Page 112 of Brim Over Boot
Only Colton isn’t here.
He’s not in the hallway. Not inside Clementine’s stall, although the horse greets me when I offer a pet through the bars. I wait a long damn time for the man to show, and, when he doesn’t, I call his phone. There’s no answer. And none of the ranch hands passing through have seen him all day.
The more time drags on, the more certain I become that this isn’t some prank. It’s not a cruel joke. Colton isn’t coming.
So I do the only thing I can.
I turn around and trudge right back out of the barn.
Chapter 31
Colton
“Shit,”Imutter,placinga new ice pack over Remi’s forehead as my brother curls in on himself.
“Bad one?” Ash asks from the doorway. I nod, and he says, “I’ll make some tea.”
I appreciate it, but I don’t think Remi is resurfacing anytime soon. Not even for Ash’s ginger tea.
I card my fingers through my brother’s hair as Ash heads down the hall. I wish I could take away Remi’s migraines. I wish this wasn’t the norm for him.
I hum softly, some song I don’t know the name to. Remi doesn’t say anything, but his hand squeezes my foot in acknowledgement, his head resting in my lap.
When there’s a bang from downstairs, like the slam of a door, I pause and listen.
I hear Ash first. “What are you doing here? Is everything okay?”
“Where is he?” comes another voice.
Is that…
I groan, reaching for my phone to check the time, only to realize I don’t have my phone on me. Ash says something to Noah I can’t make out, and then there’s the stomping of footsteps up the stairs.
Noah King comes to a halt in front of the doorway, his eyes sweeping inside and landing directly on me. He steps forward, his hand shoving the door open so hard it knocks into the wall. I wince, knowing the sound won’t bother my brother, but he’s sure to notice the vibration of it.
“What in the ever-loving fuck, Colt?” Noah demands, more angry than I’ve seen him in quite some time. “Do you know what time it is? I—”
He cuts off abruptly, his eyes finally having trailed down to Remi. Confusion flashes across his face, followed by some sort of understanding and then immediate remorse.
“Remi has a migraine,” I explain calmly. “I didn’t realize how much time had passed. I’m sorry.”
Noah heaves like a popped balloon. “I…”
“I know I should have called,” I go on, keeping my voice low. “But like I said, I didn’t realize. If you’re staying, could you please wait in my room? It’s the one next door.”
“Colt, I—”
“I’ll be there in a minute,” I tell him firmly, not wanting to disturb Remi any more than we already have.
Noah rubs a hand through his hair, the dark strands flying every which way. With a jerk of his head, he walks down the hall, and Ash gives me a worried look from the doorway.
“What was that?” he asks.
“I’ll explain later,” I say, feeling utterly wrung out. “Would you mind sitting with Remi?”
“Of course,” Ash says. “Let me just move the teapot off the stove.”
I nod, and when Ash returns a couple minutes later, we swap places. Remi lets out a confused sound when I set his head on a pillow, but then Ash is holding the ice pack over his forehead and rubbing his back, and he goes quiet.
