Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88463 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88463 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
“Oh, this is my niece, Willow,” Deb says and gestures for Willow to climb off the horse. “She’s here for the summer.”
I want to learn to ride a horse.
“Willow, this is Gideon and Ryker.”
“Hey,” she says with that smile that dims the sun, and she offers us a little wave before flipping her blond hair over her shoulder.
Now my chest and my stomach feel funny.
“Hi,” I reply.
“Hey,” says Gideon.
“Same rule applies to Willow,” Ray says sternly, and we both nod.
Nobody hurts the girls. Got it. I wish someone had clued the fuckers who used to kick the shit out of my mom in to that rule.
“You’ll love it here,” Willow says, bouncing on her toes. “I wish I could be here all year, not just in the summer. I mean, I live an hour away, so I visit sometimes, but I get to be here all summer long every year, and it’s the best.”
“They’re not here to play,” Ray reminds her. “They’re here to work.”
“Aw, Uncle Ray, they can’t work every minute of the day.” Willow kisses the older man’s cheek, and his face softens as he smiles down at her. Ray isn’t an asshole. “Can I show them around?”
“We’ll both show them. Let’s start at the barn, and you can put your horse away,” Ray says.
“I’m headed inside to get started on that chicken,” Deb says. “Welcome to the ranch, boys. Go get hungry so I can feed you.”
I’m always hungry.
First, we’re shown to the bunkhouse, where we each set our bags on a bed. I’m on the lower bunk, and Gideon is above me. It’s pretty nice in here, with a kitchen and a living room with a big TV. It’s clean, and the blankets and pillows on the beds look new.
I wonder if we can watch hockey when the season starts.
We head outside and are introduced to some of the guys in the barn, along with the horses. The afternoon goes by fast, and I sneak glances at Willow, who seems to be the happiest person I’ve ever met. I don’t think she’s stopped smiling once. She practically bounces when she walks, and she keeps touching me and Gideon as if we’re old friends, pushing on a shoulder, hip checking us when she makes a joke.
I don’t really like to be touched, but it’s not so bad when she does it, as long as it keeps her smiling.
Then again, she’s a princess who grew up on this ranch and has nice people raising her who don’t beat the shit out of her. Of course she’s happy. I’d be fucking thrilled.
“Hey,” she says as she joins me where I’m standing not far from the house, looking at the mountains. “You don’t look too happy to be here yet, but don’t worry, you will be. I know—it’s an adjustment.”
“That’s all life is,” Gideon says from the other side of her, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Freaking adjustments.”
“That’s deep,” Willow says, but she’s nodding in agreement. “Who gave you the black eye?”
“Him,” Gideon says, gesturing to me.
“And what did he do to you?” Willow asks me.
“Punched me in the dick.”
Her eyes widen, and she looks back and forth between us. “So you’re not friends.”
“Hell no,” I reply.
“Not even close,” Gideon agrees.
“But what if I want to be friends with both of you?”
“It’s a free country,” I reply. “Doesn’t matter.”
Gideon just shrugs.
“You guys are going to be a lot of work,” she says with a sigh as she pats us each on a shoulder and shakes her head. “It’s a good thing I’m up for the challenge. We’ll be the Three Amigos by the end of next week. Mark my words.”
She’s so pretty. So bright. Life hasn’t sucker punched her.
I glance at Gideon. I hate that guy. But maybe for her, I can chill.
As long as he keeps his hands to himself and doesn’t mouth off.
“Come on,” she says. “Let’s go get dinner. Deb’s chicken is to die for.”
“I think you’re going to be nothing but trouble,” I tell her as we stalk off toward the huge house for dinner.
“Who, me?” She bats her big baby blues at me. “Never.”
Chapter One
Ryker
“That’s right, motherfucker! Try that shit again, and I’ll pound your ugly face into the boards!”
I laugh at Mac, my enforcer, and shake my head at him. Mac’s an animal, which is good, given that it’s his whole job to either pick fights or end them.
He’s damn good at his job.
“Come on, Cap, we got this,” Mac says to me as we skate to the bench. “One more period, and we can win this. We’re only down by two.”
We’re not gonna win this.
It’s the last game for us in this season. I know it. Coach knows it. Fuck, even the fans know it.
We’ve won the last two Stanley Cups in a row, but this year has been a rebuilding year since we lost some players after the last season and recruited some rookies, and frankly, I’m surprised we made it this far into the playoffs.