Page 30 of Better Together

Wolf Creek Ranch was closed to visitors from December through February, and while most of the wranglers headed south to Texas or New Mexico, some agreed to stick around and help with general repairs.

Remi shrugged. “I was, but I can ask for limited hours so you can work. You’ll need the money more than I will.”

Colt knew next to nothing about Remi’s money situation. She changed the subject faster than she swiped his clothes whenever he brought it up, which meant he was insanely curious as to whether or not she had money troubles. He tried to discreetly pay for things when they were together in a no-big-deal kind of way, and she hardly ever fought back.

A rush of heat snaked up his back. What was happening? He opened and closed his hands. The palms were clammy and cold. It was all happening so fast. Mark. Remi. The kids.

“Colt, you okay?”

Remi’s question was casual, but she’d probably picked up on the panic he was trying to shake off. “Yeah.” His throat was dry and burning, despite the cold bite of the Wyoming fall. “I’ll be better when we get there.”

He wasn’t exactly sure things were going to get better after they arrived in Newcastle, but at least he’d be doing something instead of playing the hurry up and wait game for five hours.

“Tell me about them,” Remi said.

“Who?” He wasn’t sure he could talk, much less convey accurate information.

“Ben and Abby.”

A wave of nausea rose in his throat. Ben and Abby. How were they taking the bad news?

“Ben is smart and funny. Not your typical stand-up comedy. He’s sly and sarcastic, which I love. He’s just like Mark.”

Colt let his head fall back against the seat, closed his eyes, and pounded the side of his fist against his forehead. “This is gonna be tough.”

Remi reached for the hand banging against his forehead and pushed it back down into his lap. “Easy, tiger. We don’t need a head injury to match that shoulder.”

Colt took a deep breath and kept his eyes closed. The searing of his skin eased when Remi touched him. He wanted to grab onto that relief and hold tight, but the last thing he wanted to do was scare her off right now. Maybe if he stayed still, she would leave her hand resting on his. His breaths came slower with each passing second.

“Abby is the sweetest kid. She likes to make bracelets and necklaces out of flowers. Daisies are her favorite.” Colt turned his head to look out the window. Snow would cover the ground soon, and there wouldn’t be any flowers or sunshine to chase away the sadness for Abby.

Remi let out a deep sigh and moved her hand back to the steering wheel. “Listen, I know this is going to be tough. It’ll probably be the toughest thing you have to do in your life.”

Colt rolled his head to face her. “Gee. You really know how to cheer a guy up.”

Shaking her head, she went on. “It’s true, but you’re not doing anything alone. I’ll be here, and Ava said she would help. I guarantee everyone at the ranch will help.” She twisted the worn steering wheel under her palms as she stared out at the road leading them toward Newcastle. “But Ben and Abby are so lucky to have you. You wanted a family. Maybe this is your chance.”

Colt’s heart sank into the pit of his stomach. The family he imagined didn’t look anything like this. And just like that, the dream was completely gone. “They should have their parents,” Colt whispered.

“You’re right, but if they can’t have their mom and dad, you’re the best person to raise them. You love them. I know it.”

“Dang straight!”

“See!” Remi shouted back, fueled by his determined affirmation. “You’re doing the right thing.”

“I couldn’t leave them. I just can’t. It’s not an option.” There was one thing he knew for sure–he would do anything for those kids.

“Good, because the foster system can be ugly sometimes.”

Colt slowly sat up straighter, careful not to scare Remi out of the conversation that might reveal something about who she’d been before they met. “How do you know?”

Remi glanced at him, then back at the road. “I’ve heard some things. You know, people don’t always foster for the right reasons. I’m sure some of them are good. At least, that’s what I’ve been praying about today.”

Nothing in her expression told him she was telling the truth. But there was also no indication of a lie. She’d played it vague enough that he still knew nothing about her childhood.

More than once, he’d convinced himself she’d grown up in the foster system. She never talked about her parents, she never mentioned siblings, and she never talked about a home. She either didn’t have those things or they were so bad she didn’t want to remember them. Both options made Colt want to punch the dash.

Remi turned on the radio, and an old John Anderson song played a twangy tune. After a minute, she started singing along, and Colt could almost imagine they were just two friends setting out on a road trip without a care in the world.

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