“What’s wrong?” Bryant asked as soon as the group videochat connected. He shoved his glasses up his nose and peered into his laptop’s screen. In the background, his tiny off-campus apartment was filled with textbooks and a whiteboard covered in scribbled equations as well as notes for an upcoming exam. Thank God that wasn’t Austin’s life anymore.

James cursed. “Cuz, calm down. Why do you always assume the worst?”

Those two of Austin’s cousins were pretty much polar opposites. James dove out of planes to fight fires for a living while Bryant researched water conservation and eco-friendly agricultural advancements from the clinical surroundings of his academic laboratory in pursuit of his PhD. Despite the situation, Austin was happy he was back in the diner instead of in a school.

“Because Austin doesn’t call us all at the same time unless something dramatic is happening,” Doug chimed in. He fell somewhere between the other two extremes, sort of like Austin. He was still figuring out exactly what he planned to do with his life but seemed to be enjoying his latest stint as a cameraman for a weather channel special on violent storms.

“Good point,” James conceded. “What’s up?”

“So, there’s this girl—” Austin tried to explain.

Doug cut him off. “These conversations always start with lady trouble, don’t they? Maybe we should wise up and stick to dudes, like Bryant.”

“My love life isn’t exactly worth bragging about.” Their nerdy cousin frowned.

“That’s because you’re too busy studying to have fun.” Doug shook his head. “You might be smarter than me, but you also might stay a born-again virgin until your dick shrivels up and falls off if you don’t start going out again once in a while.”

“Guys,” Austin interrupted. It was that or listen to them bicker all night. Truth be told, he longed for the times they’d done just that, when they’d all been on Compass Ranch, before they’d flown the coop to do their own things. Holidays were great, but always too short. Growing up together, sharing everything, had been amazing.

They’d done their boy stuff while their older sisters had their own tight-knit club. Now Austin was the only one holding down the fort—or the farm—for Team Compass Boys at the moment. James wouldn’t be back again until his time with the West Yellowstone Smoke Jumpers was up in the early fall. Whatever. Either way, it got kind of lonely without these fuckers around to annoy him constantly.

And right now he needed their advice.

“Okay, sorry.” James held his hands up. “Focusing.”

“This girl…is she hot?” Doug wondered. “Just trying to get the full picture, you know.”

“Of course she is or he wouldn’t even be considering getting involved in whatever mess he’s probably already stepped in.” James laughed.

“Jesus. I’m not that shallow,” Austin snarled. “She’s in trouble. Someone fucking beat her up and she stowed away in the trailer. I want to help her and I’m not sure how. But yes, she’s pretty. She’s not wearing any makeup or trying to be beautiful. She’s the kind of girl who just is.”

“Oh boy.” Bryant shook his head.

“I know.” Austin scrubbed his hands through his hair. “Trust me, she’s not in any sort of position for me—or anyone else—to be hitting on her. Hell, she doesn’t even have clothes on!”

“Wait. What?” Even Doug seemed flustered at that.

“It must have been a really bad situation. She bailed in the middle of the night with nothing but an old, baggy T-shirt. What should I do?” Austin lifted his hands, feeling kind of helpless. “Give her money? Call the cops? See if there’s some kind of shelter nearby?”

“What’s your gut telling you?” asked James, always impulsive.

Austin hesitated. Should he admit it? Fuck it, yes. That’s why he’d called them. They understood and shared his instincts. “That I should take her home with me until she can figure things out.”

To his surprise, Bryant didn’t immediately object. “Would she take off with a stranger considering even someone she might have trusted did wrong by her?”

“I don’t know.” Austin considered how she’d fought him. “Probably not. She doesn’t have many options, though. How can I convince her it’s okay? That I’m not like the asshole that hurt her or someone trying to take advantage of the circumstances?”

“You’re decent with the difficult animals on the ranch,” Doug said. “My dad always hoped you’d join him on the horse breeding side of things.”

He had? Huh. Austin hadn’t realized his uncle had thought that highly of his help around the equestrian operation. Maybe he should get more involved during his stints at the ranch.

Bryant seconded Doug’s faith. “Yeah. Do what you do with the horses. Be gentle. Patient. Listen to her and alleviate any of her concerns. I bet she’ll go with you, at least until you find somewhere safe.”

James laughed. “You know, what they’re really saying is, ‘Do exactly the opposite of what you usually do with women.’ Don’t go alpha cowboy on her ass. Dial down the intensity a notch or two. And keep your damn tattoos covered so you look less like a freak and more…well, like Bryant.”

That’s the pot calling the kettle black, Austin thought. James was every bit as alpha as he was, which was why they sometimes butted heads.

Bryant shot their cousin the finger. He might be the scholar among them, but he would still resort to a brawl if James kept insulting him.

“Uh, I can try,” Austin mumbled. Did he really act that way? Yeah, kind of. Oops.

Maybe he’d been out here on the road a little too long. He’d started to see women in terms of a one-night affair. There wasn’t time to waste on pleasantries when he was pulling out at first light.

A change could be good for him.

“Whatever you do, be careful. Please,” Bryant urged. “Don’t do anything crazy.”

Right then the waitress set two to-go boxes on Austin’s table along with his change.

“Okay, then I’d better go. Because she’s locked inside my truck.” He waited for his cousins to work it out.

Doug cracked up. James snorted. A muscle twitched in Bryant’s jaw. “Meaning you gave her your keys? You idiot. Go!”

“Have fun!” James shouted over Bryant’s outrage.

“Call us tomorrow and let us know what happened,” Doug demanded. “In detail!”

With a wave and a grin, Austin signed off, determined to earn his stowaway’s trust.

Damn, he missed those guys.