Roped Tight (Ryker Ranch #4) - Kim Loraine Page 0,58
had us. I worried about Sam because he was always gone, never planted roots.” She took my hand and squeezed. “But maybe he did have them. They were just slow to grow.”
“I promise I’ll take care of him.”
“I know you will, you sweet boy.”
I wanted to laugh and remind her I was a grown man, but she cupped my cheek and smiled, and in that moment, I felt like a boy. She was the Mama I should have had. Instead, I got a broken family with no one to raise me but myself.
She took a deep breath, then patted my cheek a little harder than I expected before turning away and giving the chili a stir. “Don’t just stand there, get the cornbread in the oven. This’ll be ready before you know it.”
Half an hour later, we were all settled around the big table, Ever and Penny having joined us too. The only one missing was Sera. Conversation was easy and relaxed, but Ever was unusually quiet, pushing her food around with the back of her spoon.
Mama cocked her head and frowned. “Something wrong with your food, honey?”
Ever took a long breath through her nose and kept her lips clamped shut. Then she whispered, “Excuse me,” before bolting from the room.
Clint, Tristan, Buck, Sam, and I all got to our feet as she left, a gesture of chivalry ingrained in us all over the years.
“Wow,” Hazel said.
“What, darlin’?” Tristan smirked, glancing down at his wife.
“I don’t know, it was like…Pride and Prejudice and Cowboys in here. I’ve never seen so many handsome men stand as a lady left the room.”
Clint excused himself and headed in the direction Ever had gone. She hadn’t looked her usual self.
“Is she okay?” Buck asked.
His fiancée just let out a soft giggle. “She will be.”
“What’s going on?” he pressed.
“I’ll explain on the ride home.” She stood and took her bowl with her. “Mama, thank you for supper. I’ve gotta pack for my conference tomorrow, so we need to say goodnight early.”
“You have a good trip.”
Penny was a massage therapist. A damn good one too. “Let me know if you need a willing volunteer for any new techniques you want to practice,” I offered.
“She’s got one right here.” God, I loved teasing Buck.
The two of them left and I stood, clearing my dishes as well. “I should get going too. Thanks for supper.”
Sam followed, acting like this was exactly as it should have been. Him and me, heading home together. “Goodnight, Mama. We’ll see you in the mornin’.”
He hugged her, then we took our bowls to the sink and rinsed them out before putting them in the dishwasher.
“Don’t you boys do the dishes. Leave me something to make myself feel useful, will you?” she called.
Tristan walked into the kitchen with a sleeping baby snuggled to his chest. “Can y’all do me a favor and go check on Sera? She just texted me from The Silver Spur, but Hazel’s been home with Georgie all day, and I’m not gonna leave her tonight.”
I look to Sam, then back to Tristan. “Yeah. I’ll go. It’s not that far from my house.”
“Me too. She said she had a date.”
Tristan nodded. “That’s what I’m worried about. A couple of the guests were talking about checking out the local bar. Eleven weeks with nothing to do but muck stalls and move cows, they finally cracked.”
“We’ll make sure she’s okay.” Sam grabbed his hat and put it on as I did the same, then the two of us left, both heading for my truck without a question.
As we drove down the long driveway, I couldn’t help but look at him, the light from the dash the only thing illuminating his features.
“So, what did you and Mama talk about?”
“None of your business.”
He nudged me with his elbow.
“She approves.”
“Of what?”
“Of how much I love you. Of everything.”
He sighed. “I knew that already. They all do. But it wouldn’t matter. I don’t need anyone to approve of us because I do.”
His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket, swiping the screen to read a text message. “Well, shit.”
“What?”
“You’re gonna want to head into town instead of toward the Spur.”
“Why?”
“Sera’s not there.”
“Where is she?”
“She’s in jail.”
20
Sam
I hadn’t planned on my night ending up with my delinquent sister in tow after bailing her out for assaulting her date, but here we were. She was sandwiched between Tucker and me in his truck as we headed back home to the ranch.
“Tell me again why I just