Celia frowned. “Eli? Really?”

“You know how Eli is always so reserved? He lit into Hank and Abe, angry like I’d never seen. He’s the one who told them about Marshall Townsend, Kyle.”

“I didn’t expect Eli would do that.”

“It just got worse. Tanna called to ream my husband. So did Devin, who snapped at them both to grow the f**k up, be happy and thankful that Kyle, one of the greatest guys he knows, ended up with Celia. Then Fletch called because Eli was pissed off enough to share with him what the Lawson brothers had done.” Lainie lowered her voice. “We decided to wait a few days before dropping by. Janie would’ve come too, but she’s about to pop.”

Celia let go of Lainie’s hands. “I’m glad you’re here. But to be honest, I don’t wanna talk about my brothers anymore, okay?”

“Okay.”

“I wanna see my darlin’ niece.”

Harper and Bran returned with Brianna, who said, “Mamamamamama,” and tried to throw herself out of Harper’s arms.

“Come here, kiddo, and say hi to your auntie Celia and your uncle Kyle.”

Kyle said, “Whoa. That sounds weird.”

Celia held her hands out for Brianna, but she shook her head and buried her face in Lainie’s neck.

“So, Kyle, you gonna show me your place and tell me how the hell you ended up with it?” Bran asked.

“Sure. We’ll both need a beer. Maybe a lot of beer.” Kyle kissed Celia on the cheek before he and Bran went outside.

“I’m ready for the tour,” Harper said.

Lainie shifted Brianna. “She’s about to fall asleep. Got any place I can sit down?”

“Just the kitchen. The living room furniture was nasty. We’re repainting and stuff before the new carpet and furniture come next week.”

“I’ll catch up with you guys in a minute.”

“I’m dying to hear about you and Kyle,” Harper said after Lainie went into the kitchen.

Celia gave her the short version of their courtship and marriage because that’s all there was.

Harper shook her head. “No wonder I hadn’t heard from you. I thought you were mad at me.”

“Why would I be mad at you?”

“I don’t know. It seems ever since I married Bran you’ve been distant.”

“Just because of distance, Harper.” Celia dropped her voice. “Family stuff has been dogging me for a lot longer than this last blowup. You know that. And you and Bran were newlyweds. You didn’t want me crashing at your new house and dragging you to Buckeye Joe’s to get your drink on.”

“You don’t have to be knocking back a beer next to me in person to talk to me, Cele.”

“True. But it is more fun.” She grinned. “I’ll take you on the nickel tour.”

Harper got a huge kick out of hearing Kyle’s reaction to the two pink bathrooms.

Lainie entered the bedroom with a sleeping Brianna. She laid her on her back in the middle of the bed and they all tiptoed out. “She’s down for at least a half hour.”

“You guys want a beer or coffee or something?”

“I’d love a cup of tea,” Harper said.

Celia hadn’t played hostess before. She didn’t have any dessert-type thing to serve with the coffee, which would probably get her kicked out of the ranch-wives club.

Tea in hand, Harper tugged her into the living room. “Tell me what you’ve got planned for this space.”

Feeling a little shy, because she had no decorating expertise, Celia showed the paint colors. Talked about the furniture. The carpet. Rearranging the space. “Kyle didn’t want anything too girly.”

Lainie and Harper exchanged a smug look.

“What?”

“Ignore him. Especially since you already have two pink bathrooms. Put whatever colors or patterns in here you want.”

Celia couldn’t tell them she probably wouldn’t be sticking around and didn’t want to saddle him with stuff he hated.

Yeah, that’s why you picked everything you like. Because you can’t wait to leave it behind. For Kyle’s next wife.

“Speaking of bathrooms…Lainie, could I convince you to take out these stitches?”

“What happened?”

“Run-in with a rogue steer. The doc in Vegas said to leave ’em in a week, so do you mind? Bein’s you’re a medical professional and all?”

“If I don’t do it, you’ll do it yourself, won’t you?”

“Probably. They itch like hell.”

“Come on.”

Celia couldn’t help but stare at the angry red mark. Good thing they hadn’t taken wedding pictures with the Bride of Frankenstein scar.

Lainie looped her arm through Celia’s as they walked back to the kitchen. “You’re really done with barrel racing and Kyle’s giving up bull riding?”

“It wasn’t a hard choice—we’ve both been disillusioned in the last year. We were just talking about how happy we are not to be hitting the blacktop.” She looked at Lainie. “I think Tanna’s getting to that point too. Although she’s winning, she’s tired of competing. She’s ready to settle down, but she’ll never come out and say it.”

“It’s not PC to admit the appeal of home and hearth, is it?” Lainie asked.

Celia shook her head. “I find it interesting that the girls Harper and I went to high school with, who were lucky enough to attend college, got married right after college graduation. They became housewives and mothers without ever holding down a real job.” Her gaze moved between Lainie and Harper. “Both of you guys have jobs outside being ranch wives.”