Eight

I LIKE ALL OF YOU

“THE GRILL?” DEVIN BARKED OUT.

“That’s what the fire marshal’s sayin’,” Bo sighed, rubbing his face. The whole weekend was turning into a clusterfuck.

Devin looked over his shoulder at the Wallflowers. “Which one of them pulled the burgers off last night?”

Bo cringed. “Calla did.”

Devin closed his eyes and hung his head. “I predicted this when I arrived. But I sure as hell didn’t think my woman would burn down a house.”

“We can’t keep the truth from her,” Bo stated. “It’s gonna come out.”

Devin stood and cracked his neck, rolling it on his shoulders. “I need a vacation from my new life.”

“Nate said it best,” Bo chuckled, “There’s never a dull moment in Savannah.”

Devin shot Bo a look that suggested a dull Savannah would be fine with him. “At least we don’t have to worry this is related to Daniels.”

“Yeah, but I’d rather err on the side of caution until he wakes up and tells us if the beatin’ he took has anything to do with the girls.”

“I’ve already read Calla the riot act after she took off on the four-wheeler. She’ll toe the line.”

Bo raised a brow.

Devin grinned. “She’ll toe the line as best she can, I should say.”

Clint Black drove into the courtyard, his mouth gaping wide as he took in the smoldering remains of the ranch house.

“Black’s here,” Bo said, jerking his head in the man’s direction.

Devin stood and glared. “I’d send him packin’ if we didn’t need the help more than ever.”

“If you do, we’ll be shovelin’ shit for the next week. I’d rather brand cattle than clean out the stalls.”

Black made his way over to Devin and Bo, shaking his head in amazement. “What happened?”

“Grill was left on, and it caught the house on fire,” Bo replied.

“Jesus. It looks like a total loss. Do you still need me?”

“Nothin’s changed,” Devin returned. “The ranch still needs runnin’ until they hire more men and rebuild.”

Black looked shocked. “If you say so,” he said, looking back over his shoulder at the destruction. “Can’t imagine they’ll be able to recover from a loss like that.”

“They will,” Bo bit out. “So, clean the stalls and milk the cows or hit the road.”

Black raised his hands in surrender and backed away, heading for the barn. Both men watched him disappear inside.

“I don’t trust him,” Devin grumbled.

“You gettin’ a vibe other than ladies’ man?” Bo asked.

“A gut feelin’.”

“I trust your gut. If he steps out of line again, he’s gone.”

“Girls are headed our way,” Devin said.

Bo turned and watched the Wallflowers make their way slowly across the graveled courtyard. Two were barefoot due to the fire and, except for Sienna, draped with blankets to cover their lack of clothes.

“I need to run to town and get clothes and supplies. Bernice and Eunice are on their way up to take care of Natasha and Boris. When can I go?” Sienna asked.

Bo looked at Devin. “Fire was an accident, but I’m still uneasy about lettin’ her out of my sight. I need to deal with the police, so you’ll have to go.”

“Y’all act like she’ll cause trouble,” Calla chuckled.

Devin looked at Calla then at the burnt ranch house. “Hurricane-force winds don’t stand a chance against any of you. Someone needs to go.”

“Very funny,” Calla snapped. “It’s not like we set fire to the house.”

Both men rolled their lips between their teeth.

Calla looked between them both. “We didn’t, did we?”

“It was the grill,” Devin finally admitted.

Calla blinked. “But I…I turned it off.”

“You’re sure?” Bo asked.

Calla’s brows drew together in concentration, and she shook her head. “No. I’m not sure. There were so many dials, I may have left one . . . Oh. My. God. I burnt down their home.”

“Baby, it was an accident,” Devin drawled, pulling her into his arms.

“I know it was an accident, but they lost all their belongin’s, their history. I . . . I have to make this right.”

“Calla, you’ve got that look in your eyes,” Devin said, looking ready to pounce. “The last time you looked at me that way you jumped on a trolley and took off. What are you thinkin’?”

“Give me your phone,” she bit out, raising her hand, palm up, ignoring him.

Bo shook his head. He knew determination when he saw it. Devin didn’t stand a chance in hell of talking Calla out of whatever was running through her head.

“What are you gonna do?” Devin asked, suspicious.

“Never you mind. This is my fault, and I’m gonna fix it.”

