Chapter 1
Gideon hauls off and punches me in the thigh. Freaking hard. Giving me an instant muscle cramp.
With a glare, I sock him in the shoulder.
“You might want to cut that out.” Reggie glowers at us both in the rearview mirror and then shakes his head, as if he’s disappointed in us.
I don’t really care what Reggie thinks of me. He may be in charge at the boys’ home—a.k.a. hell house—I’ve been living in for the past six months, but as far as I’m concerned, he can kiss my ass.
“Loser,” Gideon whispers at me, and I want to punch him again. He’s still sporting the black eye from the last time I knocked his ass out.
“Fuck off,” I snarl at him.
“Okay, enough,” Reggie snaps. “I get it, you hate each other. That’s fair. You don’t have to like everyone in this life, but you don’t get to mouth off and put hands on every single person that ticks you off p>
“Why do we have to go to this stupid ranch?” I ask him.
Not that I really mind the thought of leaving the hell house and moving to a ranch in the middle of nowhere. I like animals, and I like being outside.
It would be great if I didn’t have to go with the dickface next to me.
“You need to learn what it is to work hard,” Reggie says, dragging his hand down his face.
“Basically, we’re screwups and you want to get rid of us,” Gideon adds, but Reggie shakes his head.
“No, Gideon, I don’t think you’re screwups. I think you need something I can’t give you, and I hope that something is out here at the Triple Creek Ranch with Ray and Debbie. They’re good people, so cut them some slack, yeah p>
I lean my head on the window and watch the mountains in the distance.
Cut them some slack.
When has anyone ever cut me any goddamn slack in this life?
I must fall asleep because suddenly, I feel the car stop, and when I open my eyes, I’m shocked to see a huge house in front of us. It’s like something out of the movies. Something rich people live in, with log sides, and a porch that wraps around the whole place. Add in the mountains in the background, and it doesn’t look real. Am I dreaming?
When we get out of the car, the older couple from the porch walk down to greet us.
“Ryker, Gideon, I want to introduce you to Ray and Debbie,” Reggie says.
I step forward first and shake Ray’s hand. His grip is firm, and he looks me steady in the eyes. He doesn’t look mean. His mouth isn’t turned up in a sneer.
But he’s not smiling. He’s sizing me up. So I keep my chin high and say with more bravery than I feel, “Hello p>
Then, I’m suddenly caught up in a hug by the tiniest woman I’ve ever met in my life, and she’s patting my back, rocking me back and forth, and it makes me want to cry.
Jesus. What is this place?
“I’m Debbie,” she says and smiles up at me with the kindest eyes I’ve ever seen. I’ve been growing a lot lately, eating too much, according to the cook at hell house, but this woman is like a little fairy. I could put her in my pocket. “And you’re too skinny. I’m going to put some meat on your bones. Do you like fried chicken p>
At just the mention of it, my mouth waters.
“Uh, yes, ma’am p>
“Nope, call me Deb.” She pats my cheek and then moves on to Gideon, giving him the same treatment, and his gaze meets mine over her head as he awkwardly pats her on the back.
I shrug.
I don’t know, man.
Reggie sets our duffel bags at our feet. Everything we own is in these bags, and it isn’t much.
“You’ll be staying in the bunkhouse with the hands,” Ray says, still looking us both over. “I have six hands hired for the summer, including Dusty, my manager. They’ll get you situated. You all come up to the house every night for dinner p>
Gideon and I both nod.
“I have one hard rule,” Ray adds, narrowing his eyes, and then he gestures to Deb. “This is my wife. The love of my life. The only reason I do anything. No one sasses her on this ranch. You treat her with the kindness and respect that she’ll show you. You’ll get no second chances. If I find out that you even look at her sideways, you’re out of here. Everything else we’ll figure out as we go p>
Deb rubs her hand up and down Ray’s arm, as if to comfort him, and it makes my chest kind of feel funny.
