“I felt like it. Well … good night.”
“Night.”
Why that was so hard to say, Carter didn’t understand. When he’d been unable to shove out the right words as a kid, and other kids had laughed at him, Carter had simply jabbed a blade at their non-vital body parts. They’d shut up real quick.
He couldn’t exactly do that to Grace, nor did he want to. He’d never hurt her—or let anyone else hurt her either.
Grace lingered, as though she wanted to say something else. Carter waited.
Her nose wrinkled again, and she gave a little laugh and shook her head. Then she turned around, walked out, and closed the door.
Carter let out his breath as the latch clicked. His palms were slick with sweat.
Fuck this. He was a grown man. Carter had gotten over stupid teenage crushes a long time ago, especially after that crazy bitch who’d been Faith’s mother had thrust Faith at him and vanished into the dust.
He didn’t get women.
Carter wasn’t too messed up to eat the sandwich, though. It was seriously good.
“Hey.” Grant strode in, bringing night wind and dust with him, reminding Carter that he’d asked Grant to come to the ranch. Took him a few moments to shut out the warmth of his encounter with Grace and remember why.
Grant was breathing hard, like he’d been running. He’d left his truck here, Carter had seen. The stupid-ass must have jogged from his trailer, too proud to ask for a ride. Carter had grown fond of his adoptive brothers over the years, but he still couldn’t figure out why they did what they did.
“That looks good.” Grant eyed the sandwich but didn’t touch it, or the corn chips Grace had added to the plate.
When they’d been kids, Grant might have helped himself, and then Carter would have chased him down, and they’d have a fight. Carter had usually won the fights, unless Adam joined in, making it two on one.
Carter had learned to pull his punches, though—he’d grown up street fighting, which meant disabling your opponent quickly, no matter what it took. Either the other guy went to the hospital or you did.
It had taken him a few fights to realize that wrestling with brothers wasn’t about truly hurting them. It was about dominance, learning lessons and, weirdly, friendship.
“Hands off,” Carter said. “There’s food up at the house.”
Grant should have chuckled, remembering the old days, but he just stood there, thumbs on his belt buckle. He was dressed, hair combed, but it was so obvious he’d spent all afternoon and evening in bed it wasn’t funny.
“About Christina …” Grant said slowly.
“What about her?” Carter asked when Grant stopped. “You guys back together?”
“No.” Grant said the word too quickly. “I mean, I don’t know. Do me a favor, and don’t talk about it with anyone.”
Carter shot him an annoyed look. He didn’t gossip. “Who am I going to tell?”
“Mom. Faith. Ross. Tyler. Adam …”
“It’s your business, and Christina’s. I won’t say a word.”
Grant lifted his hands. “All right, all right. What did you want that had you coming to my trailer instead of calling?”
“I did call.” Carter leaned back in his chair, lacing his hands behind his head. “You didn’t answer, so I figured you lost your phone again. What happened with Karen today?”
“I took her out to lunch, and we talked about the script,” Grant answered easily. “Then she tried to jump my bones, then she went home.”
Chapter Ten
Okaaay, Carter thought. “Christina interrupt you?”
“What?” Grant looked harassed. “No. Christina … It’s complicated.” He drew a breath. “Christina came to tell me that Karen wants to buy up Riverbend. Did you know that?”
Carter gave him a nod. “I only found out myself this evening. Mom said they made an offer on Circle C as well, and told me everyone saw you and Karen drive out toward your trailer. That’s why I came down.”
Grant balled his fists. “How could we be the last to know? Apparently, everyone in the diner was talking about it.”
“I don’t know. I’ve been focused on the commercial, and fifty other things this ranch is doing at the same time. I don’t have my ear to the ground about the real estate market.”
Carter spoke calmly, but anger rolled around inside him, the rage of the youth who’d been pulled from place to place, never able to control where he went. Hearing that someone wanted to buy Riverbend, and Circle C Ranch, his sanctuary, smacked him in the gut.
“Mom said no, right?” Grant asked.
Carter gave him a