Devin shot Bo a look that suggested there would be a fight, so he grabbed Sienna’s hand and mumbled, “Time to go.”

Poppy caught on just as quickly and followed them as Bo walked Sienna to Poppy’s car. “Troy’s gonna have to go with you since Devin’s”—he turned back and looked at his friend—“gotta contain Calla now. I trust Troy as much as I can, but I want you to be on the lookout. If you see anyone followin’ you, tell him.”

“Why the caution if the fire was an accident?”

“I’m wired that way, and you three have already proven you have bad luck, so humor me.”

“I’ll be insulted for the three of us, since you’re sleepin’ with him now,” Poppy said.

Sienna grinned at Poppy. “Just say ‘Bite me, lawman.’ That one pisses him off.”

Bo opened the car door and whistled between his teeth at Troy, ignoring them both.

“I’ll leave the bitin’ to you,” Poppy continued as he kissed Sienna good-bye and helped her into the car. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to help herself, he shut the door on whatever salty retort Sienna had for Poppy and turned to glare at the other Wallflower. She snorted, completely unfazed by his scowl, then turned on her bare heel and walked away.

“The man who takes on that woman will need balls of steel,” Bo growled.

The sound of a bike roaring up the drive turned his attention away from Poppy. Nate Jacobs pulled to a stop next to Devin and pulled off his helmet, grinning.

“New bike?” Devin asked casually while he wrestled with Calla for his phone.

“I missed yours,” Nate responded, chuckling when Calla pulled the phone from his hand, threw her hands up in victory, and stormed off.

A gasp caught Bo’s attention, and he looked back at Poppy. She had stopped in her tracks at the sight of Jacobs, then began turning in circles, looking for something, then settled on the barn and took off. Bo followed her retreat with fascination, then looked back at Jacobs and caught him watching Poppy with a scowl.

Then he threw his head back and laughed.

 

 

Three hours, a trunk full of groceries, four new cell phones, clothes, purses, shoes, and a variety of toiletries for the Wallflowers and our men later, Troy and I were finally heading back. The road leading to the ranch wound around the hillside like a roller coaster, so I let him drive since he knew the roads better. I was just settling into the passenger seat for the drive back when my new phone began to ring. I looked at the caller ID. Crap. It was my mother.

Sighing, I answered. “Mom?”

“I’ve been tryin’ to reach you all mornin’,” she stated accusingly.

“My phone was destroyed in a fire. I had to get a new one.”

“A fire? Where are you?”

“On vacation.”

“On vacation? Where?”

Oh, Lord.

“Bullwinkle Ranch.”

“You’re in Canada?”

“Why would you think I’m in Canada?”

“Sienna, I’ll never understand you,” she sighed.

Ditto.

“Is there somethin’ you needed?”

“I just hadn’t heard from you in a while and thought I’d touch base.” Her tone of voice said she was lying.

“Okaaay,” I drawled out. “Nothin’ new to tell you.”

“Nothin’? No new man in your life?”

Oh, there was, but I had a feeling she knew that already. I had no doubt my brother had relayed Chase’s versions of events two days prior. And now that I understood what was running through Bo’s head, I’m sure my brother had already put two and two together and knew Bo’s interference was based on his feelings for me. He wouldn’t be able to stop himself from filling my mother in on all the details. However, letting her in on my new relationship wasn’t gonna happen. I didn’t have the energy to play twenty questions.

“Nope. No new man in my life.”

Troy turned his head and looked at me, raising a brow. I mouthed, “My mother,” and he grinned.

“Then who was this man who manhandled poor Chase? David said he punched him.”

Poor Chase, indeed. He’d be poor Chase the next time I saw him.

“He’s a friend,” I lied.

She sighed dramatically. “I hope you’re not stirrin’ up trouble for poor Chase again,”—I felt the blood run from my face. She knew about what happened with Chase in the bathroom—“because he didn’t feel comfortable comin’ by the house for the longest time because of you.”

“Mother—”

“You know, you’re just like your father,” she went on, cutting me off. “You can’t let things lie. Why can’t you be more like your sister? She never causes problems.”

I felt like I’d been slapped across the face, and I reacted. “Which father? The one who ignores me or the one I’ve never met?”

Mother gasped at my response. “You only have one father,” she retorted. “Let that go.”

