I backed out of the drive and turned my truck around, not looking back.
If I had, I would’ve seen Ace and Callum staring at Banks as if he was a traitor.
Work was not nearly as exciting as my early morning. And by the time the end of my workday hit, I was bored to tears. The one positive thing about my day had been lunch and even then it’d been fairly tame seeing as I’d eaten it in my truck while texting back and forth with Waylynn.
After getting in my truck and heading in the direction of the ranch, I dialed Way and waited impatiently for her to answer.
“Hello?” she rasped, answering on the fourth ring.
“You don’t sound so good,” I teased.
“I don’t feel so good,” she shot back.
“Been throwing up more?” I asked curiously.
I hated that she was sick.
I hated even more that I couldn’t help her.
“I’m fine,” she admitted. “But I found out where I got it from. Did you know Gibson had it? He came to work, stayed in his office, and only called me in there in between pukes. He gave it to me!”
I couldn’t help the snicker that fell out from between my lips.
“Oh shit,” I snorted. “That’s terrible.”
It was.
What was even worse was that I wanted to kick Gibson’s ass for making my girl puke.
And likely making me puke.
“I went outside to see that there was a sick horse this morning,” she said softly. “Then my dad called. He said he wanted to have dinner with us, and I told him I couldn’t because I was sick. So he said he’d bring his new girlfriend over to meet me here.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Are you done with work?” I questioned, knowing that she’d gone in despite feeling bad.
Luckily, she hadn’t had to walk.
Two days ago, I’d finally gotten around to purchasing that new truck.
Thankfully, my girl didn’t put up too much of a fight when I handed over my keys.
I was thankful that she no longer walked to work in the morning, even if it was daylight now.
Even though I’d heard from Waylynn that she’d gotten a ride from Ace two days in a row last week because it’d been raining and he’d refused to allow her to go even a foot in the rain.
“I am,” she confirmed. “I’m about to start driving home. So if my father’s there, don’t be surprised.”
“With his new girlfriend,” I reminded her.
“Ugh,” she snorted. “I just might puke on her.”
“I’ll see you in a bit, baby,” I said softly.
“Love you, Valentine.”
I laughed and said, “Love you, too, Jennings.”
I fingered the hole in my jeans, then made a split-second decision.
Hitting my sister’s name on the touch screen, I waited for her to pick up.
“What up, baby brother?” Georgia asked.
I looked at the dash.
“Tomorrow, around noon, do you have anything to do?” I asked curiously.
“Nooo,” she drawled. “Why?”
I licked my lips.
“Because I want to go look at rings.”
After getting my hearing back due to my sister’s loud ass scream, I explained that I was going to ask Way’s dad for her hand in marriage.
“He’s going to say no,” Georgia snorted. “He doesn’t like you, remember?”
I did.
I also remembered that we were both grown ass adults, and I didn’t have to listen to him if I didn’t want to.
“I know,” I said. “But it’s the thought that counts.”
Georgia snickered. “Where and when?”
After hashing out the details, I hung up just as I was pulling into the driveway.
I saw Waylynn’s dad almost immediately.
He was standing next to the corral fence talking to Ace and Callum, and he did not look happy.
Neither did my brothers.
When I parked and got out near the trailer, Jude turned to stare at me.
The friendliness that I’d seen once upon a time was now gone.
And in its place was annoyance.
“Where’s my daughter?” he asked as if I’d done something to harm her.
“She’s on her way home from work,” I answered. “Why?”
Jude crossed his arms and glared at me.
“She sounded bad when I called,” he said.
I barely refrained from rolling my eyes.
“That’s because she was sick, which I believe she told you.” I said. “She has the stomach flu.”
“Did you knock her up?” he asked.
“No,” I told him.
Asshole.
“How do you know?” he asked. “You don’t seem like the type to be very intelligent.”
This was not the man that I’d met and worked with a hundred times before.
This was a new man.
One that didn’t like that I was dating his daughter.
“Sir,” Ace said stiffly. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”
“You don’t think what’s necessary?” he asked.
“The name calling,” Ace replied.
“I’ll do whatever I want,” her father stated.
Just then, said daughter pulled into the driveway, saving the day.
She pulled my old truck up and stopped next to my new one, her eyes narrowing on her father.
“Where’s Nyree?” she asked curiously.
My brows lifted as I realized that there was one integral part that was missing.