Page 10 of Knot Her Cowboys
I raised both hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. I just love you a whole fucking lot and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Her face pinched.
“You deserve the damn world. You always have. I’d be a shit friend if I didn’t make sure that’s what you finally have.”
Her anger melted a fraction. “Relationships are complicated and imperfect. I promise I’m not unhappy.”
I chewed my lip, opting to keep my mouth shut this time. Not unhappy wasn’t the same thing as being happy, but I wasn’t about to start my own fight with her and lose out on what little time I had.
She loaded the cake pans into the oven and stood next to the mixer, keeping an eye on the churning cream. “I’m sorry I snapped.”
“It’s okay. We both know I have a habit of sticking my foot in my mouth.”
“It’s kind of a relief to know you didn’t grow out of that. You’re still you.”
“That I am.” I beamed at her. “Good to have me back?”
Her eyes got far too shiny before she tucked back against me. “Yeah. It’s really good, Cash.”
Dinner at the ranch was way more fun than dinner at the restaurants I used to work at. Here I got to see people’s faces as they bit into my food, see their delight and voracious appetites.
It felt fucking good.
A few campfires flickered away, central to a circle of picnic tables. Several looked to be for the staff who lived on-site, and the others had the guests around, chatting happily.
“Food looks delicious, baby.” Bryan leaned down to kiss my cheek, adding a scent mark immediately after. “You did great work, as always.”
“Thank you.” I smiled up at him. They’d been to my old restaurant loads of times when the conflicting hours kept us apart for too long. I’d switched over to cooking for them, and providing my probably not appreciated opinion to the catering companies that fed us at the various business events I attended with my alphas. This wasn’t the usual sort of food I made, but hopefully they’d like it anyway.
“We’re going to take plates back to our cabin,” Bruce told me.
Bryan frowned. “You said we could stay for half an hour.”
“That was before I saw the dining conditions.” Bruce huffed, focusing on me. “Are you coming with us?”
“No, thanks. Been way too long since I had a meal around a campfire and I’d like to get some sunshine.”
He frowned at me. “Why do you like eating outside? There’s bugs.”
“It’s about community. I promise it’s not bad if you just wanna sit for a bit.”
Bruce looked like he would rather toss himself down a ravine than eat dinner around the campfire.
“I suppose we don’t need to immerse in the culturequitethis much,” said Bryan, his face pinched as he got to his feet.
“We’ll be inside when you come to your senses, Anne.”
“Suit yourselves.” I turned back to the plate in my lap, feeling the irritation in their gazes. I should’ve brought them on trips like this a lot more often and done some exposure therapy to a non-city lifestyle. They didn’t even like picnics in Central Park. I watched them walk away, only feeling slightly guilty about notfollowing them. I wasn’t going to get to do this in Berlin, so I was taking advantage.
“Hey, Rowdy Rock!” Cash yelled out. “You enjoying your dinner?”
A series of whoops sounded from around the campfires, happy chattering filling the silence.
Cash dipped low to whisper to me. “Am I calling you Riley or Anne?”
“Either is fine. I can’t imagine it matters for one weekend.”
Cash nodded firmly. “You can thank one of our amazing guests for the food. A former local turned New Yorker. Let’s give Miss Riley a round of applause.”
