“Don’t worry about that. I’m having a friend check them out. He’ll get back to me as soon as he can. If what your sources say is true, we’ll end out business relationship and find another plant to work with.”
“But you won’t get out the business of selling your cattle to a slaughterhouse?” As soon as she’d said it, she wished she could take it back.
“This is our life. It’s how we make a living. You need to accept that and move on.”
Move on? Was he asking her to leave? A sharp pain stabbed her in the chest like a heart attack. She struggled to breathe and fought to keep the misery from overwhelming her. “I thought you made enough money from oil that you could stop doing the cattle thing.”
That glint changed into a flash of irritation. “I said we make more money doing that than doing ‘the cattle thing’.”
She hadn’t wanted to get angry or to make him mad, either, but they’d gone there nonetheless. “Could you live on the oil money alone?”
“That’s none of your damn business.”
She half expected to see smoke coming from Rick’s ears. “Fine. My business here is over.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Hey, you two, calm down.”
Gunner reached out for her, but she yanked her arm away.
“At least that part of it is.”
“What other part is there?” Rick hooked his thumbs into the pocket of his jeans. “Except finding out about Lawson’s? You don’t have to stick around for that. I can e-mail you the findings. Providing you trust me to tell you the truth.”
“I’m talking about the things you’re not telling me. Like what happened to the calf. You two were very hush-hush with the vet.”
“That is also none of your business. Unless, of course, you think I took a bite out of him.”
“Easy, Rick.” Gunner stepped between them, taking each of them by an arm. “You two sure get twisted up sometimes. Maybe that’s just how it’s supposed to be between you, but I don’t like it. Both you need to calm the hell down.”
But her emotional guns were loaded and aimed straight at Rick. “Of course I don’t think you bit him. That’s ridiculous.” Damn, he was such an irritating man. “Gunner’s right. Enough said. Can I ask you to give me a ride into Shatland tomorrow?”
“If that’s what you want. Expect to get up early. The bus only comes through every so often. If you miss it, you’re stuck here for another few days.”
Stuck there longer? She wouldn’t have minded that one bit. In fact, she’d wondered what it would be like to live there with the two men she loved. Was she sure she loved them? As much as she didn’t want that to be the case right then, she couldn’t deny her feelings. She’d thought Rick had felt the same, but maybe she’d gotten that all wrong.
“Shit, Rick. Why the hell are you—”
“Shut the fuck up, man.” Yet Rick pointed a finger at her instead. “You better be ready to go on time. Got it?”
“Hell, if you want to get rid of me, why not take me there now? I’ll get a hotel room for the night.”
“Shatland’s a small town. They don’t have a hotel. Not to mention that you wouldn’t be safe there.”
“Why not? Are there monsters in Shatland?”
Gunner groaned and dropped his head to his chin.
Why didn’t they say there weren’t? Did a town like Shatland have lots of criminal activity?
“Like I said. Just be ready to leave in the morning.”
She watched Rick eat up the distance to the barn. Anger and hurt swirled amid the flow of the strange sensation that always existed between them. Before they’d gotten into the argument, she’d plan on asking them more about it. Was it fate? Or just an excuse to get laid?
Now it looked as if that next time would never come.
“It’s okay, baby. Give him some time.”
Burning tears stung her. “No. He meant what he said.”
“No, he didn’t.” Gunner snatched his hat off, then held it to his chest. “I don’t want you to leave and neither does he.”
“He sure has a fucked-up way of saying so.”
“Yeah, he does. But that doesn’t mean he means what he says. Especially when he gets riled up. Let him calm down.”
“No. I’m sorry. I have to go.” She couldn’t take it any longer. Even if Gunner cared for her, it was all too evident that Rick’s feelings didn’t run as deep. She couldn’t imagine a world with just one of them, much less a life living on the ranch with the other brother around, tempting her day in and day out. She knew enough to know the brothers would never separate.