With a muttered curse, she clicked on the link Rio had sent her and was put through to Dr. Tio’s clinic. She made an appointment with the therapist for the end of the following week. She had no idea if that person would work out for her, but it was worth making the effort. She didn’t want to live in fear for the rest of her life.
Her cell buzzed again, and she smiled as Evan’s message appeared
Hey you.
How’s your tattoo doing? Josie typed.
Itchy.
Hang in there. It gets better.
I hope so because Dad thinks I’ve got lice or something and is threatening to dip me with Ben’s new sheep.
Josie grinned. What’s next on your list?
Isn’t it your turn to pick something?
I suppose it is. Josie tapped her finger against the screen.
How about you come over for dinner at my place tonight and you can tell me all about it?
Would your dad be okay with that? Josie frowned. Even she knew that Jeff Miller wasn’t known for his hospitality.
Scratch that—come to Ben’s. The food is better.
Meet you there at six. I’ll send you the gate code.
Okay.
Evan sent through a thumbs-up and the gate code and Josie ended the call. She hadn’t thought about how she would feel being alone in the ranch house for the first time at night. Evan’s invitation meant she wouldn’t have to deal with it—just yet.
* * *
“I don’t remember asking you to dinner, Bro?”
Ben came into the kitchen and raised an eyebrow at Evan who was leaning up against the countertop, drinking a beer and chatting to Silver. He was a taller, broader, and redder-haired version of Evan and way easier going than Adam. He walked over to kiss his wife and helped himself to a glass of iced tea.
“I’m pretty sure that you did,” Evan replied. “In fact, I distinctly remember you saying those words after I helped you out with your cows the other day.”
“That day when you pretended to be here so Dad wouldn’t know what you were up to?” Ben asked.
Evan shook his head at Silver. “Do you have any idea what he’s talking about right now? Because I don’t.”
Silver linked her arm through Ben’s. “Like, I’m going to agree with you and not my husband.” She went on tiptoe to kiss his bearded cheek. “Evan asked Josie Martinez to join him for dinner.”
“Ah, now things start to make sense,” Ben said. “You didn’t want to expose her to Dad at this early stage of your relationship.”
“We don’t have a relationship. We’re just friends,” Evan said quickly.
“Sure.” Ben winked at his wife. “Do we have enough to feed everyone?”
“You know we do,” Silver said. “Marta always cooks for six.”
“I love Marta,” Evan said fervently.
“Don’t we all,” Silver agreed. “If it were up to me and Ben to do the cooking, we’d be living off frozen dinners. She preps for a week’s worth of fresh meals, freezes extra portions, and generally makes our life so much easier.”
The oven beeped and Silver hurried over. “I need to check this.”
“Must be nice being married to a rich movie star,” Evan murmured to his brother whose attention was currently fixed on his wife’s jeans-clad ass as she bent down to the oven.
“It has its compensations,” Ben admitted, winking at Evan.
“Do you ever fight about money?” Evan asked curiously.
“Sometimes.” Ben shrugged. “But we always find a way to make things work because we love each other.”
“Nice,” Evan said.
“Yeah, it is.” Ben held his gaze and then grinned. “Look at me being all sentimental and shit. Kaiden would say I’m a true Southern Californian now.”
“Luckily, he’s not here.” Evan finished his beer and set the bottle back on the counter.
“Danny and Faith are back tomorrow,” Ben said. “Dad’s planning some kind of party for them.”
“So I heard.” Evan fiddled with the label on the empty bottle. “He’s even got Mom involved.”
“Yeah, well. Danny’s the second member of the family to elope to Vegas so I guess Dad’s getting used to it.” Ben’s mouth quirked. “We got bawled out of town when we did it.”
“I suppose he’s trying,” Evan said.
“Danny was asking how you were.” Ben watched him real close, which Evan didn’t appreciate. “He wondered if there was something up with your phone seeing as you’re not picking up his calls.”
“Right . . . I’m not sure why he’s asking you to be his messenger or why you’d agree to it.” Evan opened the recycle bin and tossed his bottle in with a satisfying crash. “When I have something to say to Danny, I’ll say it.”
Ben frowned. “I’ve always thought of you and Danny as a team. It’s weird when you fight.”
“We’re not fighting,” Evan said. “I just don’t have anything to talk about right now.”
“Not even congratulations on his marriage?”
“I said that already,” Evan protested.
“You sure about that?” Ben sighed. “Look, this is obviously way more complicated than I thought and you’re right, I’m sorry. I should keep my nose out of it.”
Evan’s cell buzzed and he took the opportunity to walk away from Ben to check the message from Josie.
I’m outside the house. Really hoping this is the right place and that I’m not about to feature in a horror movie.
Evan sauntered over to the window overlooking the circular drive and looked out.
Is that you in the black truck?
Yup.
Then you’re definitely in the right place.
Evan called out to the couple in the kitchen. “Josie’s here. I’ll just go and let her in.”
Had he congratulated Danny on his marriage? Now that he thought about his one stilted conversation with his brother, Evan couldn’t actually remember saying it. He’d been too eager to get off the phone and get away to have time to make nice—not that Danny would’ve believed him anyway.
He opened the front door and Josie frowned at him.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing.”
“Right. You always make that face when you’re welcoming guests into your home.”
Evan found a smile somewhere. “It’s not my house.”
“I know.” Josie had paused in the large hallway and looked up at the natural stone and wood pillars. “But, man, I wish it was mine.”
“Don’t we all.” Evan took her hand and led her through to the back of the house where the large kitchen and family room took up the entire width of the building. His brother Kaiden had designed and built the kitchen cabinets, which he was certain Josie would appreciate.