to hold Carina that I’m seeing a future where this woman isn’t in my bed for a few hours on her trips to Elko. I’m thinking long term. With Lana, I can imagine a future with her at my side every day.
And that’s a very dangerous thought.
LANA
Bronco is an incredibly sexy man in any setting. But the man’s downright breathtaking when he focuses on his girls.
Outside, under the wooden covering over his outdoor kitchen, Bronco stands with Summer and Sidonie. Carina fits snugly against his chest while he has his older girls fix food. I sneak a picture of them, wanting to remember this moment.
“Spying, huh?” Barbie asks, appearing next to me. “Scoping out info for your boss.”
“Why would River Majors care about Bronco’s grill?”
“His girls, dipshit. He probably wants to know my brother’s weaknesses.”
“But he already saw your nieces at Bambi’s restaurant. River told me that he came to Elko last year.”
“I’m sure he did.”
Realizing Barbie might be a lost cause, I very deliberately take another picture with my phone. Desi sees me and runs over.
“Can I have the phone to show Sidonie pictures of Zathura?”
“Sure, babe.”
Desi bounce-walks back outside while Barbie glares at me. “What’s a Zathura?”
“It’s the name of her little dog.”
“Sounds foreign.”
“It’s a movie.”
“Never heard of it.”
“I have,” Conor says and hugs his mom from behind. He rests his chin on the top of her head and watches the kids outside. “It’s a child’s movie about a game that turns a house into a spaceship.”
“I saw that,” Barbie says, frowning up at him.
Conor just smiles. “Did you?”
Barbie wiggles free of him. “Go outside and make sure Bronco isn’t burning anything. He gets distracted when a bunch of cute girls is around.”
I know Barbie is trying to get us alone, so she can accuse me of spying again. Conor must know too because he gives me a sympathetic smile before strolling outside.
“Does he look like your husband?”
“Are you saying he doesn’t look like me?”
In the past, I would have melted with fear under the gaze of a ballbuster like Barbie. Then I spent time with Shelby and her best friend, Taylor. Now I’m no longer so easily intimidated by pushy women. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.”
“Well, my husband was a handsome man.”
“I assumed since Conor is attractive.”
“So now you’re hot for my son too. Seems about right for a stripper.”
“Money isn’t such a bad thing to have in life, and stripping made me more than waitressing.”
“I’m sure.”
“Doesn’t your family do things that others might look down at? Seems like maybe you should understand that normal isn’t all it’s cut out to be.”
“Well, you’re not stripping now. But maybe you think having Bronco’s kid will keep you flush in cash.”
“I’m going to work from home soon. Shelby Campbell hired me to help with her family’s construction company.”
“That bitch.”
“Why do you say that? I thought you two were friendly,” I say, wearing my most innocent expression. Mom sits nearby. Earlier, she seemed ready to jump in. Now she just wants to laugh.
“That bitch hung up on me twice. She also called me ‘sir’ several times.”
“I’m sure she was just confused. Based on the positive things she said about you, I can’t imagine she meant to be rude. Shelby can be ditzy sometimes.”
A suspicious Barbie watches me. She isn’t sure if I’m fucking with her. Unlike my emotional sister, I’m a decent liar. Well, until later, when I have to keep track of the lies I’ve told.
“What kind of positive things?” Barbie finally asks after shooting a look at Bambi eavesdropping nearby.
“It’s hard to explain. See, Shelby is very close with her little brother, Shane. She watches out for him, even though he’s grown up and married with kids. She can’t help it. Being a big sister is very important to her. Basically, she thought you were protective over Bronco in the same way. Those were the kind of things she said.”
Barbie’s face softens up, making me see the woman she likely was in her youth. “I basically raised Bronco.”
“We,” Bambi corrects, “basically raised him.”
“He was a good boy, but he’s an idiot.”
“No, he isn’t.”
“Stop correcting me,” Barbie barks at Bambi.
“Stop saying the wrong shit.”
“I don’t know how I put up with her,” Barbie tells me as if we’re buddies now.
“If you’re lucky enough to have a decent family, you need to hold them close.”
“That you do,” Barbie says and then frowns at Bambi. “See, she gets it.”
“Never said otherwise.”
“You implied with your face.”
“Ladies,” Rooster murmurs from the recliner, where