“Yes, sir,” I say.
“Yes, sir,” Gideon echoes.
“Who are you p>
We turn as a girl with shiny blond hair and the prettiest smile I’ve ever seen rides over on a horse. She looks like she might be about our age.
“Oh, this is my niece, Willow,” Deb says and gestures for Willow to climb off the horse. “She’s here for the summer p>
I want to learn to ride a horse.
“Willow, this is Gideon and Ryker p>
“Hey,” she says with that smile that dims the sun, and she offers us a little wave before flipping her blond hair over her shoulder.
Now my chest and my stomach feel funny.
“Hi,” I reply.
“Hey,” says Gideon.
“Same rule applies to Willow,” Ray says sternly, and we both nod.
Nobody hurts the girls. Got it. I wish someone had clued the fuckers who used to kick the shit out of my mom in to that rule.
“You’ll love it here,” Willow says, bouncing on her toes. “I wish I could be here all year, not just in the summer. I mean, I live an hour away, so I visit sometimes, but I get to be here all summer long every year, and it’s the best p>
“They’re not here to play,” Ray reminds her. “They’re here to work p>
“Aw, Uncle Ray, they can’t work every minute of the day.” Willow kisses the older man’s cheek, and his face softens as he smiles down at her. Ray isn’t an asshole. “Can I show them around p>
“We’ll both show them. Let’s start at the barn, and you can put your horse away,” Ray says.
“I’m headed inside to get started on that chicken,” Deb says. “Welcome to the ranch, boys. Go get hungry so I can feed you p>
I’m always hungry.
First, we’re shown to the bunkhouse, where we each set our bags on a bed. I’m on the lower bunk, and Gideon is above me. It’s pretty nice in here, with a kitchen and a living room with a big TV. It’s clean, and the blankets and pillows on the beds look new.
I wonder if we can watch hockey when the season starts.
We head outside and are introduced to some of the guys in the barn, along with the horses. The afternoon goes by fast, and I sneak glances at Willow, who seems to be the happiest person I’ve ever met. I don’t think she’s stopped smiling once. She practically bounces when she walks, and she keeps touching me and Gideon as if we’re old friends, pushing on a shoulder, hip checking us when she makes a joke.
I don’t really like to be touched, but it’s not so bad when she does it, as long as it keeps her smiling.
Then again, she’s a princess who grew up on this ranch and has nice people raising her who don’t beat the shit out of her. Of course she’s happy. I’d be fucking thrilled.
“Hey,” she says as she joins me where I’m standing not far from the house, looking at the mountains. “You don’t look too happy to be here yet, but don’t worry, you will be. I know—it’s an adjustment p>
“That’s all life is,” Gideon says from the other side of her, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Freaking adjustments p>
“That’s deep,” Willow says, but she’s nodding in agreement. “Who gave you the black eye p>
“Him,” Gideon says, gesturing to me.
“And what did he do to you?” Willow asks me.
“Punched me in the dick p>
Her eyes widen, and she looks back and forth between us. “So you’re not friends p>
“Hell no,” I reply.
“Not even close,” Gideon agrees.
“But what if I want to be friends with both of you p>
“It’s a free country,” I reply. “Doesn’t matter p>
Gideon just shrugs.
“You guys are going to be a lot of work,” she says with a sigh as she pats us each on a shoulder and shakes her head. “It’s a good thing I’m up for the challenge. We’ll be the Three Amigos by the end of next week. Mark my words p>
She’s so pretty. So bright. Life hasn’t sucker punched her.
I glance at Gideon. I hate that guy. But maybe for her, I can chill.
As long as he keeps his hands to himself and doesn’t mouth off.
“Come on,” she says. “Let’s go get dinner. Deb’s chicken is to die for p>
“I think you’re going to be nothing but trouble,” I tell her as we stalk off toward the huge house for dinner.
“Who, me?” She bats her big baby blues at me. “Never p>