“Come on, Leigh. I’m going out of my mind today. Just give me something to do before people start showing up and pile me with that ‘I’m so sorry for your loss’ shit when we both know ain’t a damn soul in this town that’s really sorry he’s gone.”
God, my heart breaks for her. One thing Quinn Davis hates the most is when people are fake. Of course, she’s also dealing with a lot. I think she and Clay both are glad the old man is gone, but that doesn’t make the loss any easier. They worked hard to give him forgiveness, but after his first stroke, things just became strained. You can forgive easily, at times, but forgetting is a whole different ball game. It was hard to watch such a larger-than-life man crumble. I think that, in the end, his death just reminded them of everything that they never had growing up.
“I know, honey, I know.”
“I hate this. I hate feelin’ like this, Leigh. I shouldn’t be this sad he’s gone.”
Wrapping my arms around her again, I pull her close as her soft sobs break my heart a little more.
The door opens again and Clay walks in, pulling off his hat and dropping it on the hook by the door before running his hands through his thick black hair. He looks over, his eyes going soft when he sees his sister in my arms. Not wanting to see the pain in his expression, I look away from his face. He’s changed out of his black dress shirt, traded it for a brown button-down shirt that’s tucked into his Wranglers.
His boots tap heavily against the floor as he walks over to us. “Sorry, I was on the phone with Drew,” he says. I know the only reason his foreman would be bothering him today is if there was a problem on the ranch. I know he’s been having trouble with his stable manager, Jimmy Wheat, but other than that I can’t think of a single thing that would be wrong at the well-oiled Davis ranch.
“Everything okay?” I question, rubbing small circles on Quinn’s back.
“It will be when I fire Jimmy’s ass. He didn’t place an order for feed last week, so imagine Drew’s shock when he noticed on the log that none of the horses had been tended to this mornin’.”
Shit. If there’s one thing that Clay doesn’t stand for on his ranch, it’s lazy employees and neglect of his horses.
“Do you need any help?” I ask, not really sure what I could do for him since I never had any interest in running my own family’s ranch, but I know my way around the ways of ranch life, and if they needed help, I wouldn’t hesitate.
“Nah, sugar, don’t you worry your pretty little head over it.” He leans down and gives me a kiss on my forehead.
“Well, don’t you all look cozy,” a sharp voice says and the three of us turn toward the door.
Maverick.
Just lovely.
So much for him not showing up tonight.
“If you can’t keep your mouth shut, little brother, then leave now.”
Quinn lets out a soft whimper and I hug her tighter. She never did well when it came to her brothers fighting.
Maverick holds his hands up and a wicked smile crosses his face. Arrogant jerk.
“Maverick, honey. Well aren’t you just a sight for sore eyes,” Jana calls as she comes through the kitchen doorway and walks from behind the counter, making her way to where he’s standing and gives him a hug. He doesn’t move. Not even an inch. But Jana doesn’t give up, she just holds him tighter, his arms hanging limp at his sides. I watch the emotions flicker over his face before awkwardly returning the embrace, patting her a few times on the back.
“Hey, Miz Fox,” he mumbles, looking down to where her head is pressed just under his chest. I almost laugh at how funny her tiny, barely five-foot self looks next to his giant frame, but then I remember it’s Maverick and I don’t need to waste one second of my thoughts on him.
“You want some pie, Q?” I ask her quietly, not wanting to draw Maverick’s attention.
She pulls back and gives me a smile, one that actually doesn’t look forced. Bringing my thumbs to her cheeks, I wipe her eyes and return her smile.
“Pumpkin?” she asks excitedly, the bubbly and happy tone back in her voice.
“Would I make you anything else?”
She laughs and shakes her head. “Love you, Leighton.”
“Love you back, Quinn.”
Ignoring the silent storm brewing between the Davis brothers, with a clueless but chatty Jana stuck between the brooding duo, I take Quinn’s hand and pull her over to her table. I say her table because she’s usually parked here every chance she can get between her shifts at the auto shop. Walking over to the case holding the slices of pumpkin pie, I grab the thick one I had specially left for her and deliver it.