“PBR.”
“No shit?” He chuckles. “And?”
“They want me to ride in the next one. Red Bull wants to sponsor me.”
“Damn. You gonna do it?”
I shake my head, my eyes landing on Pops. I can’t leave him now. He needs me more than ever.
“Okay! Family wedding planning meeting is starting! Everyone, grab a drink so you don’t have to interrupt me, then gather around!” Dolly enters the kitchen, a binder tucked under her arm.
She exhales and flips her dark hair over her shoulder dramatically, like we’re all stressing her out by not immediately dropping what we’re doing to do her bidding.
Sam is on her heels, already obeying every word she saysby grabbing a couple of beers out of the fridge. He tosses me and Holden each one before standing next to his fiancée.
I pop mine open and take a long swig.
“Rosie, you are in charge of florals, the grazing table, and the caterer. They have your contact information.”
Rosie nods. “On it.”
“Eden, can you handle the hair and makeup people when they get here? Just make sure they know where to park and how to find us.”
Eden nods, twisting a golden hair around her finger. She’s rubbing her growing belly. She’s quiet, but we all really like her. When Sterling asked us if she could stay in the bunkhouse while he’s overseas, we all agreed to take care of her. She mostly keeps to herself.
Dolly smiles and thanks her before she turns to Holden. “I need you to get the tables and chairs here.”
She faces me. “Duke, you’re playing guitar for our first dance while Monroe sings. After it’s over and during the reception, I need you to manage the drinks and keep the coolers filled with ice, beer, and champagne. Can you do that? Just bring more out from the house when things are getting low.”
I nod. “Got it. Do I get to pick my own assistant?”
Dolly shuts her eyes and purses her lips. “Rosie, I think it’s time.”
I glance at my sister-in-law, who’s currently shooting daggers at my face with her glare.
I hold up my hands. “What did I do?”
Rosie goes to stand beside Dolly, tucking her copper hair behind her ear. “Don’t play dumb. You keep messing withDallas, and it’s not okay. She literally got divorced five seconds ago.”
Dolly raises her voice, gesturing. “She doesn’t need some playboy who can’t keep it in his pants! She has two little boys! She needs support and stability and some time to heal, not a man-whore trying to crawl into her bed. We’re her friends, trying to sincerely help her, and you’re being a real pain in the ass, making it complicated for us because she doesn’t even want to come on the rodeo trip because she’s afraid you’re going to try to seduce her.”
I take a step back, bumping into the counter. I glance around at Holden and Sam, who are both suddenly interested in the nutrition label on their beer.
Dolly and Rosie are a united front, arms crossed and determination in their pinched expressions. The foreign sensation of guilt tingles up my spine.
“Okay, I didn’t realize it was like that. I wasn’t just trying to seduce her. Well, I mean, yeah, I was, but I wanted to get to know her too.”
I can’t say the wordsI like her. Because then I’ll sound like an even bigger dick for going after a woman who was divorced, as Rosie puts it, literally five seconds ago.
“Well, now you know. We don’t appreciate it. You have tons of options. Leave our friend out of it. She’s in therapy. She’s doing the work. You’re bad for her,” Dolly finishes, picking the binder back up and listing off more wedding assignments.
“You’re bad for her.”
The words rattle around in my brain. I know I’m barely twenty-six, and she’s turning thirty soon, but hearing it saidlike that from my own sister hurts more than I would have thought.
I know Dallas needs time to heal. Maybe I have been selfish, constantly hitting on her and flirting with her.
It unsettles me, and I lie in bed awake that night, tossing and turning and wondering exactly when my life started to crumble around me.