Page 21 of Peaches

His eyes soften, and he nods. “I get it,” he assures. “But her being enough doesn’t erase the loss of him, or what could have been.” He adjusts in his seat. “Maybe ‘loss’ is the wrong word, but he’s still out there somewhere being a dad to three daughters. Three daughters that don’t includeyou.” His posture straightens as he studies me, and I feel raw. In the span of mere minutes, he’s effectively peeled back my skin to look directly into my insides. “That hurts. And it’s okay to feel that too.”

“I guess,” is all I allow myself to say.

“Whose wedding is it?” he asks.

“Céline. The oldest of the three . . . the only one older than me.”

“Yikes.” Rhett shakes his head. “Messy.”

I sputter out a laugh. “Yeah, you could say that.”

“Are you going?”

“Hell no.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to.” I brace myself for him to see right through it, for more of his brutal honesty.

But instead he just grins, looking like he doesn’t have a care in the world about any of this, and I lean into it like a consolation. “Good for you,” he finally says, not unkindly. And then he leans forward onto his elbows. “What music do you like to listen to?”

* * *

This isthe best food I’ve ever had. I’m not sure if it’s the unexpected opportunity to eat somethingnewfor once that has me nearly licking my plate clean or if it’s simply a newfound love of eloquently seasoned and seared pork, but I know I’m going to remember this meal for a long time.

Or, maybe it’s the man sitting across the table who’s making all of this memorable.

Based on how quickly he had me spilling some of my most inner thoughts about my father, I shouldn’t be surprised with how easy the conversation seems to flow—so easily I don’t notice the time that passes—but Iamsurprised.

I’ve heard stories about the Bennetts since I was old enough to start going to school: tales of petty crimes, vandalism, violent fights, and alcoholism. For generations, parents have used the lore around their family as a way to warn children about the repercussions of reckless behavior. Boys learn the consequences irresponsible delinquents like them are forced to face, and girls are taught to steer clear of the bad boys who will chew them up and spit them out for sport.

But whether intentionally or not, the guy in front of me reveals numerous clues that he’s not as bad as I’ve always thought. Rhett is warm and kind and . . .funny. But it’s also abundantly clear he keeps things tucked tightly to his chest. He is, after all, one of Saddlebrook Falls’s greatest mysteries, and with every attempt I make to get a closer look at him, he dazzles me with a distraction.

“What’s the ranch like?” I ask.

He forks a piece of steak into his mouth. “It’s good. Busy right now, but I love the work.”

“What about your brothers?” I brave. “What are they like?”

He eyes me for a beat, then looks back down at his plate. “They’re, uh . . . also assholes, mostly.” He shoots me a small smile, and I get the sense he’s not interested in saying more. Lucky for him, he’s saved by the sound of a ringing phone. “Shit,” he mutters, pulling it out of his pocket to peer at the screen. I watch as he dismisses it and shoves it back in his lap. “Sorry about—” The phone rings again, and he sighs, shaking his head. “Fuck. Sorry. Give me a sec?”

I nod. “Of course.”

He swipes his thumb to answer, pressing the phone to his ear as he stands to make his way toward the lobby. All I hear before he disappears behind the corner is a clippedbusy right nowandfucking told you I’m done with that shit.

Apprehension knocks as I pick up my glass to take a sip of the crisp wine. I wonder if it’s one of his brothers—perhaps their ears began ringing the moment I asked about them. And then I wonder what sort of “shit” Rhett Bennett might be done with.

It’s only a couple of minutes before he ambles back toward the table, dropping his broad frame into his chair. “Sorry about that,” he says quickly.

“Everything okay?” I ask, studying his eyes for any clues.

He shrugs. “My friend, Colt,” he explains. “He can be a little high maintenance.”

I smile in response, choosing to leave it alone. But it’s a reminder, I think, that even though this dinner conversation has been casual and open, I still know next to nothing about the man sitting across from me. And while that doesn’t scare me, I can’t deny the thrill it ignites.

I want to know more, to uncover some of his secrets. To know him in a way no one else does. Maybe Ihavebeen throwing myself at pests, but something tells me Rhett is anything but. He’s a wolf, a brutal and unforgiving force, and I want to know what it feels like to be his prey.

Rhett doesn’t say much for the rest of the meal, and I don’t let it bother me. We finish our food in a comfortable silence before he pays and escorts me back to his bike, helping me again with the helmet. The ride back to town is much the same, bar the rumble of his engine, and it gives me time to think this all through.

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