looked down at his gravy-drenched pot roast before glancing at Ford in derision. “Mind your own business.”
Ford shrugged as Ryan snorted a laugh. “Can do. Just thought Kells might want to know why there’s no gravy left but plenty of pot roast. Dry leftovers it is.”
“I can make more gravy,” Kellie laughed, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin.
“Nope, no extra work for you,” Lars announced with a firm shake of his head. “That’s not allowed. We’ll just shame West until he apologizes.”
West mopped up some gravy with a slice of buttered bread and took a bite, shrugging without any sort of apology.
“Are they always like this?” Ford heard Brynn ask Kellie.
“Always,” Kellie told her. She winked, then looked at the rest. “Someone explain to Brynn here who y’all are.”
Ryan laughed at that and smiled at the guest. “So we all went to the same community college back in the day. Sam Houston Community College, which is pretty much on the other side of Lost Creek and then like half an hour. We decided to start up a rodeo team, and we were pretty good, so we were dubbed the Original Six.”
“By whom?” Brynn asked, apparently not entirely impressed. “Yourselves?” At least three people coughed a laugh, which made Brynn wince before looking at Kellie. “Sorry . . .”
“It’s fine,” Kellie told her, rubbing her arm. “These guys don’t take offense easily. Do you want to introduce yourself or do you want me to?”
Brynn shook her head. “I’ll do it.” She exhaled shortly and managed a small smile, which caught Ford somewhere under his sixth rib. “My name’s Brynn Kershaw. I’m a doctor in Albuquerque. I’m here because—”
“We don’t need to know,” Ryan said quickly, cutting her off with a smile. “It can stay private; we don’t need to know anything you don’t feel like sharing. We’re used to it.”
“I am here,” Brynn said a little louder, grounding it out, “because I’ve been angry since the day I found out my husband has never been faithful to me in any relationship we’ve ever had. And I lash out. Everything irritates me. So, for example, right now I want to toss the rest of the bread at Ryan’s face for interrupting me, even though I know he was trying to be kind and considerate and had absolutely no intention of making me upset in any way. And that is my issue, not his, so I’m sorry, Ryan, that I want to throw bread at your face. Kellie wants me to identify my feelings, and that’s my feeling right now.”
The table was silent for a moment, and then Paige laughed, clapping her hands once. “Oh lands, Brynn, I know you said you’ve gotten more honest since then, too, but good night, that could have stayed to yourself!”
The tension broke, and an uneasy laughter started from a few of them, Brynn included.
“Maybe I’ll catch the bread in my mouth,” Ryan suggested, smiling in his easy way. “Sorry for cutting you off.”
“I didn’t think about filters,” she admitted, groaning even as she smiled, and put her face in her hands.
Kellie rubbed her back soothingly. “If you’re gonna be blunt, this is the group for that. You already know Julia and Paige are easy enough to be around, and I think these guys could be roped in there.”
“I doubt it,” Brynn said, raising her head with a heavy exhale. “I’m always worse with men. Nothing but honesty flies with me anymore. And I always ask really awful questions to test their honesty. I’ve been on three dates since the divorce, and none of them lasted more than fifteen minutes.”
“You’re just dating the weak,” West boasted with a laugh. “And that’s not a pickup line, I’m happily and honestly in a relationship.”
Brynn’s green eyes darted to him. “Think you can take it?”
“Why not?” Westin shrugged with utensils in hand and continued to eat. “I don’t ruffle easily, nothing to hide.”
Julia shook her head. “Uh-oh.”
Brynn narrowed her eyes, her lips twisting a little. “What is your least favorite part of Ryan’s personality?”
Lars thumped the table as he laughed, and Eric grinned like it was Christmas. Westin, however, looked as though he’d bitten the inside of his cheek in an attempt to chew his potato.
His hesitation made Brynn smirk. “Honesty too difficult?”
“Ryan isn’t very decisive,” West finally grumbled, his grip on his fork tightening. “Has to think longer than I’d like.”
Brynn’s smirk morphed to a smile, and she looked at Ryan for confirmation. “Well?”
Ryan made a face. “I’m