Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders #12)(62)

her up.


I’m not a master. I’m just a simple rancher.


Right. Bennett McKay was the most complex man she’d ever met.


Chapter Eleven


What were the odds the first time Ben had lunch in town in months, he’d run into

Ainsley?


Pretty high, given a town the size of Sundance.


Since she was having lunch with the mayor, he didn’t approach her. He took the first

empty booth in Dewey’s Delish Dish and positioned himself to observe her. She laughed

more than he’d expected. Whatever she’d said cracked the mayor up several times.


He tore his gaze from her as Dalton and Tell slid into the opposite bench seat. “If it

ain’t Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum.”


“Fuck off. Didja order for us? We’re starved.”


“I should’ve since you guys are always dragging ass.”


“Not our fault this time,” Dalton said. “Brandt showed up late this mornin’.”


“Again,” Tell inserted. “It puts us behind every damn day. Them two are gonna have

to do something different than splitting their time between Jessie’s place and Brandt

’s place. Every time they stay at Jessie’s, he’s late.”



“I’d bet Jessie is late the mornings she’s gotta drive from Brandt’s to her job at

Sky Blue.” Ben slid his menu to the edge of the table. “What’s the holdup on them

getting one place together?”


“Money, probably. And Dad hasn’t exactly been helpful.”


Like that was news. His uncle was an * most days. “What’s Uncle Casper been

doin’ in his retirement? My Dad never says much about him.”


“He drinks until he passes out. We stop by to check on him.”


“To make sure he ain’t dead,” Dalton said.


The muscle in Tell’s jaw flexed. “Mom would have a conniption fit if she saw the

state of the house. It’s nasty. Dad’s been livin’ like a drunken hermit since their

divorce was finalized.”


Dalton scowled. “Even after all the shit Dad did to Jessie over the years, she still

tried to help him. Cleaned the place top to bottom. Washed his clothes. Cooked for him.

He’s such an ungrateful bastard that Brandt won’t let Jess go over there anymore.”


“Too bad you can’t just move your dad’s stuff to Brandt’s trailer and then he and

Jessie could have the house. It’s at least fifteen minutes closer to her job.”


Tell and Dalton exchanged a pained look. “We think that’s what they’re waitin’ for.

”


“Waiting for Uncle Casper to die?” Ben said sharply.


“He’s killin’ himself, Ben. He won’t listen to any of us. Believe it or not, Mom

had some influence over him, but that’s gone. They haven’t spoken since the day she

left. There ain’t a lot we can do.”


Ben hated the huge rift his uncle had caused in the family, but it seemed wrong to

write him off and let him drink himself to death.


A highly rude waitress took their order and as soon as she stomped away, Tell set his

forehead on the table. “Fuck me.”