Rope the Moon (Runaway Ranch, #2)(8)

Ford smirks. “You gonna go hide in the gym or come say hi?”

I grit my teeth, hopes of taking out my restlessness on a punching bag dashed, and head for the lodge with Ford.

Currently, the lodge—or Main House—operates as the epicenter of the ranch. Guest bookings. Chow hall. It’s also my place of residence. I live in the annex that takes up the entire third floor. Never needed a place to myself. I don’t sleep long enough. So I keep a close watch on the guests when they’re there, mind my own business when they’re not.

The second I walk up the wide front porch and through the heavy double doors, I’m hit by a cacophony of noise. The brash laughter of my brothers intermixed with a bright feminine laugh.

Bellied up to Bar M are my brothers and Ruby. Charlie and Ruby sit on heavy cowhide stools while Wyatt tends to them, pouring steaming cups of coffee. There’s a box of gas station donuts on the counter, no doubt snagged by Wyatt on a trip into town. Boots and jackets strewn precariously in the living room.

My lips twist into a grimace. It looks like a tornado swirled through the lodge. Leave it to my brothers to make a mess, then leave me with the pieces.

Exhaling a breath, I roll out my shoulders. That cleanliness ingrained into me in the military has been damn hard to shake. I try to focus on my family and ignore the clutter.

At least for now.

I clap Charlie on the shoulder, then pull him in for a tight hug. “Too early for a tan, brother.”

I haven’t seen my brother and his wife in six months, not since they eloped and took off for California where Ruby had surgery to fix her heart. After a detour down south to see family, they’re finally home.

Charlie, his dark beard unruly, a smile in his eyes, chuckles. “All that California sunshine.”

Speaking of sunshine…

Ruby bounces my way. I catch my sister-in-law up in a big hug, letting down my guard for a second. “How about you?” I hold her at arm’s length, sweeping my eyes over her pretty face. “You look good, Ruby.”

She beams. “I feel great.”

I allow myself a rare grin. I can’t help but love her.

This girl died for our ranch. Charlie will never get over it.

And I will never forget it.

Ruby grabs on tight to my arm when I release her. “I’ve never seen it like this, Davis.” Her wide-eyed gaze takes in the place. “The lodge. It’s so empty.”

I chuckle, leaning back and bracing my hands on the bar. “You’re back right in time. Get the ranch in shape before summer.”

Ruby flexes her fingers. “I’m ready to do my social media darndest.”

Ford wiggles his brows. “Fairy Tale gonna save the day again?”

“Don’t need to,” I say pointedly. “Business is good.”

According to our projections, the lodge is booked for the next two years. And we only have Ruby to thank. After a social media scandal rocked the ranch last year, it was dumb luck that Charlie met Ruby, a social media influencer, and enlisted her help. With Ruby’s connections, the ranch took off like a rocket and never looked back.

But it almost didn’t happen.

When Declan Valiante, a ruthless developer turned politician, set fire to our barn in an attempt to take down our ranch, Ruby was hurt.

She almost didn’t make it.

And it would have ended our brother.

I’ll never forget the sound he made when Ruby wouldn’t wake up. That primal, keening wail haunts my memories.

“Left hand still getting used to that ring?” Ford asks Charlie, dipping behind the bar to pull out a bottle of Irish Whiskey.

Charlie lifts his hand, flashing silver, and a big grin. “Day I put it on.”

“You want breakfast?” Wyatt asks, shoving a donut in front of my face.

I knock his hand away. “Donuts aren’t breakfast.” Reckless, loud and smart mouthed, Wyatt’s sole purpose in life is to try my damn sanity.

“Same ole protein shake every day of the week, Davis, ain’t no way to live.”

“My way,” I grunt. Dependable. Healthy.

I sit down on a barstool, content to take in my brothers.

“How was Georgia? You survive Mama Belle?” I ask Ruby, temporarily forgetting about the itch to move, to get to the gym.

“I survived,” she says, giving her husband a look. She giggles. “I’m not sure Charlie did.”

My brother groans and drags a hand down his beard. “Dealin’ with Mama is a damn exercise in patience.”

Ruby laughs and shoves at his arm as Charlie pulls her in close. “It wasn’t so bad.” She smiles at the room. “But I’m glad to be back where we belong.”

I glance at Charlie and study the dopey grin on his face. Watch the way he follows around the delicate girl who stole his heart last summer.

Fuck, but I’m glad for him. He deserves it.

He’s finally back. Whole. Sober. Alive.

A memory of Wyatt calling me at the Marine bunkhouse pops into my mind. “Charlie ain’t gonna make it, D,” he had said tearfully. “He’s putting whiskey on his goddamn corn flakes.”

Real fear had hit me then. My brother was going to fall drunk off a roof before he got over Maggie. Because I wasn’t fucking there. I was overseas, recuperating after a special-ops mission with my team had gone to shit. Emergency leave was non-negotiable. I was stuck.