Page 2 of Brim Over Boot
Thank the heavens I was able to sleep in till eight.
I kick my boots against the mat at the front door before heading inside. When I reach the kitchen, I stop still and smirk.
“Necking where the biscuits are made? Really?”
My brother Jackson aims a glare my way as his boyfriend, and our ranch house cook, snorts. Ash is sitting atop the counter, looking nonplussed at being caught making out like a teenager, when he and my brother are far from it.
“Out,” Jackson grunts.
Ash gives him a gentle shove, dropping down from the countertop. “It’s fine. You need to get back to work anyway. Morning, Colton.”
“Morning,” I answer happily, heading for the fridge. “Don’t suppose we have any bacon left from breakfast?”
Ash gives me a sympathetic look that answers my question.Ah, well. Guess that’s what I get for missing the four o’clock meal.
“There might be some sausage links in the bottom drawer,” he says, tucking his wavy blonde hair behind his ear. “You’re back early. Done for the day?”
“Not in the least,” I tell him, finding the sausages and letting out a triumphant, “Aha.” Jackson rolls his eyes as I pull a link free and snap it in half with my teeth. “Got a busy afternoon. Just stopping back for a breather.”
“Well, I’ll be out on the porch if anyone needs me,” Ash says, giving Jackson a pat on the chest as he passes. My brother watches him walk off, a lovesick expression on his face that never ceases to amuse me.
“You’re so whipped,” I mutter.
My brother smacks me on the shoulder hard enough that I almost fumble my second sausage link.
“Watch it!” I cry.
“You’re such a shit,” he grumbles. “Don’t know why I even put up with you.”
“Uh. Because we’re family? It’s what you do.”
Jackson mutters a “Yeah, yeah” before grabbing his hat and heading out of the kitchen. I follow him into the large dining room at the back of the house as I finish my snack, the floor-to-ceiling windows letting in plenty of light and a rather sweeping view of the ranchland itself. Not to mention Ash, who’s atop his yoga mat on the wraparound porch, running through some stretches.
“He doing okay?” I ask Jackson.
I had no clue Ash is living with chronic back pain until an incident last fall caused a major flare-up. He’s doing better now, but still…
“He’s all right,” Jackson answers, voice a little gruffer than usual. “What’re you following me for? Something on your mind?”
Shit. He knows me well.
I work my jaw for a second before spitting out three syllables I hate uttering, whether aloud or inside my own head. “Noah King.”
“Ah,” Jackson says, settling his hat back on his head. “What’d he do this time?”
“Took another client from me, Jackson. It’s gotta stop.”
My big brother by three years looks at me and sighs. His blue eyes, same as mine, radiate a stern sort of calm. “Is it really that big of a deal, Colt? You’ve got plenty of clients. I know you do. Your schedule is full, and you’re not hurting financially. So what if Noah picks off a few?”
“So what?” I parrot. “It’s the damn principle of the matter. He’s always had it out for me, and I’m sick of it.”
“Did you ever fix things with Marie Doherty?” he asks.
I cringe.
Imighthave implied to Mrs. Doherty that Noah was a less-than-skilled farrier, an honest mistake on my part that caused Marie to hire me and fire Noah. Noah was…not exactly thrilled to lose what amounted to thirty horses’ worth of work.
“I tried to fix it,” I tell my brother. “I did. I told her I was just in a bad mood that day and what I said was unfair and untrue, and I’d understand perfectly if she wanted to rehire Noah instead of keeping me on. She didn’t. That’s not my fault, Jackson. I don’t know what else I could’ve done other than quit, and I wasn’t gonna do that.”
