Page 13 of Sugar
“Just be yourself.”
“I’m not cool, though.”
“Yes you are,” Wells says, frowning.
“You’re a Bennett,” I add. “Of course you’re cool.”
“The worst thing that could happen is she says no.” Wells knocks Sawyer gently on the shoulder. “And it’s not a bad thing if she does. You just move on with your life, and at least you’ll know.”
“Yeah,” Sawyer hedges. “All right. I’m gonna go see if Mom’s ready to go to the store.”
Wells and I watch him disappear back into the house.
“Do you think he’s ever been laid?” I ask Wells seriously.
“Honestly? I don’t think so.”
“Hm,” I hum, turning back to Rhett. “We should work on that.”
Wells laughs, and I grin back at him. I know Sawyer needs to get back to school, but it’s been really nice having him home, even if the circumstances are shitty. There’s a rightness to all five of us being here.
I glance over at Brooks’s cabin and wonder for the hundredth time what he’s doing in there, if there might be something I can do to help him. I wonder how long it’ll take for the grief to lessen, if it ever will. I want to protect all of my brothers as best I can, but I don’t always know how to go about it.
It definitely starts with protecting this ranch, and unfortunately that’s going to take a deep cut into my pride.
“I think he’s done for now,” Rhett hollers from the center of the ring. The horse is still huffing, but he’s not bucking anymore. “We can bring him back out in the morning.”
“Good,” I say. “I need to talk to you guys anyway. Meet me in the office?”
The airinside the makeshift office is still heavy with humidity from yesterday’s rain storm. Even the breeze kicking up outside does little to help air out these old wooden walls that once housed the horses previous Bennetts marked as theirs. After the second big barn was built, this smaller one was converted into a bit of a command center for the whole ranch, where we store file cabinets of records and keep the books on all our big transactions. We also store a bunch of old furniture and equipment that’ve become an eye sore over the years.
I stare back and forth between my brothers from where I sit in my plastic chair. Both of them look like they want to throttle me.
“You’re notreallythinking of marrying her?” Wells asks, eyes wide.
“We may not have a choice.”
“We’re the ones whoactuallyhave women in our lives,” he says pointedly. I scowl at him, and he winces. “You know what I mean.”
“These aren’t ideal circumstances for getting married, Wells,” I say. “Does Layla even want marriage? Have you guys talked about it before?”
I watch my baby brother look down into his lap, hesitating.
“See,” I say gently.
He frowns. “Her mom kind of fucked her up on marriage. I think she might be open to it someday, but . . .”
I lean forward. “I’m not going to ask you to risk your relationship. Layla is good for you. You two are so in love it’s gross. Don’t let something like this complicate it.”
Wells presses his lips together as he glances at Rhett.
Rhett’s cheeks burn pink, and I almost laugh. “I’m sure as shit not asking you, Rhett, so wipe that look off your face.”
Rhett’s brows pinch with a glower. “What, you don’t trust me to do what’s needed for this family?”
I sigh. “It’s not about trust or your commitment to the family. But you already put Olivia through the ringer with your little card game last month, and you two are too new for this. You really think a wedding is a good idea only a few weeks into a relationship? It’s not practical.”
“Better than a wedding between myverysingle brother and the fucking crazy ex-girlfriend he hasn’t seen in ten years.”
