Ruthless (Wolf Ranch #6) - Renee Rose Page 0,50
or leaning away. “Do you want to beat your chest while you say that too?”
He laughed and stood. “You’ve been in my bed every night for well over a week. I’ve told you what you are to me. What it means. I’ve even backed off and tried to be more… human and less wolf.”
I made a non-committal sound halfway between a snort and a grunt.
“I love this house. I’m gonna work on it, not only because it’s yours and you’re mine but because it deserves to be brought back to life. To shine. Your uncle would want that. Hell, I’d even think he wanted this. Us to work on it together.”
I stared at him, my mouth open, not sure how to respond. That actually kind of made sense. Had Uncle Adam known we’d get together like this? Had he given me this house to… to what?
Sound like an idiot?
I sighed. “How about this? Your time is your own, but I pay for supplies. All right?”
“You can pay me, too. I’ve got some ideas on how you can do that.”
I couldn’t help grin at his playfulness. “Oh? What are they?”
His cell rang, and he sighed, pulled it from his pocket with dusty fingers.
“Hey Marina. Yeah, she’s here with me.” He glanced at me. “Yeah, hang on.” He passed me the phone.
I looked to Rand confused. “Hello?”
“Natalie, hi, this is Marina. I’m Audrey’s sister and mated to Colton. I’m sorry we haven’t met yet.”
“That’s okay,” I replied.
“I need to get your number because it’s weird to have to track you down through Rand.” She took a deep breath. “Audrey told me you play the violin, and you met the Barn Cats the other night.”
“Yes.”
Rand leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. I guessed him to be as curious as I was as to why Marina had called.
“I’m calling because I’ve made a cake for a wedding that’s happening tonight. The Barn Cats are to play at the reception, but one of them, Tom, is sick and can’t come. A reception needs a band, and I wondered if you might be able to fill in.”
I tried to keep up with everything she said. “You want me to replace the Barn Cats?”
Rand rubbed a hand over the back of his neck and a smile spread across his face.
“No. I want you to fill in for Tom. Play with the Barn Cats.”
“Oh. Um…” I blinked at Rand. “She wants me to play with the Barn Cats,” I said to him.
“You said you fiddled with your uncle.”
“Yeah, but that was a long time ago,” I countered.
“What?” Marina asked.
“Sorry, hang on, okay?” I said to her then lowered my hand to my side with the phone.
“It would be easy for you, right? You’re better than all of them put together,” he said.
Was I? I still felt like the worst player in the world based on my professor’s constant critiques. But maybe he was right. This was a small town bluegrass band. “I could play with them, yes.” I doubted I was better though.
He stroked a knuckle down my cheek. “Do it for fun. Do it for the Barn Cats. You’d be doing them a favor. And the bride and groom.”
I nodded then put the cell to my ear. “Okay, Marina.”
“Oh, that’s great. Can you be at the Greystoke Lodge at six?”
“I’m sure Rand knows where it is.”
Marina agreed and hung up.
I touched my hair. “I need a shower and a navigator. I have no idea where I’m going.”
“You playing the fiddle with the Barn Cats? Red, I wouldn’t miss this fun for anything.”
Three hours later, we pulled up to a small hotel set beside a pretty curve in the river. It was two stories and sprawling, with a porch and black shutters. Window baskets of red flowers lined the first floor windows. White ribbons circled trees and linked them to form a path toward a patio with about thirty or forty guests. A bar was set up by the hotel’s side entrance, and wait staff were carrying around trays of appetizers. Marina’s pretty wedding cake was on a table by itself in the shade. I couldn’t miss the bride in her pretty dress and cowgirl boots and the groom in his western duds at her side. A wooden archway was covered in white roses, and I had to guess that had been the pretty altar.
We climbed out, and a woman came our way. She had sleek dark hair pulled back in a ponytail