“How can I let it go when every time I look at my father, I’m reminded of what you’ve done, that I don’t belong anywhere? Who is he, Mother? Why is it such a big secret? Who the hell is the sperm donor?”

There was no response to my question, only a dial tone for my trouble.

I didn’t realize I was crying until Troy handed me a handkerchief. I glanced at his outstretched hand, then at his face. He looked terrified I might burst into tears. I grabbed the offered piece of linen, mumbling, “Thank you,” before drying my face.

As we rounded the next corner, the entrance to the ranch came into view, so I blew my nose to hide the fact I’d been crying from the girls and Bo, but the tears wouldn’t seem to stop. Years of frustration and loneliness rushed to the surface, and I couldn’t control the onslaught.

When Troy came to a stop in the courtyard, facing the burnt-out shell of Boris and Natasha’s home, the dam broke, sending me bailing out of the car and into the still smoldering ruins.

Boris and Natasha had memories of a happy life in that house that I envied. Memories of a happy family that cared for each other rather than pass judgment, and I was determined to save what I could. If I had to, I’d turn over every timber to find a single photograph or keepsake that meant something to them.

As I began climbing what was left of the front porch, I heard Troy call out Bo’s name. I ignored them both. I was on a mission.

Water and soot covered every surface, clinging to what remained like a black plague. Stepping over what was left of the living room, I tripped on a hard object and looked down. One of the bronze cowboy statues that had graced a table in the living room was lying on its side like an abandoned doll. I reached for it and began wiping off the soot with the tail of my shirt, ignoring the heat emanating from the metal.

Footsteps on the porch alerted me to someone coming, but I didn’t look up. A crystal bowl had caught my eye. It twinkled in the sun like a diamond. I lowered the statue and reached for it, but a pair of large boots stopped in front of me, blocking my way. I tried to dodge them, but Bo squatted in front of me and grabbed my shoulders.

“Baby?” he rumbled low.

“We have to save their memories,” I explained, shrugging off his touch.

“We will once I’m sure the structure is safe.”

I shook my head. “No. There’s water on everything. It will ruin the photographs. We have to save them now!”

A charred picture frame peeked out from under a fallen truss. I lunged for it, tugging on the end to pull it free.

Bo moved to my side and laid his hand on mine, grumbling, “I’ll get it. You’ll hurt yourself.”

The strength in his hand made my bottom lip quiver. My mother’s call had unnerved me, reminded me how unwanted I was even in my own family. Would he eventually see what everyone else did? That I was a thorn in his side, not the sun he claimed I was in his gray existence.

My stomach dropped at the thought he’d eventually see the real me, and I pulled my hand away, distancing myself from him.

Bo’s eyes popped to mine, his brow creasing as I stumbled back.

“I need to leave,” I whispered, panting as if I’d run a mile.

“What?”

“I need to leave. I need to go home. I—”

Bo moved swiftly, wrapping his arms around my body until I was crushed to his chest. Then he leaned in and whispered, “Breathe, baby. In and out. In and out.”

I began to shake my head in protest, pushing at his chest. “This isn’t gonna work between us. You’ll figure out I’m not worth the trouble.”

Bo squeezed me tighter and then shook me once to gain my attention. “I’m not lettin’ you walk away from me because your mother’s a bitch. Whatever she said to make you doubt yourself, I’m tellin’ you right now, she’s wrong.”

“I don’t belong . . .” I hiccupped.

“You don’t belong?”

“Anywhere. I’m different. My mother had an affair, and I don’t know who my father is. The man who raised me barely looks at me, and my brother and sister avoid me at all costs. I don’t belong anywhere.”

Bo searched my face, then brushed a kiss across my mouth. “You belong to me,” he whispered. “That’s all that matters.”

I hiccupped again and buried my face in his chest. My mind was bouncing around in so many directions I was suddenly weary. “Why do they hate me?” I whispered.

Bo went solid and tightened his arms, growling, “Sienna, if your family is blind to the beauty that is you, then they’re the ones who don’t belong in your life. Not the other way around.”

I looked up at him to argue. “But—”

“No. Fuck ’em,” Bo hissed. “You don’t need that shit in your life. You have your own family now.”

“My-my own family?”

“Yeah. A family of Wallflowers who would risk their lives to keep you safe, and a man who would step in front of a bullet for you.”

