Page 15 of Brooke's Bliss
She bet that had gone well.It was something to hold onto.If they were awful to someone as kind as Mel, she could easily shove down herlibido.“Did they laugh in his face?”
Bobby’s head shook.“No.They thanked him and promised to becareful.Shane went out to one of Mel’s alien towers because Stef thought theladder was rusty.Hale did the actual welding part, but Van was working soShane offered to be an extra set of hands.”
So they weren’t assholes.
It didn’t matter.She wasn’t going to be here for long.Shehad a meeting with Gemma tomorrow and would have a better handle on what to do,and in a couple of weeks she would hopefully be right back to her old life.
Did she want her old life?
“I like them,” Bobby admitted.“But I do worry they’re insome kind of trouble.Though it seems to have passed.”
“What else do you know?”
Up ahead she could see the lights of the neon sign thatpointed customers to Hell on Wheels.It was an odd bar, set in amongst the oldpines and aspens.It was a place her brothers had told her she shouldn’t cometo because nothing good ever happened at Hell on Wheels after…well, ever.Shewould bet they didn’t want her coming here because Sawyer’s fry cook wasn’tmarried to Rachel’s best friend.
“I don’t because they’re not talking, but from what I cantell they left their old jobs at Kingman Ranch quickly, and right aboutChristmas.That’s when they showed up on Stef’s doorstep, and he got them on atthe G.But I happen to know Jamie and Trev weren’t looking for new hands.”
So they needed work, and Stef made it happen.“That’s a bigranch.Kingman, that is.I wonder…” She sighed.Kale Kingman had three lovelydaughters.She bet she knew what happened.But she wasn’t about to go into thatwith Bobby.He was pulling up to the bar.She grabbed her bag.And a packet ofpeanut butter crackers.She’d tipped well.“Well, thanks so much for the ride.I’ll give you a five-star rating.”
“Any time, Brooke.”He winced as he corrected himself.“Imean except for when we’re in school or if it’s too late or when we’re inchurch.I told Mom I thought God would want us to save money for college, butshe said if God wanted us to go to college, there would be one in Bliss.She’sin denial.”
Brooke leaned forward.“Bobby, you know you have to go.Youand Will…you’re too smart to stay here.It doesn’t mean you can’t come back.Itdoesn’t mean you don’t love your parents and your home.It simply means thatthere’s a big world out there, and you owe it to yourself to chase your dreams.I know that your parents might not want you to leave.”
Bobby put the car in park and turned in his seat.“Theythink we should stay and help with the house.Maybe get jobs at one of theranches or in town.But I want to study physics.So does Will.We want to knowwhat makes the stars work.My mom said I should leave everything to God, butwhy can’t she see that science is just a way to understand God?”
She reached out and took his hand.“Sweetie, you can loveyour parents and follow your own road.I know it’s going to be hard to leavethem, and they might be angry, but you owe yourself more.If you need help withmoney…”
“Miss Leal helped us sign up for the SAT last year and wescored almost perfect.She doesn’t think we’ll have problems with scholarships,and she’s helping us apply for them.My mom doesn’t even know we’re NationalMerit Scholars.”
She felt so much for him.How many of her friends had beenweighed down by guilt for wanting to leave their small towns?Some parentsviewed it as a betrayal.“You stick with Miss Leal and know if anything goeswrong, we’ll bully Seth Stark into paying for all of it.We won’t even have to.I’ll go to Georgia, and she’ll be happy to start a scholarship fund.You’regoing to do great things, Bobby Farley.”
He gave her a watery smile.“Thanks, Brooke.That means alot coming from you.Everyone’s real proud of you.”
She had to force that smile to stay on her face.Shesniffled and gave him one last squeeze.“Thanks.Now let’s talk about what areal limo driver should do.”
He gasped.“Shit…I mean, uh, shoot.I’m supposed to openyour door.”He unhooked his seat belt and then glanced back.“Oh, I think he’sgot it.”
She turned and the door was opening, and there was a bigcowboy standing there.Bay Kent.He looked down at her with seriously gorgeouseyes and held out a hand.
“Miss Brooke,” he said in that low, slow drawl that seemedto have a direct line to all her pink parts.
They were here.Right here.
Dark hair that peeked out from under his Stetson, andemerald eyes that seemed to glow in the low light.Shane stood behind him, andin the shadows.She wondered which one was older.She didn’t know how they’dgrown up or what got them into ranching.Or how Bay discovered art and whatmoved Shane, but she suddenly wanted to, and that was so dangerous.
It was right there on the tip of her tongue to yell at Bobbyto drive and fast.
Why was it dangerous?It wasn’t like she was going to fallin love.She’d never been in love before.She’d kind of given up on the idea.
So why was her heart racing?Oh, yeah, it had been a while.They were gorgeous men, and hadn’t she kind of always wanted to know what itwould feel like to have two men pleasuring her?
She took Bay’s hand and let him help her out.Bay steppedback and glanced inside, with its pillows and LED lights and snack trays.
He leaned over and gave Bobby a thumbs-up.“Looks good inhere, Bobby.I like the lights.Very cosmopolitan.”
It wasn’t, but it didn’t have to be.
Shane tipped his hat.“Miss Brooke.”
