Page 65 of Trails of Temptation

“Well, that wasn’t our first fight, probably won’t be the last,” I mused, turning from him to inspect some tools that had been left behind to rust.

“Are you serious about this?”

“About the property? Yes. About your sister? Even more so.”

“You really love her, then? You’re not afraid she’ll up and run like she has in the past?”

“She never felt like she had options here,” I replied, turning to face him again. “There was nothing for her here, besides you, and I don’t think you’ve done a very good job at making her feel any kind of welcome.”

“I know. Keely and I have talked our way through it, you know. I apologized.”

“Good.” I sighed, resting my weight against one of the stable doors.

“You’re going to marry her, then?”

“I’d like too, yes. Obviously, we have some things to work through before we get to that point. I, uh, I bought a ring. Also inherited one, so… It’s just about timing now.”

“Why Keely?” he asked, his eyes laser focused on mine. I felt like I talking to her father for a moment, remembering the way the man used to exude confidence and dominance. He’d been a kind, loving man though, despites his faults. Pete lacked those attributes but kept his father’s sure-fire attitude without anything to buffer it.

“She’s everything, Pete. I don’t know how to explain it.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “I loved my wife, okay? But I think… What I know to be true is that I was really young when I married. I married her because I thought it was the right thing to do. Everyone else was doing—settling down, having kids. I don’t think either of us were ready, her especially. There was always a layer of… strife between us that we never took the time to figure out. Nothing was easy, Pete. But with Keely it’s like… Everything is how it’s meant to be, how it was supposed to be, and God, Pete, I’m not a young man anymore. I settled into my ways years ago and have no room to change. Keely accepted that from the beginning. She loves me for who I am as much as I love her for who she is.”

“I can’t say I’m totally on board yet.”

“Neither of us need your permission.”

Pete gave me a cold look, but there was a hint of a smile touching his lips regardless. “I know. Deep down, I saw you and I being old bachelors together. I have a hard time letting go of that.”

“You could at least try to be something a woman sees herself settling down with.”

“Nah.” Pete chuckled, shaking his head. “You just said you were set in your ways. Well, so am I. I’ll be fine on my own.” There was the slightest hint of unease in his voice as he broke my gaze and looked absently toward the far end of the barn. “I’m happy for you guys. As much as I can be, at least. Don’t fuck it up. The last thing I need is my sister crying her eyes out at my apartment again.”

“I’ll do right by her.”

“I know you will.”

“Are we good, then?”

“Guess so,” he replied, nodding as he met my eyes. “If,” he continued, “you admit that I kicked your ass last week.”

“You…” I exhaled, narrowing my eyes at him as he smirked. “Fine, you kicked my ass.”

“Nice,” he hissed, drawing out the word. He chuckled to himself and walked along the pens, peeking into them. “What now, George? Are you leaving Grant’s employment.”

“Probably not for a few years yet, I imagine. It’ll take at least a year to fix up the house here and built new facilities if I want to reopen the ranch, which I’m not totally sure about yet.”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“I like working for Grant, for one. I want Keely and I to get a feel for each other before I drag her into all of this. Plus, I’d be competing with Grant, and I don’t like that. I just don’t.”

“I don’t think Grant will see it that way.”

“Well, regardless I’ll have to sell him back my piece of his property and that old house. I’d have to start building up clientele and a herd. That’s years of work. Right now, I guess, I just mend things with Keely and take things day by day.”

“When does the contractor get here?” Pete asked a moment.

“Tomorrow morning at nine.”

“We got some shit to move, then. Think Keely will be any help?”

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