Done and Dusted (Rebel Blue Ranch, #1)

by Lyla Sage

“While you’re here, we should see more—” Kenny’s words were cut off by the band sloppily halting their performance of “Good Hearted Woman.” A confused silence fell over the bar as everyone waited for their next move. After a few seconds, the steel guitar player played the opening bars of—oh god, no—“Oh My Darlin’ Clementine.”

Be cool, Brooks. You didn’t do anything. You just eye-fucked his sister. That’s fine. Everything’s fine. I picked up the phone. “Brooks, here.” Did my voice just squeak? Yeah, my voice just fucking squeaked. “Why are you answering the phone like it’s a job interview?”

I turned and started walking toward the Big House in a daze. I paused and looked up at the big Wyoming night sky. It was incredible how many stars were up there. I couldn’t believe the universe was so big, and I got placed on this random floating rock at the same time as Clementine Ryder.

My dad never talked like this. “Why don’t you talk about her more?” It took him a second to answer. “When she’s in my head, I can keep her safe.”

I’d never really cried for my mom, but today I cried for the man who’d lost her.

“Hey.” He stepped toward me. “You can do this, Emmy. We’re going to take it slow, but I know you can do this.” “How do you know?” He cupped my face in his hands. “You’re Clementine fuckin’ Ryder.” I laughed at that, and a single tear sneaked out of my eye. He caught it before it could fall, wiping it off my cheek. “Sugar, you deserve to go out on your own terms. Just because you got dusted doesn’t mean you’re done.”