Page 49 of Long Time Coming

I grab the last stick, ready to make it wait for me to eat it, but I don’t have to lie about everything. “I ran into her at Peach’s.”

He glances at me, then redirects his eyes to the wings. “Was Lauralee working?”

“She was there. Friendly like always. Beckett liked her biscuits.”

“Damn, I miss those,” he says as if he can taste the memory. “The cheddar ones are the best.”

“They’re your sister’s favorite, too.”Why can I not shut the fuck up?“She was devastated when Beck got the last one.”

“Ah. Yeah, I’d be devastated too.” His gaze volleys to the TV and then to me. “How’s Pristine? How’d she look?”

Five days ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated to answer. Now I struggle to find words that aren’tshe’s so fucking sexy that I couldn’t keep my hands off her. “Good. Healthy.”

“Did you see my dad?”

“Yeah. Older but holding his own like he always has.” I don’t hide behind food or drink this time. I look at him, and add, “I went to Rollingwood quite a bit with Beck. Found out Davey had a baby, so they asked me to help cover his duties.”

“You worked the ranch? Damn, dude. That’s not easy.”

“Fucking hell,” I gripe, watching the Yankees throw it away in the fourth inning.

Baylor runs his hand over his face, personally offended by the bad play we just witnessed. “If it’s like this in the sixth, I’m going home.”

“It’s Saturday night. Since when do you ever have an early Saturday night?”

As if he had forgotten, he chuckles. “Right. Yeah, fine. I’ll stay, but you’ll be buying the rounds if they lose.”

“Why am I stuck with the tab?”

Sitting back, he crosses his arms over his chest. “Because you’re the one who got me into the Yankees, so you have to pay for making me suffer.”

“There’s not going to be any suffering. They’re going to pull it out like we know they can.”

They don’t turn it around, and Baylor’s now in a mood despite me picking up the entire check from tonight. We walk down the street, trying to decide where to go next, but I’m honestly not in the mood either. And it’s not because of the Yankees.

“I think I’m going to head back and have an early night. The travel and dealing with Anna, the?—”

“Working the ranch again? I bet your body’s fucked up. That’s hard work, and you’ve gotten soft in the city.”

“Soft is the last word to describe me.” I chuckle, then look down the street in both directions to see if any taxis are in the area before I order a car to drive me.

He shakes my hand. “You never said if there were any hot chicks around town or at Whiskey’s?”

I walk backward to the curb. “Things have definitely changed.” Throwing my arm in the air for an approaching cab, I add, “You should call your family. I know they miss you.”

He seems to be taking that for what it’s worth. “I will. See you on Thursday at the courts?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” I get in the back of the taxi and give him my address. It was good to see Baylor, but I need to figure out what the hell is going on with me when it comes to his sister. I know full well that it can never work out with me here and her there.

CHAPTER 17

Christine

It’s completelyunreasonable to be upset because Tagger left. It’s not like I didn’t see it coming. It was a four-day visit.That’s it.

His life is in New York City.

Mine is here on the ranch.

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