I gasped, disbelieving. “You’d step in front of a bullet for me?”

His face softened, and his eyes turned from stormy gray to shining silver as he scanned my face. “I’d do worse to keep you safe. So would the girls.”

I turned my head to look at Cali and Poppy. They were watching us with concern etched in the lines across their faces. He was right; I did have a family I could depend on.

“Look at me, Sienna,” Bo whispered. I turned my attention back to him and stared into his penetrating eyes. They were filled with tenderness as he ran his hands up into my hair and tilted my head back until he could meet my gaze head on. My heart quickened in response to his gentleness. “You’re not defined by who your parents are. We all come into this world pure of heart; it’s how we live our lives from that point forward that defines who we are. And your heart’s so fuckin’ pure, baby, that it radiates from you like the sun.”

After years of feeling like a dirty little secret within my family, and the reason they broke apart, Bo’s words poured over me like a cleansing shower and filled me with hope that just maybe I was worth loving. “You barely know me. How are you so sure I’m pure of heart?” I whispered, wanting more than anything to believe him.

“Because my gut’s never wrong, and it tells me I wanna be the man who makes you smile. The man you turn to when your mother pisses you off. The man who makes your body shudder while you’re callin’ out my name,” he drawled low and sexy. “But mostly because you make me want to be a better man.”

Hope grew brighter, and warmth settled in the pit of my stomach. “But why do you want to be that man?”

Bo drew me further into his embrace, wrapping me in his strength, and then rested his forehead against mine. “Why?” he muttered. “Because your smile is like the sun, and when I look at you, I see a future with laughter, headaches, passion . . . and love. Any man would kill for that; work hard to keep it. Strive to make sure he didn’t give a woman like you any reason to look elsewhere.”

My breath escaped in a whooshing rush, and my heart began to race. The way he talked about me, I almost believed him.

Pressing in closer to Bo, I drank in his confidence in me. I’d been filled with despair just a few short moments before, and now I felt . . . Safe . . . Loved—and just like that, it hit me so forcefully that if he hadn’t been holding on to me, I would have dropped to my knees. I was falling in love with him. May already be in love with him.

“Bo, I . . .” I started to panic again. I was in too deep to turn back. If he changed his mind about us, I would never recover.

“Yeah?”

I think I love you.

I looked down to shield my face. I was afraid he’d see the truth written across it and run for the hills.

“What’s runnin through your head?”

When I didn’t answer, he pulled back and looked down at me. “Eyes on me, Sienna.”

I shook my head. I wouldn’t be able to hide my panic.

Bo grabbed my chin and forced my head up.

I closed my eyes.

“Baby, look at me.”

I took a deep breath to rid myself of the panic, then opened my eyes like he’d asked, praying he couldn’t read the truth in my expression.

“Talk to me,” he whispered, brushing a kiss across my mouth. “Tell me what’s goin’ on in that head of yours?”

That I love you.

Bo searched my eyes for a moment, then his face softened, and he leaned his forehead against mine, whispering, “Jesus,” before he crushed his mouth to mine, pulling me deeper into his body.

The panic I’d experienced drained fully from my body. He’d read my thoughts and hadn’t run.

“I promise to earn that look every day,” he mumbled against my mouth.

I shuddered in relief. “You already do,” I whispered. “Thank you for what you said. For reminding me it’s okay to be different.”

“It’s the truth. If they can’t treat you with the respect you deserve, then scrape them off, baby. You’re not defined by them, you’re defined by you. No one else.”

God, I loved this man.

“I promise not to drive you crazy,” I blurted out. I wanted to be a better woman for him as well.

Bo smiled slowly. “Babe . . . baby steps.”

“Pardon?”

Bo curled his arm around my shoulders and started leading me out of the wreckage.

“Are you gonna answer me?”

“Nope. I just vowed to earn that look. Answerin’ you wouldn’t be earnin’ it.”

I snorted. “Ass.”

“I thought I was arrogant,” he chuckled, lifting me over the front door.

I shook my head. “No, you’re not arrogant, or an ass for that matter. You’re just you, and I . . . like all of you.”

Bo grabbed my neck, pulling my mouth back to his. His eyes had turned stormy gray again. “Ditto,” he whispered softly. “I like all of you, too. Every fuckin’ inch of you.”

“Even the crazy part?”

