Page 36 of Pretty Little Scars

Because it’s a man, and she doesn’t do well around strange men.She’s just now loosening up around Scott and the otherguys, and she’s been working around them for a couple of weeks now.

“Sounds good. I’ve always wanted to watch that process. Hopefully he won’t care if I hang out for a while.”

“He won’t care. He’s been doing my horses’ feet for years.”

Ava steps out the back door, and Darby waves at her.

“I have to go talk to your sister for a while.”

I nod, and watch her walk away, her ass moving like a wet dream in those jeans, making me imagine what she’d look likeoutof those jeans, and I have to shake myself out of it before I join Easton and Scott and listen to them talk about a summer baseball league they’re both going to join, but I always keep my eye on my girl. She and Ava have their heads together, talking about something serious from the looks of it. Finally, they hug, and I want to know if my sister is okay, but before I can go ask her, they start to laugh about something, and the serious moment is over, so I leave them be.

“You should join the team,” Scott says to me as he drops a rib bone onto his plate and reaches for another. “It would get you off this ranch a couple times a week.”

“I like being on the ranch.”

“You need a break,” Easton says, agreeing with my foreman.

“I don’t need a break.”

They both just stare at me and I shrug.

“Idon’tneed a break.”

“Everyone does,” Easton insists. “You work long hours. Take a couple of hours to yourself to toss the ball around. Remind everyone in Silver Springs that you’re the town jock.”

Just because I played high school and college football, my brother won’t let me forget that I was once a big deal when it came to sports.

Then, Xander outshone all of us. And to his credit, he deserves it. The man is a beast on the ice.

“I don’t need to remind anyone of anything,” I reply. “My trophies are still in the high school.”

“Yes, you’re a very big deal.” Scott rolls his eyes, making Easton laugh. Scott’s known me since junior high. “So that’s a no on joining the team?”

“That’s a no,” I confirm and glance over to check on Darby, but I don’t see her. Ava’s chatting with Millie and Holden, and when my eyes skim over the patio, Darby’s nowhere to be seen.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and shoot her a text.

Me: You okay, Duchess?

I watch my phone, but she doesn’t answer me. With a frown, I stand and walk over to Ava.

“Did you see where Darby went?” I ask her.

Ava frowns and looks around, then nods. “Yeah, she took her plate inside.”

Ignoring Holden’s glare, I stride through the back door, and there she is. Darby’s at the sink, washing dishes.

“You don’t have to do that.”

She glances my way and smiles. “I know, but there aren’t many, since we’re using paper and plastic for most things, so I figured if I washed these up, no one would have to worry about it later.”

I toss my empty plate and lean my hips against the counter, watching her.

“And, I wanted a quiet moment,” she admits. “I told you before that I’m not great with people.”

“You’re good with people. Doesn’t mean you have to want to be around them all the time. It’s one of the things I like about living on the ranch. There’s hardly anyone here to irritate me.”

She chuckles and places the last dish on the drying rack, then reaches for a towel to dry her hands.