Page 3 of Falling For Her Cowboy
“Hell, and if it’s during the middle of the day and shit’s getting you down, you find one of us. We’re all here in this together,” another cowboy with his wide-brimmed hat resting on his knee spoke up.
She hadn’t caught his name and didn’t recognize him. He had salt-and-pepper hair with a thick mustache.
“My name is Henry, but all my friends call me Cash.”
“You can grab me, too,” Trent offered.
She murmured her thanks, and emotions swelled in her chest. She prayed she didn’t get teary-eyed and bawl like a baby. That was the last thing she needed. She wasn’t one to cry much, but lately she’d been all up in her feelings. She’d caught herself on the verge of tears watching videos on social media. She was a tough chick. She’d been deployed several times. Trained in hand-to-hand combat. Had been on the front lines—she didn’t cry.
“Thanks, guys,” she said.
“One thing about Silver Creek, you are never alone.”
Chapter Two
Ridge Harvey killed the engine to his pickup truck and got out. It was early in the morning, and already his stomach was notifying him he needed to fill it. The sun was barely on the horizon, but he was sure Ms. Bee had breakfast ready—or at least a steamy pot of hot coffee. He stalked to the front porch and froze in place at the sight that greeted him.
His older brother, Draven, stepped out of the house.
A grin stole across Ridge’s face.
The two of them were close. Even though Draven was older by four years, it hadn’t even mattered. He’d always included Ridge in everything he did. Ridge had been the wide-eyed kid trailingbehind his big brother everywhere. Ridge had missed the hell out of him when he’d gone off and joined the Marines when they were younger. A part of him had been missing when Draven left for basic training. Their father, who had retired from the Army, had figured at least one of his boys would follow in his footsteps, but apparently the Marines had been for Draven while the Navy had been Ridge’s calling.
“Mornin’,” Ridge called out.
When Draven had first come home after retiring he’d had an edge to him. Years ago, they had all noticed a change in him. He had become harsher, colder, with a glint in his eyes that Ridge had seen in many of the soldiers he’d come to know. His sibling was dangerous. Ridge had heard whispers of Draven’s deployments and missions. Whatever he had done in the service had certainly affected him.
Ridge had never asked. He just knew he had to work on getting his brother back.
“Mornin’,” Draven murmured.
He had a large travel mug in his hand that Ridge was sure held Ms. Bee’s famous coffee. Anything that woman touched in the kitchen was gold.
“Fancy seeing you here bright and early.” Ridge walked up the stairs to the porch.
Draven leaned against the banister and staredout into the yard. “Figured I’d get an early start today. I have a few things to do this afternoon with Cashea.” He shrugged then sipped his coffee.
Ridge leaned against the pillar of the porch and held back a grin. Who would have thought Draven would be shacking up with a woman. With the way he’d been so antisocial and snarling at everyone, it was a miracle he’d caught Cashea’s eye.
Ridge thought back to the day he’d first met Cashea. She’d been coming out of Draven’s house early in the morning in an attempt to leave. It hadn’t taken Ridge long to figure out why she was leaving so darn early. She’d had the guiltiest look when she’d discovered him outside.
She was a good woman and perfect for his grouch of a brother. The Marines may have changed Draven, but Cashea was definitely a positive in his life. He was coming around the family more, which was all Ridge wanted.
“Is the food ready?” Ridge patted himself on his flat stomach. The way it was rumbling, he could probably put away a few plates of food. If breakfast wasn’t ready, he’d just stop somewhere on the way to his clinic. It wouldn’t be as good as Ms. Bee’s cooking, but he needed something to satisfy his hunger.
“You know Ms. Bee gets up earlier than any of us to make sure we’re taken care of.”
“Pops in there?” If their father was inside, then he could at least sit and eat with the old man.
Andy Harvey was a man Draven and Ridge looked up to. He was one of the strongest men Ridge knew. After their mother had died, Andy had to hold everything together for them. Not a day went by that Ridge didn’t miss the sound of his mother’s laughter. She’d be proud of them.
“Yeah. He just sat down at the table.” Draven tipped his chin at Ridge. “I better go. I’m supposed to be meeting with some of the new hands so we can go out to the west pasture.”
“I’ll be around today after I do my calls,” Ridge said. Even after working a full day in his veterinary clinic and making farm calls, he still chipped in around the ranch to help out. He slapped Draven on the shoulder and took notice that his brother didn’t stiffen as he used to.
He was definitely making strides.
Draven jogged down the stairs and headed to his truck. Ridge grinned and stepped into the house. The scent of bacon greeted him and sent him moving faster toward the kitchen. The main house was where he and Draven had grown up. His mother,God rest her soul, had made it a home. He had many fond memories of getting chased out of the house by her for tracking in dirt on her newly swept floors.
