Page 8 of One Reckless Moment

“Don’t act like you won’t miss me.”

“I’m not acting. I won’t.” I grabbed Taylor’s hand as she burst into a laugh and dragged her to the opposite side of the bonfire where more of our friends were congregating. This was Cash’s party, but that didn’t mean I wanted to be near him if I could help it.

For the rest of the night, my eyes always seemed to find Cash. It was as if he was earth and I was a moon, gravitated to be in his path. He was impossible to ignore, which was why it was a blessing that he was leaving. For the first time in years I’d be able to breathe. I’d be able to live without him watching my every move.

I was expecting to see him disappear during the night—to watch him duck away with one of the many women who fawned over him. Occasionally, I swear he was looking back at me, but every time I noticed, I snapped my head back to my friends.

This distance would be good for us. I needed to get rid of any idea I had that Cash Leonard would ever be more than an acquaintance.

3

THE FINAL MEAL

CASH

I groaned as someone kicked my bed frame, startling me awake. I squinted over my shoulder to see Walker hovering next to my bed with two steaming mugs in his hands.

“Get up,” he mumbled gruffly, kicking my bed again.

“Go away, Dad, it’s Sunday.” I buried my head back into my pillow and closed my eyes.

Sundays were our days off, and I drank enough last night at my going away party to incapacitate a horse.

“Not for you, it isn’t. The boss wants to see you before you leave tomorrow.”

The boss he was referring to was his father, Michael Brooks. Over the past twelve years that I had worked for the man, he had become more of a father figure and less of the man who just signed my checks.

“And it has to be at the ass crack of dawn?” I whined, pulling the blanket farther over my head.

“It’s ten thirty. Get the fuck up.” Walker ripped the blanket off my body as I flopped onto my back.

“Fine,” I groaned as I sat up. My head felt like someone was hitting it with a rubber mallet as I rubbed my eyes and winced. I changed into fresh Wranglers and a white tee before meeting Walker in the front of the bunkhouse.

Walker and I were polar opposites. He had an iron rod up his ass and a permanent scowl. I, however, could befriend any stranger, and often found myself in trouble by how friendly I was—mostly with women.

When I started working on the ranch at eighteen, Walker hated me. He showed no interest in my constant jokes, and rolled his eyes when I insisted on playing music in the bunkhouse. I thought he needed to relax—he disagreed. After about three months of getting on each other’s nerves, he landed a punch right to my jaw. From that moment forward, we became best friends.

Walker handed me one of the hot mugs of coffee before we headed out toward the main house.

Before I moved here, I thought ranches like this were something that only existed on TV. I grew up in Portland and the only wild animals I saw were the ones at the zoo. We had trees and mountains, of course, but nothing compared to this mountain range in our backyard.

The main house stood at the front of the property and was all floor-to-ceiling windows with wooden accents, like a luxury hotel lodge. Down the hill from the house were the stables and paddock where we worked the horses, alongside a newer structure that housed all of the administration offices for the business side of the ranch.

Beyond the stables was what we called The Village. There were two bunkhouses that each housed about fifteen guys. They were connected by a living space and kitchen in the center. When guys joined the staff here, they often boasted that the houses were luxurious compared to other places they’d worked. It was really all I’d ever known, and I was just happy to have a bed to sleep in every night.

Walker lived in a house he had built about a half mile up a dirt road on the property. All the Brooks kids, except Lottie, had their own spaces around the ranch, and none of them resided in the main house with their parents anymore.

That being said, the main house was where we always gathered. We had family dinners in the dining room, and parties in the rec room. The main house felt like my home, even if I never slept there.

We walked into the house through the back door, and I was surprised to see all of the Brooks’ in the kitchen pouring mimosas.

“What is this?” I pinned Walker with a stare.

“You didn’t think we wouldn’t have one last kick off for you, did you?” Reid Brooks said, handing me a drink.

Hair of the dog, I guess.

“You look like shit, man,” Axle Brooks said as he walked into the room.