk.”

His sister was probably pissed about that piece of news. “Wait. Tell me you’ve told Kinsley.”

“Not yet. I’m breaking it to her on the ride back.” Jude took in and let out a harsh breath. “That’s not my biggest problem at the moment.”

“It should be.”

“Well, it’s not. The publicist would like you and Kinsley to be Laurel and Hartman Fremont’s escorts for the evening.”

“No.” Jared skewered his brother with a narrowed gaze. “And if that’s not plain enough, how about, hell no.” The last two trailers pulled away as he stalked off toward the horse corral. Behind him, Jude let out a groan filled with irritation. What was his brother thinking? He’d had enough of socialites when he’d been engaged to Macy. He didn’t need the headache of having his name attached to another one.

Besides, Willa—

“Hear me out,” Jude said, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him to a stop.

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