I’m on the porch sipping the coffee mama just brought out for Sealy and I, quietly thinking about how I missed being home. We’ve just finished the morning chores with the new hands my dad hired. I’m hoping having me and my brother here for this little while will show my dad how nice it would be to slow down a bit. He can afford to hire more help if he needs to. Stubborn bastard likes to work though.

“Remind me again what we’re doing today?” Sealy asks on a yawn.

“Building a house for a couple who lost theirs last year. Paper and radio will be there. Maybe they’ll mention your ugly mug helping out. You can use the good press as much as me.” I grin and take a sip from my mug.

“Don’t you go lumpin’ me with you. I’m not ‘country music’s bad boy,’” he mocks.

“No. But you’re no angel on the rodeo circuit either. It’s not my fault that bull riders aren’t as popular in the rag mags as country music royalty.” Teasing my brother is almost as fun as teasing Addy.

“Country music royalty? Boy, you go and get kicked in the head by a horse when I wasn’t looking? You think you’re George Strait or somethin’?”

Grinning at his ruffled feathers, I slip on my sunglasses, even though the sun isn’t quite up yet, kick back in my chair, and hum George’s “The Fireman.”

When he flips me off, we both burst into laughter. Mama comes out on the porch smiling. “What are you boys gettin’ on about out here? Not that I mind, I’ve missed having you two home.”

“Beau’s over here thinkin’ he’s George Strait.”

“Well, son, I love you, but there can only be one King of Country,” she says apologetically.

Sealy damn near falls off his rocking chair laughing at the epic burn my mama just dished out.

“I’ll be sure to tell him that next time he calls me.” Truth be told I’ve met him only a handful of times at award shows. They don’t have to know that though.

Just then Sealy stands and points. “Looks like your girl is here to save your ass from telling any more stories to your mama.”

“Watch your mouth, Sealy Wayne McCrae,” She murmurs halfheartedly, her features pinched as she watches Addy’s Jeep come up the gravel drive. I don’t bother to correct Sealy about Addy being my girl. I’m not sure why.

“Mornin’ y’all,” she calls out as she climbs the steps to us. “Mrs. McCrae.” She smiles sweetly at my mama, probably hoping that it’ll help. It does not.

“Mornin’, Addy. Nice to see you again,” she lies with a barely-there smile before going back into the house. Might as well just throw a “bless your heart” at Addy and walk away. Everyone knows that it’s a Southern woman’s way of saying all the nasty things she would never dare utter in the presence of company.

“Well, look at you. You sure do look pretty.” Sealy looks over at me. “Doesn’t she, Beau?” my troublemaker little brother says, knowing that our mother is listening to every word from the other side of the screen door.

“She always does.” And she does. Today she looks just as hot in her paint splattered jean shorts, tank top, and baseball cap with her hair in two long braids, as she did the other night in her little black dress and high-heeled shoes. I meant it when I told her she suits more than she knows. This Addy is no different from that Addy or any other she needs to be. She’s always true to herself, and that is sexy as all hell.

My mama clears her throat and comes back out to the porch carrying a couple thermoses And a plate of fresh baked biscuit sandwiches. “I thought y’all would be hungry so I made breakfast to take with. There’s enough for all three of you.” Pecking us both on the cheek as she hands off the treats, she waves at Addy and goes back inside. Maybe she’s trying.

“You ready, Sugar?”

“Yes. But is there any way we can take your truck? My daddy called and asked if we could pick up some lumber on our way.”

“Course we can.”

“Great. I’ll get the cooler and meet you. “

Sealy pokes his head inside to let mama know that we’re leaving Addy’s vehicle behind and we set off to my truck.

“You sure you don’t mind getting this thing dirty?” my brother calls out as I unlock the doors.

“It’s been plenty dirty.” I’m a Chevy guy, my brother’s a Ford man. He blows me as much shit as he can about my truck of choice and the fact that this model was the price of a small farm. Placing the thermos inside, I go back to help Addy with the cooler.

