Lead Me On

“From what I hear, the girls just want Dani to have that wedding she always planned for. No harm, no foul.”

“I already feel like shit that I can’t give that wedding to Dani myself, and to have us turn into some kind of charity case...?” He shook his head.

From what Clint had overheard, Dani hadn’t asked Margot and Leigh to call off the auction. But—

Sparkling stars... Around the Girl in Eighty Ways...

Riley interrupted. “Ever since I heard about that auction, I’ve wanted to tell Dani that I’d rather elope to a Vegas chapel. But then I think about how much she’s always talked about the dress with one of those long trains or whatever they call it, and how she wants things to happen in a big church with a big reception, and...I just lose the words.”

Clint signaled for yet another round. Riley sure looked like he needed it. Honestly, Clint could use some more drinks, too, because every time he glanced at Margot across the room canoodling with Brad, he felt a keen urge to water down.

“What’re you going to tell Dani, then?” Clint asked. “I think the sisters who keep in touch on email are looking forward to this auction.”

And he was, too?

But that was idiotic, because that basket of Margot’s was aimed at Brad. Plus, she wanted Clint on one side of the room and her on another.

He was damned sure going to change her mind about that.

Riley blew out a breath. “I know Margot and Leigh went to a lot of work. Everyone who brought a basket did, and their intentions are good.”

“Then let everyone play. You can tell the sisters that you’re not taking a dime and the proceeds can go to a charity.”

Riley’s head jerked up, and he looked at Clint as if he were a genius. Yeah, well, he would be about the only one to think that.

But Clint wasn’t here to dwell on the troubles back on the ranch, not when he was among people who’d been even closer to him for a time than his own family. He hadn’t ever thought that his relationship with the twins could get worse, except it had, a couple years ago, when Dad had passed on and split up his estate, giving Clint 60 percent of the cutting horse ranch and Jeremiah and Jason each 20 percent. It made all the sense in the world to Clint, who’d come back home after getting his agriculture business degree and developed the Circle BBB, while the twins had opted for the city and an agriculture development firm they’d built from the ground up.

Things never changed, and the twins still stuck together like glue. According to them, Clint didn’t know what he was doing with the ranch, even though he ran a solid and profitable operation. But, with their business experience “out in the world,” they thought they knew better.

“Why don’t you just drink on this auction business,” he said to Riley, raising his shot glass.

They slammed back their whisky, then bolted their glasses to the table.

As the waitress slid another round to them and left, Clint’s gaze inevitably fixed on Margot again. By now, she was resting her hand on Brad’s arm as they shared another joke.

Clint threw back the newest shot. He kept telling himself Brad was his fraternity brother. Brad was making her laugh when she needed it, which was more than Clint had accomplished earlier.

Riley was rolling up his sleeves, as if acknowledging it was going to be a long-ass reunion weekend. Then he noticed the direction of Clint’s gaze, and he followed it out the booth and over his shoulder, spying Margot.

He turned back to Clint, holding back a grin. “Got your email about the video this morning. Still have some feelings for her?”

“Not even a speck.” He was pissed that it was so obvious. “I just figured it’d be proper to do some damage control for her sake.”

“Right.” Riley fiddled with his glass. “Was Jay the one who posted that video?”

“It appears so. He runs his family’s farm now, so I got a hold of him there. He took the video down already.”

“Did you threaten to cuff him again?”

“No. I just did what my brothers do and I threw a few legal words around. That did the trick.”

“Why’d he even post it?”

“He said it was his contribution to the reunion, but you remember Jay well enough. He was bitter after we blackballed him for not paying dues and—”

“In general being a douche bag.”

“That, too.” Clint pushed his glass away. “Him posting the video was nothing against Margot, but it sure feels personal.”

Riley paused, making Clint shift in his seat. No use lying about how interested he still was in Margot.

“Just a warning,” Riley said. “Dani will even tell you that Margot is still as hard to get as ever.”

Now Clint’s pride was poked, and dammit, it’d been happening too much lately for him to tolerate it.

“She may be hard to get,” he said, “but not impossible.”

“Good luck, after what happened last night with the video.”

“She’ll put it behind her.”

“Whoa. Is that a challenge I hear?”

Clint smiled, then jerked his chin toward the bar. Margot sat right next to Brad, arm to arm.

God.

He glanced away, not wanting to watch, but clearly unable to help himself.

“Not that I want to encourage you,” Riley said, “because I think she’s a lost cause, but Brad doesn’t seem all that interested in her. I remember way back when he dated Margot that summer and it didn’t work out.”

Clint’s smile was back. “Why do you think that was?”

“You know Brad. His parents were conservative as hell and raised him to marry a girl who’d be a good wife. Margot was just a fling while he was interning far from home and both of them probably knew it wouldn’t go anywhere. Besides, he got divorced a few months ago, and he’s a long way from dating anyone again.” Riley picked up his next glass. “But if your mind is set on Margot, I’ll be your wingman. Dani knows that you’re not really the guy with the bad reputation you got because of some college joke. I don’t know why you never stressed to Margot that Jay was behind it all.”

“Wouldn’t have done any good. She’d already written me off.”

“So why do you think things will change now?”

“Just a hunch.”

Clint glanced at the ill-fated couple. Brad leaned his elbow on the bar instead of canting toward Margot, his disinterest clearer than shiny glass.

Maybe things would work out, he thought.

Maybe he would get to make everything up to her.

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