Page 15 of Spur of the Moment
Callan shook his head, looking almost mad at Beck. “You don’t just pass out after a ride, idiot.”
“Boys,” Dad warned. “Go inside.”
They shook their heads. “No. We want to go with them.”
Dad pinned them with hisI’m-not-fucking-aroundface. “Go inside, and your mother will update us once they know something. She doesn’t need four boys running around a hospital while Lettie is being taken care of.”
What if I didn’t want to go?
Hospitals were scary. Hospitals were the place you went before you died.
“Am I dying?” I asked no one in particular.
Mom pulled me to her chest, hugging me tight. Lennon stayed close by our side. “No, sweetie. We’re just going to make sure you’re okay. We’ll be home in no time.”
A hand rubbed up and down my back, but it wasn’t Mom’s hand.
“We’ll be right here waiting for you, Lettie,” Dad said.
My bottom lip trembled, and I turned from Mom’s arms into Dad’s. He wrapped himself around me, pressing his lips to the top of my head. “Everything’s okay, sweetheart.”
But I got the feeling my entire life wouldn’t be the same from this point forward.
8
Lettie
The next day, I woke up early to meet Lennon in town for coffee at Bell Buckle Brews before he opened the feed store for the day. I drove Reed’s truck to town since I had to pick up grain for the horses. When I left, Bailey’s Chevy was already parked out front of the white barn.
As teens, he was always busying himself with chores around the ranch instead of doing homework or extracurricular activities at school. He preferred working with his hands and getting things done around the two ranches he split his time between.
I’d only been back a few days, but I could already tell he spent more time here than he used to. I hoped he left time for himself and didn’t lose himself in the work. Dealing with one ranch was hard enough, but dividing your time between two,andhelpingout with a rescue? I didn’t know how he did it, but just like everything else, he made it look easy.
I pulled into the parking lot of the feed store, opting to walk the short distance to the café. Lennon’s old truck was already parked in the corner of the lot when I got here. The men in my life loved their early mornings, that much was certain.
Less than five minutes later, I opened the door to Bell Buckle Brews. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries filled my nose. I found Lennon sitting at a small table and made my way over to him. He stood up when he saw me, a smile lighting up his face before he pulled me in for a hug.
“Hey, sis. Long time no see.”
I relaxed against him, the realization of how much time passed hitting me like a truck. He looked so different, his dirty blond hair longer, light scruff lining his jawline. I pulled back and he motioned for me to sit.
“Got you a vanilla latte. Hope that’s okay,” Lennon said to me.
I nodded as I sat down across from him. “Thank you. So, how have you been? Anything new?”
He took a sip of his coffee. Black, just like all my brothers drank it.
“Besides the store, not much. I’m hoping to buy the building from the guy who owns it. Now that I manage the employees and keep up with everything else, I don’t see the point in leasing the space anymore.”
“That’ll be so good for you. I’m glad you love management enough to take it over.”
He chuckled. “I don’t know if anyone reallylovesmanagement, but it keeps me busy. Something to do that’s my own. Plus, it gets me away from Dad's grumpy ass on the ranch.”
The corners of my lips tipped up at the memories of Dad bossing us all around when we'd help out with the horses or cattle.
I cupped my hands around my coffee, running my thumbs up the sides. “I’ve been trying to find something like that for a long time.”
“College didn’t do it for you, I take it.”