“Let me take that, Sugar,” I say from behind her causing her to jump.

“Lordy, Beau. You scared the hell out of me,” she says a hand to her chest.

“Why so jumpy? You over here thinkin’ about me naked?”

“You wish,” she shoots back, handing me the cooler and closing up her Jeep.

“Maybe all this hammer swingin’ will change your mind. I might even take my shirt off to help you along. You know, since it’ll be hot out and all.”

“Do whatever you want with your shirt, Beau McCrae. It makes no never mind to me,” Addy says as she brushes past me.

“Girl didn’t your mama tell you lyin’ was a sin?” I call after her, unable to keep my eyes off the sway of her ass in her cutoff shorts.

Sealy honks the horn startling me to attention. I can see him laughing through the windshield. He knows exactly what I was doing. Catching up with Addy, I open the door and help her into the truck, a hand on her ass to give her a boost. She shoots me a look that I return with a wink. After shoving the cooler at a laughing Sealy in the back seat we’re on our way.

We pull up to the build site with a truck bed of lumber. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t all of these people milling about just as the sun is rising. “Wow. This is quite a turn out.”

“Isn’t it great? This is the most we’ve ever had. I think it might have a little to do with you.” She grins over at me then says, “Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Oh, it’s already gone to his fat head. You shoulda heard his ass this morning. ‘Country music royalty’ I believe is what he called himself,” Sealy tosses from the back seat making Addy’s eyes widen. Quickly she pulls her lips between her teeth as does her best to hold back a laugh. It lasts all of two seconds as I watch her, daring her to laugh. Her laughter just triggers Sealy’s snickering and pretty soon the two sound like a bunch of hyenas.

“Y’all about done?” I ask over their chortles

“Not yet, Your Highness,” Addy says on another bubble of laughter. My brother damn near falls out of the truck laughing his fool ass off.

Muttering under my breath, I get out of the truck and go over to help Miss sassy ass Addy out. Her eyes shine with glee as she pats my cheek. “You’re cute when you’re mad.” Spinning on her heel when someone calls her name, she waves and takes my hand, pulling me behind her.

“Hey daddy!” Addy says releasing my hand to give the big man in front of us a hug. “Daddy, these are the McCrae boys, Beau and Sealy. Guys, this is Wade Masterson, my father.”

“Sir.” I nod, shaking his hand in greeting. My brother does the same.

“Can’t thank y’all enough for being here and for picking up the wood,” he says in a booming voice. “Now come on over and meet everyone and we’ll start off with a little prayer and get to buildin’.”

We follow behind him to one of the open-sided tents where everyone has gathered for their job assignments and instructions. There’s a refreshment tent, as well as a tent from the radio station where a DJ is setting up. When we walk up, I see the shift, the excitement upon my arrival. They must have been spoken to about me being there and how to act or not act before we got here. Makes it just slightly less awkward. Addy tugs on my arm and whispers, “You okay?” She must have noticed as well.

“I’m fine, Sugar.” I smile down at her. Been a long time since anyone asked after me and actually meant it.

Tasks are given out, my brother and I are paired up, but Addy is sent off with another group. Before she walks off she asks again if I’m okay. I nod that I am and go off to tackle some masonry work with Sealy. One good thing about being home, with all this manual labor on the ranch and now this build I don’t have to go to the gym. I hand Sealy his tool belt from the back of my truck and fasten mine around my waist.

“You ready to build some shit?”

“Yes, sir. You ready? You gonna be okay so far away from Addy? Kinda hard to watch her ass from where we’ll be.”

I give him a shove, “I’ll manage.” Maybe.

* * *

After four hours of working hard, we break for lunch. I’m just about to go find Addy when she calls my name, motioning for us to come over to where she stands near the refreshment tent. Sealy and I walk over and she hands us ice cold bottles of water.

