Page 253 of Things Left Unsaid

“You need the practice, Callan,” Cole tells him. “They’re written by women for women. It’s like a textbook?—”

“I don’t want to!” Callan declares, cheeks blazing.

Not in anger, but… embarrassment?

Cody snorts. “Leave him alone.”

“No. We need to get him some action. You know half the girls in our year would have happily taken our V-cards.”

“Maybe we’re not all man-whores,” Callan bites off.

“You have to pop your cherry eventually, Callan,” is Cole’s grumble.

Uncomfortable on Callan’s behalf, I pat his back. “Everything okay here?”

Callan freezes for a second, then: “Everything’s fine.”

When he storms off toward the house, I heave a sigh. “We won’t get him out of his room for a week.”

“Sure we will,” Cody says cheerfully, nudging his brother in the side with his elbow. “Once Cole heads back to the city. With his lady porn.”

“It’s good shit,” is the middle brother’s declaration. But he doesn’t look at me and keeps his head bowed.

Because I don’t exist or…?

“Callan’s a nice kid,” I insert softly. “He’ll find his path without you pushing him.”

“She’s right, Cole.”

“I’m worried about him.”

“Why?” Cody asks. “I don’t get it. He’s safe?—”

“He never leaves the ranch,” Cole counters. “I tried to get him to agree to spend the summer with me in New York City but he refused.”

Because I can sense genuine concern for Callan, I assure him, “He’s happy here.”

Cody nods. “He is, Cole.”

“How can he be?” is Cole’s retort. “He’s eighteen and has seen nothing of the country. Never mind the continent.Never mindthe world. He needs to spread his wings.”

“Not everyone wants the same things.” I stare at my burger rather than look at them. “It’s not my place to say any of this, but I’d have been happy staying here. It was only circumstances that took me away from Pigeon Creek.

“I learned a lot, realized who I am and what I need, but not everyone has to do that. I actually brought this and attending university elsewhere up with him, but I think he’s one of those people who truly is content with their corner of the world being the only part they see.”

He wants to snap at me. I can see it in his eyes. He doesn’t like me. Until recently, he thought I was an arsonist who killed his beloved horse. And despite Colt’s admission, there’s still a smidgen of doubt that tinges his expression.

But kudos to him, he holds his tongue.

Cody, apparently aware of his brother’s dislike for me, shoots me a gentle smile. “Your friend has three personalities rolled into one person.”

The conversational shift comes as a relief.

“She has four on a bad day.” I take a bite of my burger, chew, swallow, and then inform them both, “Colt’s a good man. I’m sure he’d be the first to say that he deserves it if you give him a hard time, but… you should bear that in mind before you do.”

“You stopped being a big baby yet?”

The interruption is welcome.

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