Page 13 of Flirting With Fire
I sent out a silent thank you to Wally for the interruption but imagined that whatever was going on over there wasn’tsomething he was thankful for. I didn’t truly mind Rosie’s calls. Although I knew that most of them were thinly veiled attempts at enticing me to take out her oldest daughter. It was as if she thought the more motherly she was to me, the more I’d be convinced to join the family.
No one could take the place of my folks—especially Mom. Ever since they’d passed, my view of the family had diminished to a minuscule universe that only my sister and I inhabited - except for Cal, our foreman, who had been with us for so long he was an honorary member. And the only person who ever came close to being like a mom to me in the past five years was Lindy.
I groaned as I fell back against the couch cushion. An irrational slice of anger tore through me because everything was changing once again. My world was being turned upside down—despite never having a true claim to that world to begin with. I had no business being jealous because Lindy would give Meyer special attention now. The homemade dinners she made so neither of us had to eat alone would now belong to him. I’d be back to canned chili and take-out Mexican, sitting on my porch alone or watching sports in front of the TV while I ate.
I rubbed my forehead, pressing my lips together. What the hell was wrong with me? He was her son, for fuck’s sake, and I’d already been through all this with Kayla. What I really needed was some damn coffee so I could quit getting all worked up over nothing. I’d been up since four with a sick calf, and it was already close to nine, so I was way overdue.
A light tap sounded at the door before Cal stepped into the foyer. “Hey, boss. Just wanted to let you know the doc is here. He says not to worry.”
I sat up straighter, which was in direct opposition to the lying down my body had hoped to do. “Yeah?” I leaned forward, ready to propel myself off the couch. “Let me get my boots back on.”
“Sorry. I know you’re beat.”
Cal scratched behind his ear, tucking his fingers beneath his cowboy hat and tilting it slightly in the process. It was a move I’d seen him do most of my life. The small, gangly man had to be in his late fifties by now. Many men had underestimated his ability to drive a herd or rope a bull over the years. He could handle what men twice his size couldn’t. After my folks had passed and I took over the ranch, Cal stayed on. I never would’ve made a go of it without him.
“That’s okay. I’ll have a chat with him on my way out to grab some coffee. Get you some?”
“Nah. I’m good.”
I gave him a half smile, which was about all I had the energy for.
Cal waited for me to yank on my boots back, and right as I was following him out the door, my phone rang. I dug it back out of my pocket, preparing myself to tell Rosie I had some business to attend to and couldn’t talk.
I stopped mid-stride. The caller was Lindy. Part of me wanted to let it go to voicemail—especially now that her precious son was back in town—but I couldn’t do it. The closeness we shared since Meyer’s absence forbade me from simply cutting her off because he was back, and I was afraid of being left out.
“Hi, Lindy. Is everything okay?”
She barked out a laugh. “Of course, honey. Why did you think something was wrong?”
Cal glanced over his shoulder as if making sure I was still coming. We were strolling down the dirt drive, which was about halfway to the rectangular barn beyond the horse paddock.
I chuckled, suddenly uneasy in my skin, as if I didn’t have the right to a friendly conversation with Meyer’s mom. As though she was his and I no longer belonged. I rubbed the back of my neck. I needed to quit being so needy. This was life. Shithappened. The guy came back to town to help out. That was it. Business as freakin’ usual.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to come off that way. Lots going on at the ranch this morning.”
“Oh, then I won’t pester you.”
“You’re not pestering me, Lindy. What’s up?”
“Well,” she began. “I’m making pot roast tomorrow and thought it might be nice to have you over. Thought it would be a good reason to celebrate now that my Meyer is back.”
“Yes, great reason to celebrate.” I clenched my jaw, reminding myself I couldn’t get butt hurt every time Lindy talked about her own son.
“It’s hard to believe he’s actually here,” she continued breathlessly. “I’ve missed him so much. So, you can make it?”
At this point, we’d reached the barn, and the vet was standing by his car, waving. “I’ll definitely try. There’s so much going on at the ranch right now, and I…”
I felt like a first-class dick. The ranch was always busy. There was always a lot happening. But sitting down and sharing a meal with Meyer? In the same house he grew up in? Where we hung out with the team after practice? Where I made a fool of myself?
There was no getting out of it, though. She wasn’t aware of any bad blood between us, and she’d been nothing but kind to me when I felt so alone and lost in the world. I could be a dick on my own time.
“Of course, I’ll be there. Looking forward to it.”
“Wonderful! I’ll let Meyer know. Is six okay?”
My throat closed. It was always okay. Every meal she’d ever made for me was at six. Yet now everything seemed so formal.
“Yeah, perfect. See you then.”
