Wild and Wrangled (Rebel Blue Ranch, #4)

by Lyla Sage

“Daddy will want a green one,” she said as she pulled a couple of different green embroidery flosses off their hooks. “Good choices,” I said. So far, we had a slew of pinks, purples, and reds. The greens would be perfect for Gus, and I grabbed a couple of yellows, too. “Are they all going to be monochromatic?” I asked and Riley looked up at me, confused. “One color or different versions of the same color.” I nodded toward her hands. “Like how those are all green but different greens.” “Mon-o-chruh-mat-ik,” Riley repeated quietly to herself—memorizing the word and storing it away. Smart girl. “No. Auntie and Teddy and Ada are going to get rainbow ones,” she said. “They’ll love that,” I said. “What about Papa?” “Yellow, I think,” she said with a nod. “Because he said he misses the sun and summer.” “That’s thoughtful, Riles,” I said. “What color do you think Dusty will want?” she asked as we went back to perusing. I froze. “U-uh,” I stuttered. “I didn’t know you were making one for Dusty.” “I have to make him one,” Riley said. “He lives in our backyard, Mom.” Good point. “Do you know his favorite color?” “Blue,” I said without thinking. Images of blue sour straws on a hike, blue Jolly Ranchers in a truck’s center console, and a blue margarita at Chili’s flashed through my head. “His favorite color is blue.”