Jackson muttered. “I thought you said he was lead broke?”
I shrugged. “Guess he doesn’t like you.”
“Sure, it isn’t your training skills? Maybe you are slipping in your old age.”
“Doesn’t say much for you then, older brother. Could just as likely be you weakening since your so close to forty.”
“You know we could do this all afternoon, or we could go inside and get a cup of hot mud before I kick you back off my land.”
I chuckled, walking next to my older brother as we made our way back to the main house. As we walked, I could see his wife and daughter as they played on the green lawn. The trill echo of the small child’s laughter carried across the rolling landscape down to us. It tugged at my heart. At just over three years old, she’d been an early surprise for the couple.
Cassie saw us and started running down the yard's soft slope, tumbling as she went in her excitement. Galloping to her father, Jackson laughed and scooped his daughter up into his arms. Cassie delightfully babbled on in a string of words and noises as we continued making our way up to the house. Jackson had been the first of us brother to get married and start a family, something my mother enjoyed reminding us about at every family dinner.
“You sure are a lucky man,” I reminded him.
He nodded. “Don’t I know it. You’ll find someone to settle down with. Are you even looking? I know you seemed to get your heart broke a lot. Never thought it would be hard for a good-looking millionaire to find a wife.”
“You know that’s not what I want. I love ranching; there just aren’t a lot of ladies around here who can see past the farm.”
Jackson sighed. “I don’t know where you got that travel bug from. It stopped biting at me a long time ago. What’s so interesting out there, huh?”
“Come now, don’t go acting like I wanna run off and leave the ranch behind. The Calumet Hold is my life. It makes up a damn big portion of what we do at Lakeview Ranch. But that doesn’t mean it has to consume all my time, right?”
“Can't argue with you there. I like to go on vacations, sure enough. Maybe you should start looking for love on one of them dating apps. I bet they are just packed full of the hippy type you like.”
I groaned. “I don’t want no hippy, you jerk. I just want a lady like you’ve got in Hailey. She’s fun and likes an adventure. Maybe I should be asking her where to meet someone.”
“Sure would have better luck than asking me,” Jackson chuckled.
We made our way into the house as Cassie darted away to find her mom before us. Hailey was waiting in the kitchen, a hot pot of coffee already going as Jackson walked up behind her and kissed her neck. My cheeks flushed red as I looked away from the pair. They really were perfect for each other in every way. Clearing my throat, I kept my eyes trained on the ground until I heard Jackson chuckle.
He playfully slapped Hailey on the rear. She spun around, glaring at him with a sly grin on her lips before turning her attention to me. Suddenly I felt like I was under a microscope. I shifted uneasily on the barstool, wondering if I should look directly at her or look away. Finally, I let out an aggravated sigh and turned my attention back to Cassie. She was in the hallway, watching the adults as she inched closer to an unguarded cookie jar.
“Fine him a lady, woman,” Jackson said.
‘Hmm, I was wondering when you would ask,” Hailey joked.
I blushed. “Listen, I don’t need a woman. I just thought if you had any single friends, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to ask.”
“It’s a shame you and Natalee don’t get along. She’d be perfect.”
I cringed. “Natalee and I are better suited as friends. We tried to date once, it didn’t go well. She’s got a little bit too much excitement for me. I don’t want to spend the next twenty years fighting with someone.”
“Oh! I know! I have a friend that’s actually coming down today. She’s an artist, she was at the wedding! She does some amazing paintings.”
“Why is she coming down?” Jackson asked.
Hailey shrugged. “Just to catch up, and I wanted to see if she could do a little mural in Cassie’s room.”