Cowgirl Up and Ride (Rough Riders #3)(84)

AJ already knew most of it, since she’d lived in the county her whole life. Since she’d known the McKays her whole life.


So why did she still feel like the outsider?


The conversation swam back into focus.


“Dag and Chassie are brother and sister?” Macie asked Gemma, “Didn’t Dad team rope with Dag on the circuit a couple of times?”


“Yep. Dag roped with Trevor after Edgard went back to Brazil.”


Channing said, “I overheard Carolyn and her sister discussing Dag. Since he quit the circuit he’s been drinking. A lot. Even more than Colt.


“That’s why Harland West hired Trevor, to keep an eye on Dag. So it makes sense that’s how Trev and Chassie hooked up. I can’t believe Colby didn’t tell me that part.”


Channing kissed the top of Ella’s head. “She’s asleep. Want me to put her down?”


“Yeah. Ryder’s out too. I’ll come with and tuck him in.”


They left the room and AJ looked at Macie. “I think I’ll head home.”


“Why?”


Because I feel awkward and out of place. “I’m tired. I have a bunch of packing to do tomorrow.”


Macie stood. “Would you give me a ride back to Carter’s folks’ house? My car is packed with baby stuff and I might as well leave it here rather than unpack it.”


“Sure.” AJ and Macie said a quick good-bye.


Once they were in AJ’s Jeep, Macie sighed. “I’m sure they were glad to see me go.”


“Why do you say that?”


“Don’t get me wrong, Gemma and I get along great. She’s more than just a stepmother; she’s a good friend. But she still is sort of like my mother. Whereas she and Channing are great pals and they talk about everything. Gemma won’t discuss her relationship with my father when I’m in the room, which is completely understandable.


And Channing and I are still feeling our way around our relationship to each other and our places in the McKay family. Sometimes I wonder what it’d be like to already know all the ins and outs of this family.” Macie grinned at AJ. “Someone like you.”


“Doesn’t make me a part of it.”


“What’s going on with you and Cord?”


“Sex.”


“That’s it?”


“Yep. Great sex, not that I have anything else to judge it by, but the man definitely knows what he’s doing between the sheets.”


“And in the barn, and in the pasture, and on a horse if he’s anything like Carter.”


“Haven’t tried it on a horse.” AJ grinned and turned onto the paved highway. “Yet.”


“Does he know how you feel about him?”


“No. I’ll bask in his sexual attention and expertise for as long as I can. But we both know it has a finite end—when Ky comes home.”


“I worry about you, AJ, because I think you’ll take whatever little Cord McKay offers you just to be with him.”


“That might’ve been true if I hadn’t moved away last year.”


“But?”


“Even though this is my first sexual relationship, it’s opened my eyes about a lot of other things. I believed the sex was good because I love him. But Cord doesn’t love me and the sex is still good for him. Which shows me that I might have a skewed idea of what love is, now that I know sex and love aren’t intertwined.”