Page 58 of The Mountain Echoes
Duke raises an eyebrow. “That’s not at all what he’s doing. He’s being practical.”
Joy gives me a soft, contemplative glance. “I actually agree with Elena. If Aria wants to keep the ranch, then, Mav, you should be a good neighbor and help her, not see her flail so you can buy her out.”
Elena and Joy’s sentiment makes something shift in my chest.
Help Aria?
I hadn’t thought about that, probably blinded by my tunnel vision as well as my ego and ambition.
Before I can respond, a chair crashes across the floor behind us.
A brawl breaks out near the poker table—two ranch hands slinging sloppy punches while everyone else keeps drinking without missing a beat.
“That’s my damn wife, you prick!” one of them yells as he stumbles into a table, nearly toppling a tray of beers.
“We’re divorced, you motherfucker!” a woman hollers from somewhere behind the bar.
“We’re only separated!” the guy firesback, just before another man who has no business being part of this battle swings a wild punch that misses by a mile.
They all crash into a set of chairs and go down hard, taking half the furniture with them.
We all take a sip of our drinks as we watch the show.
No one flinches. Not even the bartender, who just calls out, “Take it outside, or I’m callin’ Hugh,” like it’s just another day that ends with Y, which it is.
Hunt watches the fight with mild interest. “Someone’s had a bad calving season.”
“What?” Joy frowns at his non-sequitur.
“Happens. Shit goes wrong at the ranch. Wife leaves, files for divorce. She’s sick and tired of the hard life. Husband comes for a drink.” Hunt takes a sip of his beer and continues, “He sees his wife with a new man…Sheriff Hugh Dillon has to show up and haul everyone’s ass to a jail cell so they can dry off.”
“Wow! Sounds like you have some experience with this,” Joy remarks dryly.
Hunt smirks. “You can call me New Man.”
Someone else punches someone right then. There’s more screaming.
I wave a hand to get the server’s attention so I can pay our bill.
While I wait, I think about what Elena said—help her, don’t buy her legacy. It’s sound advice.
I’ll help Aria the best I can, and when she fails—‘cause she will, considering the state of Longhorn’s finances—I’ll be there to pick up the pieces.Andthe ranch.
CHAPTER 13
aria
“Ican’t live like this,” Celine snaps the moment I step into the kitchen.
She’s sitting at the island on a barstool, a cup of tea in front of her, apparently, waiting for me.
I am shocked to see her.
First, it’s six a.m., and she usually strolls into the dining room around ten for breakfast, from what I have noticed.
Second, she’s in the freaking kitchen, a place she doesn’t usually step into.
Third, Celine’s not dressed up. She’s in a silk robe, barefoot, hair tousled,andshe doesn’t have a lick of makeup. Might be the first time I’ve seen her without any since she first picked up an eyebrow pencil when she turned fourteen.
