I’d seen her tinker in the past. She knew her shit when it came to engines.

“What’s that smile for?” he asked.

“She fixed the fucking tractor when none of us could figure out what was wrong with it.”

She’d been eighteen and still in high school.

Thatcher tipped his head back and laughed. “God, I forgot about that.”

“Uncle Thatch!” Claire’s voice carried from her room.

Thatcher gave a little wave as he left the great room. I couldn’t miss his shouting, “I think that was seventeen seconds. The fastest yet.”

I loved that my brother tucked Claire in, that they were close. Alice was there for her for any girl-type things that came up, but thankfully there weren’t too many at this age. But Alice was ready to move and be near her sister in Alabama. Claire needed a mother, and the only woman I’d ever pictured for the job had been Sarah. But I’d assumed Claire would be a baby we made together. That she’d be the one tucking my daughter in. I’d also assumed we’d live happily ever after.

That hadn’t turned out. But Sarah’s actions the night before had changed everything. She was pissed at me. She was still hot for me. I could still taste her sticky honey on my tongue. I’d been given a second chance with her. Sarah might not know it, but she’d set the two of us back in motion. She was going to be mine again.

8

HUCK

Saturday night

I could hear the music from the street. People spilled out of the Lucky Spur’s entrance, a fun weekend night in The Bend. Thatcher had converted an old mill into a bar. It was cavernous and brick. One large room with concrete floors. A large patio area that was on the river, fairy lights strung overhead to brighten the space. Large garage doors lined the one wall to the outdoor seating and were all open.

I wasn’t here to drink even though I was off shift. Thatcher had called me around eleven to give me the heads-up that Sarah was here. With a man.

No fucking way was that okay. I’d made her come the night before. In my bed. Even if she was angry with me, that pussy was mine.

I took off my Stetson when I entered, went to the bar, and waited to catch Thatcher’s eye. He came down the line with two drinks, handed them off to a woman along with a wink. When he got to me, he tipped his head toward the back.

I looked in that direction, and there she was. With a fucking guy. I didn’t care if he was helping her with a Sunday School program for church.

Just seeing Sarah across a crowded room made my dick hard. My mouth watered for another taste of her. She might have been trying to punish me, but all it had done was make me want her more. Since she was here with someone, it was my turn to be angry.