Page 29 of Blame It On Midnight

“No.” Colton grinned. “I want you to tell me about this woman that’s got you tied up like a damn teenager on prom night.”

“There’s no woman,” he shot back.

“That’s not what I’m hearing.”

He turned to his cousin and frowned. “That the fuck does that mean?”

“Just something in the group chat.”

“What group chat?”

Colton swore and shrugged. “We have a group chat. Started it when you had your accident a couple of years back.”

“Who exactly are we talking about?”

“Well, me, Cal, Viv, and Scarlett.”

“That it?”

A pained expression crossed his cousin’s face. “Ivy and Mike Paul. Dallas and Taz. Millie Sue.”

“So, pretty much my entire family.”

“I guess so.”

Benton didn’t quite know what to say to that. “You started it when I was in the hospital. I get that. But why in hell are you talking about me now?”

“We’re not.” Colton shrugged. “Not really. That chat goes months without anyone posting. Besides, you never answer your phone anyway, so why do you care?”

“I care when you’re all discussing my personal life. Me and Collins are none of your business.” Shit. Why’d he have to go and say her name?

His cousin’s face lit up like he was a damn Christmas tree. “So you and Collins Lafferty are a thing? I thought it was horseshit.” He didn’t bother to hide his shock, and like it or not, that bothered Benton.

He took a beat, got his blood pressure down, then shrugged. “I don’t know what we are. Can we leave it at that?”

Colton looked like he wanted to say more, but must have realized it was a losing battle and gave in. “Yeah.”

Bent got to his feet. “I’m gonna get some sleep. Tomorrow won’t be a picnic.”

He wasn’t wrong. Wednesday seemed harder and longer. By the time the boys moved all the cattle and pulled up to the Triple B, it was nearly midnight. Benton and the rest of them were bone ass tired, but they all took the time to look after their horses before heading up to the house. Once there, he hopped in the shower and twenty minutes later was asleep.

The phone woke him on Thursday morning when Millie Sue called to let him know that Scarlett and Taz had taken Nora back to their place. Their twins were begging for a sleepover, and they’d bring Nora home to the ranch Friday evening. It left a big gap in his evening, and Benton had never liked the quiet. Gave him too much room to think.

“You sure you don’t want to come to town with us?” Ryland sat down and pulled on his boots.

“I’ve got some paperwork to catch up on.”

“Paperwork can wait, can’t it?”

“Sure it can,” Cole said, standing just inside the office. “He’s just chicken, is all.”

“Chicken?” Ryland stood and flexed his arms. The kid had mostly grown into his frame and would be impressive when he filled out. As his mama used to say, ‘We build the Bridgestones big.’

“What are you afraid of?” Confused, his brother looked from Cole to Benton, and then back again.

“Nothing,” Benton scowled. “Cole likes to stir things up.”

His cousin flashed a grin. “Look, we just worked out tails off for two days. The Sundowner has the best chicken wings in the county, and I hear the band that’s playing tonight is pretty good. The singer is someone you know.”

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