CHAPTER 26
“I have to go,” Colt said, tensing his legs so he didn’t run out of Lydia’s bedroom. Fight or flight instinct raged through him. This conversation felt too personal, too uncomfortable, too… everything. He was good in bed, not good with feelings. “I’ll figure it out, and I promise, I won’t break your mama’s heart.”
She nodded silently, and looked away. He’d seen her brush her eyes, and he felt like the world’s biggest ass for dumping his shit on her like that. Best to let things simmer down for a while.
“I’m going to go check in with Travis and Elaine, but I’ll be back tonight. Take it easy, okay? No work?” He waited until she nodded. “I’ll help you with anything I can. I’m decent enough with a pair of scissors.”
She gave him a watery smile. “That’s sweet of you. I’ll manage.”
That was code for ‘I can do it myself.’ Stubborn woman. Just like her mother. In spite of himself, his chest filled with pride. Her boot company would be a success, no doubt about it. Marriage business aside, he was happy to help her. He’d handle her mother. And the Carters. Planting a kiss on her head as he passed, he walked down the hall to retrieve his clothes, grateful that Luci hadn’t shown up to add fuel to the fire. Dottie might spill to the whole town that he and Lydia were engaged, but she’d never let on they’d had an entire conversation without his pants.
He dressed hurriedly. By his reckoning, it would take Dottie all of twenty minutes to spread the word. Within the hour, the whole town would know about him and Lydia. By the end of the weekend, anyone who was anyone in Prairie would have seen the Rodeo Today spread pinned up at Dottie’s food truck. Colton was pretty sure that before Dottie hit the front porch, she was already on the phone to his brother. And knowing Travis, there would be words. At the very least, criticism that he hadn’t followed proper protocol by talking to Lydia’s parents first. Nothing to do but to suck it up and plow ahead, just like he always did. Folks might get bent out of shape, but it would blow over. It always did.
The rhythmic sounds of the industrial sewing machine carried down the hall as he headed for the door. Colt shook his head, chagrined, and stopped behind her. “You have my permission to take a break.”
“I don’t need your permission.”
“Fine. Then give yourself permission. You’re no good to anyone if you work yourself to the bone.”
“I’ll stop as soon as I finish these tops.”
“Promise?”
She stopped and turned, staring up at him through weary eyes. “Yes.”
Her answer held weight, and an unspoken challenge. Keep your promise and I’ll keep mine. “Be back in time for dinner. I’ll cook.” It was the least he could do.
Surprise flickered across her face. “You cook?”
“Hell, yes. Any cowboy worth his weight can make a few good meals. No one can beat my spaghetti and meatballs.”
“Seriously?” Hunger flashed in her eyes. So she hadn’t been eating well, either. He’d see to all of that tonight.
“Finish up, then take a nap. I’ll take care of the rest as soon as I get back.” Home. For the second time, the word home had popped into his mind. Leaving a kiss on her forehead, he hurried out. Fifteen minutes later he shifted the truck into park in the wide dirt area in front of his childhood home. Travis sat on the porch, heels propped on the rail.
Of course, Travis was waiting. He’d already spoken to Dottie.
Raising his hand in greeting, Colt steeled himself and sauntered over. He’d play it cool. Let Travis do the talking. That was more his style anyway where the two of them were concerned. Travis railed, he pretended to listen, and then went about his business. As soon as Colt’s boot hit the step, Travis cut to the chase. “Had a mighty interesting phone call from Dottie Grace, just now.”
“Oh?”
Travis motioned to the empty chair next to him. “Why don’t you have a seat, and we can talk about it?”
“I prefer to stand, thanks.”
“Suit yourself.” Travis’s face remained neutral, except for a tick below his left temple. Colt knew what that meant. He’d seen it, all to regularly as a kid. “According to Dottie, you and Lydia have decided to ‘up and marry’.” He used finger quotes. “But instead of going through proper channels, it somehow leaked out in a rodeo magazine.”
At least she hadn’t thought to embellish the truth. “That about sums it up.”
Travis’s feet came off the rail and landed on the porch with a heavy thunk. “That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” Travis cocked his head, as if waiting for Colton to say something.
But why should he? Travis had already passed judgment. Just like he always did. The scabs began to peel off the old hurts, one by one.
“You’ve decided to marry the daughter of our neighbors, and someone who’s arguably our oldest family friend, and the best you can come up with is that about sums it up?”
Colton shrugged. “Yep.” No use explaining, Travis would jump to his own conclusions. Hell, he already had.
Travis stood and braced his arms on the railing, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. I know we’re just getting to know each other again after ten years, but there’s no way in hell that you’re ready to settle down and marry someone like Lydia Grace.”
Colt crossed his arms, heat spreading across his neck. “Why the fuck not?”
Travis stared at him hard. “You don’t have the first idea about what it takes to make a good marriage.”
“And you do?” Colt shot back. “You’ve been married less than six months, and suddenly you’re the expert? Give me a fucking break.”
“I do know that Lydia Grace is one of the kindest souls around, and–”
“And I’m not near good enough for her,” Colt finished flatly, bile rising in his throat. Some things would never change. His teenage reputation being one of them. And people wondered why he’d never bothered to come home once he’d cleaned up his act. Why he’d stayed in Steamboat where people judged him on who he was now, not who he used to be as a screwed-up, scared teenager.
“Do you love her?”
Goddammit. Why did it always have to come back to love? First Lydia, now Travis. He could lie. Lord knew, it would be easy enough, and he’d done it often enough in years past. But he’d turned over a new leaf when he’d gotten a second chance. He might stretch things, manipulate the truth in such a way as it helped him out of a sticky situation, but he wouldn’t flat-out lie. Not to a lady, not to his brother.
Travis crossed his arms, taking a very police chief-like stance. “If you break her heart, there’s gonna be a whole long line of folks ready to kick your ass.”
“Of course,” Colt answered, more in response to the second statement, not the question. But let Travis interpret it however he wanted. Colt couldn’t control that. Travis didn’t understand what was at stake here. Besides, the agreement was between him and Lydia. It wasn’t anyone else’s business. Their families might be well-meaning meddlers, but what mattered was that he and Lydia were happy with the arrangement. And they were… mostly. A voice of doubt buzzed in his ear.