Ashton’s expression turned serious. “You know, that’s nearly word for word something Walter Stone used to say a lot. The group effort part. How it was everyone doing their part that made the job easier. That got the important things dealt with.”
His uncle sent him off with a promise to look into a different living situation for when he got back. “I suppose if you have to, you can stay in the trailer, but that’s only temporary.”
As far as Tucker was concerned, as long as Ginny came with the accommodations, he had zero problems with it.
He drove his truck up to Luke’s house where it overlooked Little Sky Lake to grab his drive buddies. While he waited, he got out and stood in the cold, admiring the snow-covered landscape.
Luke had built on a small rise, and while the main ranch buildings and Caleb’s house were close enough to the left, the actual house faced slightly more to the northwest, offering a pristine wilderness view over the smaller of the two lakes.
This wintery picture wasn’t one that Tucker had gotten to enjoy often. He’d spent so many summers here, but the first time he’d come out to the ranch in the winter had been the February of the accident. He’d visited every year after that for some non-official memorial sharing. It had felt right to make sure he was around.
It had been one of those non-official winter visits when Ginny had talked her way into his bed.
Smiling now at that memory, he let his gaze wander, tracing trails into the bush, following them into the distance where Heart Falls would be ice-locked and beautiful. He looked to the south and spotted men already at work in the arena. There were trucks leaving the ranch hand parking area outside the bunkhouse as workers headed out to whatever tasks Ashton had assigned them.
Something akin to terror filled his veins. He wanted this so bad. To be a part of Silver Stone. To have the right to be here, and not just the job. To be the man Ginny needed.
Her Operation Prove It—he felt the urge to succeed all the way down to his soul.
Luke poured out the door with Jack on his heels. “Whoohoo, let’s get this party bus on the road.”
Kelli and Diane poked their heads out and waved farewell.
Luke handed Tucker a travel mug. “I was ready to pour you a manly drink, but Kelli interfered.”
“I love you, Kelli,” Tucker called toward the door. “Anytime you want to leave this loser, give me a shout.”
“But I’ve got him half trained,” Kelli complained. “Have fun storming the castle, boys.”
Feminine laughter followed as the ladies disappeared back inside the warm house.
Tucker was still grinning as he turned onto the main highway and headed them on the shortest route cross country. “Thanks for the coffee.”
“You need to stop flirting with my wife. Get yourself a woman of your own,” Luke said dryly.
Tucker wasn’t going to touch that. Not yet.
Didn’t help that Jack stuck to the same tune. “Anyone you have to say goodbye to while we’re packing your stuff?” he asked from the backseat.
“No one,” Tucker assured him. “Packing won’t take long, but my boss needs some help moving horses. Before we leave, I’ll grab my trailer so I can bring my ride with us on the return journey.”
“Braggart is a sweet thing,” Luke informed Jack. “Ashton trained her, and I swear she can read Tucker’s mind sometimes.”
“The best kind of woman,” Jack said with a grin. “Human or equine.”
Tucker chuckled. “I’m pretty sure that’s the sort of talk that gets you kicked out of bed in the evening as well as the morning. You know, comparing her to a horse.”
“Are you kidding?” Jack said. “Diane knows it’s a compliment of the highest order when I start talking horsey.”
“That’s just wrong,” Luke complained. “You’re giving me so many openings for crude jokes, when I’m working to be polite and not shock Tucker.”
“I think you were one step away from shocking my uncle,” Tucker said. He wasn’t about to share what Ashton had confessed, but he was curious how well his uncle had been keeping secrets.
“With my little ‘why don’t you simply confess what you’ve been up to’ oops? Yeah, not my business, but damn is it tempting to poke the man at times.” Luke took a sip of coffee and eased back in his seat. “He didn’t take me apart too badly when I got involved with Kelli, so I like to give him a little slack when it comes to his love life.”
“I hope my relationship situation is a whole lot less complicated when I’m in my sixties,” Jack said. “Good to get it established while we’re young.”
“So your ladies can train you up right?” Tucker teased.
“Definitely.” Jack laughed. “Let me know if you need help finding someone. I’ve got a couple skilled trainers I could send your way who are single.”
Tucker glanced at Luke. “Is he pimping me out?”
“Not my fault,” Luke insisted. “Maybe you should take him up on it. Get some new blood happening. There’s no one around town. Of course, I shouldn’t say that. You know the Fields sisters. And there’s a few others who—”
“I’m not looking to get set up,” Tucker said quickly.
Thirteen hours on the road. This would be one hell of a trip if he had to spend the entire time convincing his friends he wasn’t in need of female companionship.
Tucker glanced beside him to discover Luke grinning from ear to ear.
“We’ll stop now. You’re probably focused on the whole mentoring thing, and I get it. I’m pretty pumped myself,” Luke admitted. “And what a way to start. Road trip for the win. Although I should not be shotgun, but behind the wheel.”
“Hell, no,” Tucker returned. “When your dad taught us to drive, he said I was a far better student than you. Safety-conscious and astute.”
“Boring brownnoser. You’re lucky he didn’t see you doing doughnuts in the community hall parking lot a month later,” Luke snapped back.
“You were too chicken.” Tucker said it dryly, then braced for the inevitable.
Sure enough…
His entire body rocked when Luke smacked his fist into Tucker’s biceps. “Jerk.”
“Ass.”
Laughter rolled from the backseat. “It’s like a Canadian comedy show, with less eh’s than expected.”
Tucker raised a hand and flashed his middle finger, snickering hard when he realized Luke had done the exact same thing beside him.
“You guys crack me up.” Jack groaned then sighed heavily. “Wake me when we’re five minutes from our next pit stop, will you? I’m still not adjusted from the time zone difference.”
“Will do,” Luke assured him. He dropped his voice a notch and spoke quietly to Tucker. “In the meantime, let’s get caught up. What have you been doing for the last while?”
Tucker shared the everyday, ordinary events of his life since the last time they’d been together, and it was a bit of perfection.
The only thing that would have made it better was to have had Ginny beside him as well.
Ginny was halfway across the yard when Dustin came running up. “Hey, Gin. Wait up a sec.”