Page 42 of When Wrecked Meets Ruined
She laughed. “Sorry, Ridge. I’ve got a thing for cowboys.”
On cue, Brody strode into the kitchen with a scowl.
“You meant to say cowboy. Not cowboys. I’m the only cowboy for you.”
“My one and only.” Shiloh carried her plate and Noah’s to the sink and stacked them in the dishwasher.
Brody wrapped his arms around her, and she whispered something in his ear, then gave me a little smile before she walked out of the kitchen, taking Noah with her.
“Good luck.” Noah gave me a thumbs-up on his way out.
“Thanks, buddy. Appreciate it.”
I eyed Brody while I finished my breakfast.
He leaned against the counter across from me and crossed his arms, and booted feet, giving me a stern look.
“What made you think it was okay to throw a party on my property?”
As if he hadn’t partied his ass off when he was my age. I’d heard the stories from Jude and Lila. “It wasn’t exactly a rager. Just a few friends. No big deal.”
“No big deal, huh? I train and rehabilitate horses, Ridge.”
“I know what you do.”
“Yeah, well, you obviously don’t get it, though, do you? Those horses have been abused. They’ve suffered a lot of trauma. So it takes a shitload of work to get them to trust people. Something you should understand.”
I didn’t appreciate being compared to a fucking horse. “I don’t know what you’re getting at. We were nowhere near the horses.”
“Is that right? Then explain why I found empty beer cans and this shit next to the fence.” He tossed a baggie of weed on the counter. Probably mine.
But still. I couldn’t see the problem. Smoking some weed and drinking a few beers was nothing compared to what I used to do in Chicago.
I was practically a choirboy now.
“You want some weed?” I asked Brody. “All you had to do was say so. It’s all yours. My treat.”
He glared at me, not amused, and waited for an explanation. He was stubborn enough that we’d be here all day staring at each other in silence until I broke. I pushed my empty plate away and held up both hands. “I don’t know how that happened. But I’ll kick whoever’s ass is responsible.”
He smacked his palm on the counter in front of me. “Cut the shit, Ridge. Your ass is the only one that needs to be kicked.” Brody stabbed his finger at me. “You have a shot at something good here. Something really fucking good. And I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you don’t fuck it up. But you have to want it too.”
I gritted my teeth. “I do.”
He shook his head like he didn’t believe me. “I’ve been where you are, Ridge. And take it from me… escaping into booze and weed and hooking up with girls you just toss aside when you’re done with them… It’s no way to live.”
“Appreciate the advice, but I’m doing just fine. And you’re blowing this out of proportion. It’s just a little weed and a few beers. And as for the girls, you want me to settle down at eighteen?”
“I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did. You’ve got talent, Ridge. And I’m not about to sit back and watch you throw everything away for a few cheap thrills.”
I shoved back my stool and got to my feet. “You know what I love about you? The way you have zero faith in me. The way you always assume I’m going to fuck up. You’re just waiting for it to happen so you can say I told you so, aren’t you?”
“You know damn well that’s not true. But I know how easy—”
I held up my hand to cut him off. “Save it, bro. Message received. Loud and clear.”
I strode to the door, not wanting to hear any more of his lecture or his disappointment in me.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he called as the screen door slammed shut behind me.