She’s filthy. Her face is dirt-stained, her shoulders red from the sun, and the front of her shirt is wet with her sweat. “Thanks,” I murmur, downing the bottle in one long drink. She hands me another, and that’s when I notice a gash on her arm. Taking it gently in my hand, I turn it so I can see better. It could use a couple butterfly bandages. “What happened, Sugar?”

Addy shrugs. “Nail from a loose board got me. I was just going to look for a first aid kit when I saw you guys.”

“Let’s go get that kit. I’ll throw a couple butterflies on that.” I turn to Sealy. “Will you find us someplace to sit.” He nods and lopes off.

“Come on.” With her hand in mine, I go over to the main tent and ask about the first aid supplies. They produce a red box, and without releasing Addy’s hand I take the box from the lady and thank her. Sealy found us a spot in the shade at the end of one of the long picnic tables they set out.

“You guys take care of her arm, I’ll get us some food,” he says when we reach him. I nod in thanks and guide Addy to the bench, her back against the table. I sit to her side, legs spread wide, knees bracketing her. Silently I take the water bottle Sealy left behind and pour it over the cut.

She hisses, “Oh that’s cold. It feels good though.”

“I bet. It’s hot out here today.” Opening the kit, I take out some gauze and pat at the wound. Peroxide in hand I grimace. “This might sting a little, Sugar, but I gotta make sure it’s clean.”

Addy closes her eyes. “I’m ready.” With her slender arm in my hand, I can’t look away from her. The once tightly braided pigtails are now wispy with flecks of paint in them. Her tanned legs are covered in dirt, her hat flipped backwards just like mine, the sun bringing out the smatter of freckles across her cheeks and nose. When I don’t move, she cracks her eyes open to find me watching her.

“You’re beautiful.”

“I’m filthy,” is her quick response.

“Doesn’t matter, I like you dirty,” I fire back. And I do.

“Are you flirting with me?”

“Only every time I open my mouth.”

A blush works its way over her skin. She smiles at me and I can’t help but return it before going back to doctoring her. Slowly I pour the peroxide over her arm, blowing on it to ease some of the stinging. Once it bubbles up, I pat her arm dry and fix two butterfly bandages over the wound and then cover it with a wide waterproof bandaid to keep it clean while she works. All finished, I bring her arm up to my mouth and place a kiss over the freshly bandaged area. The goosebumps that flit across her skin shouldn’t make me hard. But they do. Knowing that she’s affected affects me.

“Okay, I just grabbed a bunch of everythin’. I didn’t know what you guys wanted,” Sealy says, plopping down and breaking the moment Addy and I were having.

“This is perfect, thank you so much,” Addy says, beaming at my brother.

She stands and reaches for the first aid kit. “Just let me bring this to the tent, I’ll be right back.”

I watch as she walks away, my eyes once again settling on her ass.

“You’re awful, you know that?”

“What?” I ask like I don’t know exactly what he’s talking about.

“You sleeping with her yet?”

“No. She’s my boss.”

He raises his brows, a sandwich positioned in front of his mouth. “And that’s ever stopped you? I’m not sure anything or anyone has ever stood in the way of you getting what you want. You’re gonna let titles get in the way now?” Taking a giant bite of his sandwich he shakes his head. I don’t have time to answer. Addy is already sitting back down, smiling at us both as she unwraps her sandwich.

“So boys.” She waits a beat. “I may have told the director that the McCrae brothers would sign autographs after the build for a little bit. Not long,” she rushes to reassure us. “Turns out not only do we have some country music fans here, but we also have some rodeo fans. Everyone’s tickled pink to be working alongside a famous singer and a professional bull rider.”

I look over at Sealy who just nods, a mouthful of sandwich preventing him from speaking. Addy looks my way, “Is that okay? The radio station is going to make a big deal of it and post pictures on their website as well. They’re hoping that it will generate even more help for any future builds.”

“Whatever you need me to do.” I can see the words soak in as she looks at me. A little differently now than she did before. I’m not sure what shifted, but I’m glad that it did. Her expression is softer, more open. It makes me want to see what other ways I can get her to look at me.