His eyes crinkled at the side.

“Is that a yes?”

He smiled wider and then kissed me silent.

Devin whistled, drawing our attention, so we broke apart and joined the others.

“We need to head up top to bring the cattle down,” Devin said as we walked up.

Bo nodded, then turned to me. “Nate’s here to help. I don’t want you out of his sight while I’m gone.”

I rolled my eyes and then turned to look at the big man. Nate was taller than both Devin and Bo by an inch, maybe two. He was built like a wrecking machine, and completely out of his league if he thought he could contain the Wallflowers. It was one thing if you were one of our men. But an unattached badass? No way. He’d never stand a chance against the three of us. He’d be putty in our hands.

I smiled brightly, going for sweet and innocent. “Hey, Nate. Who’s watchin’ your bar?”

A slow grin pulled across his mouth. “My Aunt Martine.”

“Welcome to Bullwinkle Ranch,” Cali stated, just a sweet as you like.

His grin pulled wider across his face.

“Why’s he smilin’ like that?” Poppy whispered.

Nate’s gaze shot to Poppy. He clearly had bionic hearing. “I’m smilin’ ‘cause I see the wheels turnin’ in those gorgeous heads of yours. You three are as predictable as the sun risin’ and fallin’, so if you think for one minute you can control me, think again.” Poppy started to argue, but he stopped her cold in her tracks. “If you say ‘Dilligaf,’ we’re gonna have problems.”

Poppy looked at me and asked smugly, “If I refrain from killin’ him, does that count as savin’ someone’s life?” Then she scanned Nate from head to toe, pfft’d, and turned to leave.

“Hold on, spitfire,” Devin called out. “I want your word you won’t get into trouble while we’re gone.”

Poppy’s back stiffened at the question, and she wheeled around. “I never get into trouble,” she answered sweetly.

“This is serious,” Bo jumped in. “The man who tried to rob you is in a coma. I don’t know what the hell is goin’ on, but until we do, we have to assume all three of you are in danger. We want your promise to behave while we’re dealin’ with the cattle.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll be on my best behavior,” she sighed, flipping her hand out. “It’s not like any of us try to get into trouble, you know. It just seems to find us.”

“They’ll be fine,” Nate stated, crossing his arms. “I have this under control.”

Devin chuckled. “We’ll see.”

“You got balls of steel?” Bo asked with a grin.

Nate raised a brow. “Yeah. Why?”

Bo looked at Poppy for some reason and grinned. “Just checkin’.”

 

 

The sun was hot as Bo and Devin made their way to the high country, made even hotter by the fact that when they reached the spot where the herd should be, they were gone.

“Where would they go?” Devin asked as they searched the horizon.

Troy pulled a pair of binoculars from his saddlebag and began searching. A minute later, he barked out, “There,” pointing toward a lower valley. “Fence is down.”

“Down?” Bo questioned. “Have you checked the fence line recently?”

“Not that section.”

“Whose land is that?” Devin asked.

“Ebenezer Craig,” Brantley grumbled. “He’s as mean as they come.”

“Ebenezer?” Bo questioned.

“His momma loved Charles Dickens, according to Eb. I reckon she knew he’d turn out to be an old coot and named him that on purpose.”

“Is he likely to pull down your fence?” Bo asked.

“Not likely. He’s in his seventies. Lives alone, no family to speak of except for a granddaughter who comes around from time to time. Only livestock he’s got is an old goat that eats everything in sight.”

“Is his land secured?”

“He’s got a fence around his property, so the herd should still be intact.”

Bo rolled his neck, then looked back at Devin. “You think Nate can hold down the fort? This is gonna take longer than we thought.”

Devin grinned. “It’s high time he had his turn keepin’ track of them. Maybe he’ll pull his head out of his ass sooner rather than later if he deals head-on with Poppy.”

“Throwin’ him in the deep end? He’ll drown.”

Devin grinned wider. “Let’s go find the herd so we can get back and see how he’s doin’.”

Troy and Brantley looked between the two, both with identical expressions. Expressions of disbelief.

“Remind me not to piss them off,” Brantley murmured. “If this is how they treat a friend, I don’t want to see what they’d do to someone they hate.”

Bo chuckled. “We’d do the same thing. There’s no punishment worse than wranglin’ three high-spirited Wallflowers.”