Rope the Moon (Runaway Ranch, #2)(78)

“Really leaning into this wild honky-tonk lifestyle, aren’t you?” Fallon says to Ruby.

Ruby sips her drink, slurping as she reaches the bottom of it. Her cheeks are bright pink. “Oh, yes.”

I point my straw at the brothers. “What do you think a pack of them is called? A murder of Montgomerys?”

“Welcome to the dating pool in Resurrection,” Fallon drawls with a flick of her hand. “Your options are a douchebag from California with mommy issues who won’t date you until his psychic reads your aura, or a cowboy with busted boots and a dusty attitude who is prepared to antagonize you even through a zombie apocalypse.”

At that, Ruby and I share a wide-eyed look.

“Wow,” Ruby breathes. “So specific.”

“No more about me.” I twist on my stool toward my sister. I can feel Davis’s intense gaze burning a hole in my back. “Let’s talk about you. And this guy you’re seeing.”

Ruby squeaks.

On Fallon’s lips is a rebuttal, but I shake my head and grab her hand. “One secret. Tell me.” I give her a hard look. “We can be real tonight or we can bullshit.”

“Real,” Ruby echoes.

“Ugh, god. Fine.” Fallon puffs her chest out and exhales. “He’s just some guy I met at the stock show in Butte.”

It all makes sense now. Fallon wearing lipstick, nail polish, sneaking out of work early. Her duffel bag full of lacey undergarments. My fierce, independent little sister has a boyfriend. She was never an idealist about love, especially after our mother left. Usually, she was quoting Elizabeth I’s speech on avoiding marriage and cursing men.

“When was this?” I ask.

“Over the winter,” she says, downing another shot. Her fifth or sixth of the night. By now, I’ve lost track of counting.

I slide a glass of water her way, hoping she takes the hint. I don’t want a repeat of graduation night when I held back Fallon’s hair while she threw up Four Loko. “Well, don’t stop there. What’s his name? What’s he like? Tell. Me. Everything.”

“Relax, Dakota. It’s not a relationship or anything.” She cocks a brow. “We’re casual. It’s something fun with someone who’s not a cowboy. Who doesn’t live in the hellscape that is Resurrection.” A smile softens her face. “We’ve been on maybe six or seven dates. Had sex in a Pinto. Girl’s gotta get laid.”

A groan-laugh pops out of my mouth. “I’m happy for you and didn’t need to know that.”

Ruby wobbles on her stool, grips the bar to steady herself, then clears her throat. “But what about Wyatt?”

Fallon scrunches up her nose. “What about him?”

Ruby casts a confused gaze at me, but I stay quiet. Fallon’s beef with Wyatt started long before they ever competed.

“Shit,” Fallon mutters, glancing at the Budweiser clock on the wall. She stands and grabs her duffel bag tucked beneath the stool. “I gotta change. Metalhead concert in Missoula.” She wiggles her brows. “With Danny.”

Ruby’s mouth falls open.

Fallon holds up a finger. “And before you ask, no, you can’t meet him.”

Ruby and I stare after her as she hustles to the bathroom.

Grin on his face, Davis crooks a big finger and motions us over.

Ruby clasps her hands to her heart and looks pleadingly at me.

A ghost of a smile plays on my lips. “Fine, let’s go.”





I push back from the table and watch as Dakota and Ruby cross the dance floor like it’s their own personal catwalk. I’m tense, on edge. Especially since that text from Dakota. A pregnant Dakota in a rowdy honky-tonk is enough to give me a goddamn aneurysm. Leave it to Fallon to pick the most dangerous bar in town. The same bar Ruby nearly got trampled in last year.

I get that Dakota needed a night out—time with her sister—and I would never stop her. I planned to lurk in the shadows, watching over her like the overprotective bastard I am. But I never could steer my brothers away from cold beers and Fridays. We’ve been doing it since we moved here, and we won’t stop now.

Ford rolls his eyes. “She’s across the room, man. No one’s gonna get her.” He reaches for another beer, looking like he’d like to crack it over my head.

“You want to back off?” I say, clocking how much he’s had to drink. If my twin wants to get a pissy attitude, he can do it on his own damn time.

I glance back at Dakota, tracking her as she pushes her way through the tight crowd. I don’t know what they put in that pregnant water, but goddamn. Dakota looks sexy as fuck. Big brown eyes. Hourglass figure. The tight dress she wears shows off her belly, her hair falling in glossy dark waves around her shoulders. Happiness radiates off her in waves.

Every man’s wildest dream.

But she’s all mine.

I have to fight the urge to storm across the room and brand my mouth to hers. Every eye in the bar follows her. Because she draws people toward her.

Resurrection’s letting her back in. She doesn’t even have to work for it.

“We’re combining tables, Cowboy,” Ruby drawls as Charlie pulls her onto his lap. He kisses her, and she wraps her arms around his neck and hangs on.

“Don’t have such fond memories of this bar, Sunflower,” Charlie murmurs. He has Ruby pulled so high on his lap I’m damn near ready to tell them to get a room. “Not when you’re in it.”