Page 33 of Rancher's Strength

After the stragglers walked out, the lights came up to full brightness. While the bar looked decent when fully lit, you could tell there were some things that needed work. “Lydia, got a hammer?” I asked when I wandered to the bar.

“Yeah, back storage room, why?”

“You’ve got some fence that needs to be fixed.” I nodded to one of the decorative posts on the wall that was leaning to the left. “I’ll take care of it.” Without waiting to hear if the womanwould complain, I walked to the storage room like I’d done daily for my entire life.

I pushed on the door, but it wouldn’t move, so I gave it a quick nudge with my hip and it popped open. I flicked on the light, and to my surprise, was met with a pair of eyes I knew intimately well. “Trying to get out of clean-up?” I asked as I wandered over to the workbench along the back wall. The hammer was easy enough to find, but the nails were a little more difficult.

“Why are you back here?” Lexie asked, still rubbing her toes.

“A few things need some attention out there, so I’m going to get started until you’re ready to go. Of course, sitting here won’t get that done any faster.” Finally, I found the bag of nails and turned to head back out to the bar. “Has the big city lawyer forgotten what being a waitress was like?” I crouched in front of her and set my tools on the floor. My large hands wrapped around her feet, and I pressed my thumb into the pad of her foot. The moan she let out made my cock spring to life.

“I’d forgotten how good you were at this.” She closed her eyes and leaned back against the shelf behind her. She sighed again, and my cock was painfully pressed against the zipper of my jeans.

“I’m still good at other things, too,” I mumbled. Lexie shifted, and I could tell she was sitting up again, and I couldn’t help but smirk.

“That doesn’t surprise me. I’ve heard you rarely leave the bar alone when you come here.” She crossed her arms and hunched over.

“Keeping tabs on me, wife?”

“No, god no. But people who’ve been drinking like to talk. And they all had loose lips tonight.”

“You found that out tonight?”

“Of course, I’m an anomaly being back in town, so everyone wanted to catch up and update me on what’s been happening. And what’s happening is you getting busy, apparently.” Her brown eyes flashed almost green, and I wanted to make it happen again.

“Are you jealous, sweetheart?”

“Nope. I’ve got nothing to be jealous about.”

“Really? Because I know exactly what you look like when you’re jealous, and sweetheart, you’re there.”

“Let go of my foot.” She shook my hand off her foot and stood up. Lexie slipped her foot back into her shoe and pushed me over as she walked past, causing me to crash into the shelf as bags of something pelted me from above. Her laughter reverberated through the hallway. Standing, I grabbed the hammer and nails before tossing the supplies back onto the shelf and leaving the storage room.

My friends laughed at their table, their buzz evident in the decibels of their chatter. Nobody paid me any attention, and I was more than okay with that. Fixing things in the bar I now not so secretly owned wasn’t unusual. Having Lexie here while I did it was different tonight. I watched her as she methodically went through closing routines and visited with Lydia. I couldn’t help but feel like an unwanted observer. Lexie and Lydia had a strained relationship when it came to this place.

Lexie had focused on law, getting her degree and making partner, while everyone expected Lydia to remain here and take over the bar. I often wondered if she had a dream that didn’t revolve around this place, but after the divorce and Lexie leaving Weston Gap for Bozeman full time, it became none of my business.

“All right, everyone get out of my bar,” Lydia shouted, and Lexie turned to her and raised her eyebrow. “Have something to say, sister?” Lydia crossed her arms and waited.

“Nope.” Lexie smiled, but I’d seen that smile before. It was her ‘I won’t engage in this behavior smile.

“See you at home,” I said quietly as I walked up behind her and set down the hammer and leftover nails.

She turned abruptly and frowned at me. Lexie was nothing if not predictable; she was pretending to be mad at me. “I’m going to drop Griff and Elle off, then I’m going to Lydia’s for the night since the kids aren’t home.” Her smirk, as if she had one-upped me, was cute.

Lydia yelled as she wandered into the kitchen, “Like fuck you are. I have a date.”

“A date? With who?”

“None of your business,” she said as she walked through the swinging doors.

“It’s almost two in the morning. Who would wait for a date this long?” Lexie scoffed.

“Someone who wants to spend time with me, and that time will not include my sister in the room down the hall.” Lydia pulled the towel off her shoulder and flicked it toward Lexie.

The humph that escaped Lexie made me step back from her. “I’m your sister. We tell each other everything.” She slammed her hands on her hips and stared Lydia down.

“We used to, but now I hardly know you. So when I want to tell you, I will. Until then, it’s on a need-to-know basis.” Lexie’s brow furrowed, and sadness washed over her.

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