Wild Card (North Ridge #1)

“And it always worked,” he says. “You were laughing in no time.”

Images of the two of us riding across the range fill my head, both of us double bareback, my arms wrapped around his waist, laughing into the wind as the hooves flew beneath us. We were young, we were free, we didn’t care about anything but each other.

What the fuck happened?

But before I can dwell on that, Shane is pointing the hose at me and saying, “Still, I know of another way to make you laugh.”

He squeezes the trigger and the water comes on full blast, hitting me right in the chest.

And of course, I’m in a white tank top.

“You asshole!” I yell at him, spinning around, trying to get out of the way, but he keeps that water right on me until I’m soaked to the bone and running away from him, yelling, and yes, laughing. I’m laughing my ass off.

“I told you,” he says, grinning from ear to ear.

I shake my head, water flying onto the side of the barn. “I’ll get you back for this,” I point at him, making sure he knows my threat is real.

Then I stalk away from him, all the way back to the cottage.

I’m smiling the entire time.





9





Shane





Past – 16 years old





I’m in trouble.

The front door slams shut, shaking the whole house, and I know it’s Fox even before he yells, “Where is that little shit?!”

“Go easy on him,” Maverick’s muffled voice says from somewhere in the kitchen. These walls are damn thin. At least I have time to prepare myself.

I stand up, put my book away, and move into the middle of my bedroom. Shoulders back, hands curled into fists, feet grounded.

I fucked up. I knew this was coming.

Loud steps come up the staircase, thumping down the hall to my room at the end.

The door slams open, the framed picture of me and Rachel on the wall rattling.

Fox steps inside, his face red, pointing his finger at me. “You have ten seconds to tell me how the fuck you’re going to fix this.”

I open my mouth to speak.

Fox punches me squarely in the jaw.

Stars fly behind my eyes, and I stumble backward until I hit my desk.

He swings at me again.

I duck and go for his waist, wrapping my arms around him and pushing him back until he’s slammed against the opposite wall.

“Hey, cut it out!” Maverick yells at us, appearing at the doorway, but Fox is intent on killing me and I’m intent on trying to save my own hide. Somehow Maverick wrangles himself between us, pushing us apart. All of us are breathing hard, and Fox’s eyes show no mercy as he stares at me.

“You fucking piece of shit,” Fox yells at me, spit flying. “Who the fuck said you could borrow my truck?”

“It was just for a few hours,” I tell him, yelling right back.

“And in that few hours you fucking wrecked it!”

“I didn’t wreck it! It’s just a dent. It will come out.”

“You fuck, you knew I was selling that thing!”

“I didn’t know that. I knew you got a Jeep, I didn’t think you’d care.”

“Guys!” Maverick yells, head volleying between us both. “Grandpa is trying to have a nap.”

“Like hell I am,” Grandpa says. Oh great, now he’s here. “Just what on earth is going on here? It’s almost Christmas. Can’t you boys show a bit of respect to the Lord?”

“This fuckhead stole my truck!” Fox says, huffing and puffing. “He doesn’t even have his full license. And then he totals it.”

“It was a dent! And I’m sorry.”

“Shane,” my grandfather says, sounding beyond disappointed. Shit. I hate that. “Is this true? Did you take his truck?”

My nostrils flare as I try and keep my anger under control. Perhaps it’s unjustified anger, but it’s anger all the same. “I wanted to take Rachel to the hot springs.”

“Fucking Rachel,” Fox swears. “You’ll do anything for pussy, won’t you?”

“Fox, watch your damn mouth,” Grandpa says, stepping into the room. “Rachel is a good girl and has nothing to do with this. Show some respect.”

At least Fox has the decency to look chagrined.

“Shane.” Grandpa turns his discerning gaze to me. “You know better than this. I’m disappointed in you. You’re supposed to be the level-headed one here.”

I sigh and look away, rubbing at my jaw. There’s going to be a bruise later. “I didn’t think anyone would care. Fox said he got a new Jeep down in Idaho. I thought he wouldn’t care about the truck.” And that’s partly the truth. Fox is attending school for firefighting down in the States because it’s less expensive to attend and he’s only around during holidays. I thought he’d care, but I didn’t think he’d care that much. I also didn’t think he’d notice. I wasn’t supposed to back up into that tree stump. It just happened.

“Well, how am I supposed to sell the truck? That thing was practically brand new and flawless. I was going to get almost all my money back. Now I have to spend extra money or take a loss, and it’s a loss either way.”

Maverick folds his arms and steps back, satisfied that we’ve stopped going after each other and wary that we might start up again.

Grandpa looks at me. “Well, boy, how are you going to fix this? Because, in your case, sorry doesn’t cut it. You should just be glad that this isn’t getting written on your record. If anyone found out that you drove a truck without a full license and then damaged it, you would be in huge horseshit.”

“I don’t know,” I say. I wanted an after-school job but my dad needs me on the ranch, and I don’t get paid for that. “Somehow.”

“With what money?” Fox counters.

“You know I don’t have any.” I glare at him. The last bit of cash I had from doing some odds and ends work went to buying Rachel’s Christmas present. “I’d buy the truck off of you if I could.”

“Or pay for the repairs,” Fox says.

“How would you buy the truck?” Grandpa asks.

“I don’t know. But I need a truck, don’t I? If I’m going to continue working on the ranch, doing the job of a hired hand, I should at least have a vehicle, and you and Dad are always using yours.”

Grandpa nods. “You have a point.”

I hate to admit it to them, but there’s another reason why I want that truck. It was in that truck, last night at the hot springs under a brilliant full moon, where I finally told Rachel I loved her.

I’d been sitting on that for a long time, holding it close, so afraid that even after dating for three years, that it wouldn’t ring true, wouldn’t be enough. I’ve been in love with Rachel from the day I first laid eyes on her, even before I knew what it all meant, and I’ve let it build and boil and rage inside me. It raged beautifully for years. I think that’s the basis for real love. Letting it burn you up from the inside out until you can no longer contain it.

And Rachel returned the favor. Told me she loved me. Said she loved me since forever and for forever.