Page 55 of Strung Along

“Your reaction is making me believe the rumours are true.”

A rough laugh. “Maybe they are, maybe they’re not. Want me to take you back home, then?”

“Obvious deflection, Brody, but I’ll let it go. Under one condition.”

The idea springs to life so quick I almost miss it.

“What’s what?”

My lips pull into a mischievous grin. “Take me to work with you.”

22

BRODY

As if Icould turn Anna down when she flipped those damn doe eyes on me. I think I’d give her just about anything she wished for if she looked at me like that again.

I’m so fucked.

“I’ve never been to a ranch before. You’ll have to tell me what I should and shouldn’t do,” she says once we’ve turned out of town toward the ranch.

I wasn’t expecting this kind of excitement from her. Sure, she clearly wanted to go, but there’s a genuine excitement to experience what I do every day in her attitude that I’m floored by. I’ve never taken a girl home to the ranch before, and I’m more comfortable with the idea of Anna there than I thought I’d be. I want her to get to know me more, and this might be the best way to make that happen.

“Alright, for one, you’ll want to watch where you step so you don’t end up ankle-deep in cow shit.”

Come to think of it, the nice winter boots on her feet are an absolute no go. Hopefully, she’s close enough to my grandmother’s shoe size so we can steal a pair for her today.

Anna makes a sound of agreement in her throat. “What else?”

“If my grandmother offers you lunch, accept it. Feeding others is her love language.”

A pause, as if she’s thinking that one through. “I haven’t had anyone cook for me in years.”

Disbelief barrels into me. “What?”

“Family dinners aren’t really a thing in my family. They never have been,” she answers sheepishly.

“Not even with your sister?”

“My sister moved to Ottawa a few years back, and I’ve always been the one cooking for her and her family when they visit.”

“Your mom still lives in Vancouver, though, right?”

I can’t help but keep looking for a valid reason as to why this woman has been lacking such a sense of family in her life. I may have only had my grandparents for most of my life growing up, but they were more than enough. Family time was always a priority for them.

“Yes, she does. But when she remarried, it was like she was born again. Suddenly, she wanted to travel and live her life in a way she couldn’t when she was tied to my dad. I refuse to be selfish with her when she dealt with a man like him for decades. So no, we don’t do family dinners, and yes, she might be gone on a majority of the holidays, but I’m happy for her,” Anna explains. The soft note in her voice makes it hard not to believe her.

“Well, one thing you shouldn’t do today is tell that to my grandmother. She’ll damn near adopt you, and you’ll never be free of us again,” I say, trying to lighten the suddenly serious mood. “You’d be wishin’ you never had to have another family dinner in your life.”

“Somehow, I don’t think that would be such a bad thing.”

The Steele Ranch gate comes into view, and I flash her a grin, feeling like a damn lucky guy knowing she’s about to venture into my world. It’s hard to focus on the road when she spots the gate and gasps, awestruck at something as simple as someiron and steel. It’s nothing in comparison to the ranch itself, especially not in the summertime. Life dealt us an unfair hand with having her first time here being in the dead of winter.

“Welcome to Steele Ranch, Anna. It’s a lot more than meets the eye,” I say.

“How big is it?”

“About thirty thousand acres, give or take a few.”

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