The word in town is my former ranch hand Ruiz lined himself up a gig elsewhere, but his mistress split town after trying to make me the bad guy. She spread lies through Snow Ridge that she got caught cheating on me with a ranch hand because I couldn’t get it up anymore. I never laid a hand on that woman, and it sure felt fucked up to have people eyeing me funny.
Do they make sweet girls anymore? Like ones that don’t have dollar signs in their eyes and who have a moral compass that points north? I know there’s plenty in Snow Ridge, but most of them are already married. I’m no fucking saint, but I’d never behave like those two either.
I saw the headache that was Nina coming a mile away, and yet I hired her because a man has gotta eat. A man of my wealth needs to be careful with who I let in, but perhaps I’ve been a little too discerning lately. For all the money in my accounts, I’m eating takeout, the bunkhouse, or at the Morrison home. Louisa’s one hell of a cook, and she loves me enough to feed me every day, but I don’t like being in their way. After ten years of marriage, John doesn’t get tired of trying to seduce her, so I’m cramping his style. They have two boys, but the way they don’t stay apart, I’m surprised they don’t have a football team already.
Thankfully, it’s almost Christmas and I’m going to visit my sister, Lara. She wants a nice small holiday with her family. She’s been married for a couple of years to Landon Black, a billionaire in Chicago. He adores her, and that’s the only reason I didn’t kill him when I found out that he knocked up my eighteen-year-old sister.
Landon’s been her rock after my father died and then my mother’s death. Poor Lara suffers from Mother’s loss more than I understood. Last month, Landon called to ask if we could do Christmas in Chicago instead of here like we always had. I of course had no problem with it. I can’t stay long because of the ranch, but I’m not the one with little kids so I don’t mind making the trip, which kicks off tomorrow morning.
My brother-in-law bought me a first-class seat since he felt guilty that he lent out his private plane to a friend at the last minute. Landon and his buddies are next-level rich compared to me. I’m a retired NFL tight end running my family ranch with millions, not billions.
I haven’t met a woman who can’t stop to look past the celebrity I once was, so he was blessed to find Lara because it’s hard for people to see past your wealth. She loves the bastard for himself. A part of me aches for that kind of love that very few people are fortunate to have.
It reminds me of my parents’ love for each other. They loved the holidays and family. I check my watch and remind myself that I have shit to do. I need to check up on a couple of things before I head into town to shop for some last-minute Christmas presents. I’m terrible at these things because I used to just ask my mother to do it for me. She’d smile and run into town to get everyone’s gifts. My eyes tear up. Fuck. I miss her. She was the glue that kept our family together. I always came home around the holidays even if it meant that I was flying out right after a game.
My cell phone rings, surprising me because it’s too early unless there’s a problem. It’s Lara, which concerns me even more since it’s definitely too early for her to be up with the time difference, not to mention she’s not a morning person. “What’s wrong?” I answer.
“Nothing’s wrong. I woke up sick this morning, and I thought I’d call you to talk since I knew you’d be up.” She’s barely speaking above a whisper. I step back into the house where it’s warm, so the wind isn’t blowing on the phone.
“Sick? Are you okay?” I ask nervously. Losing my mother to cancer scares the piss out of me when it comes to my sister.
“Yes, calm down. I’m just working on your next niece or nephew,” Lara explains as I catch my breath.
“Really? Again? You two don’t waste time.” I chuckle.
She scoffs and then giggles. “If you ask my husband, he’ll say we have. Landon would prefer an assembly line of little ones.”
“I don’t put it past him. The man loves you to the point of obsession.” It’s hard to understand how much he loves her, but it’s unmistakable and I’m grateful for it.
“Yeah, it’s cute. So are you ready to come see us?” I can hear the excitement in her voice. I bet that’s what woke her up early. She’ll have all my favorites ready, even though I’ll be arriving around noon tomorrow.