Buckle Down by Melissa Ecker Read Free Book Online

his nose out of your business.”
    Tess nodded. “It doesn’t matter. It’s over already.”
    “Not because of your two knucklehead brothers, I hope.”
    “No. There’s another woman involved. I can’t deal with that.”
Tess laughed without humor.
    Olivia reached out and touched her hand. “I’m sorry. It’s
his loss, honey.”
    Tess didn’t know why it hurt this much. She barely knew
Shane. But she had shared her body with him. Not something she took lightly and,
for the life of her, she couldn’t understand why she had done that. Everything
about him said he was wrong for her, but when he touched her he ignited some
primal flame that only he could extinguish. And the sex had been phenomenal. It
was purely an animal attraction.
    Sadly, that was what kept coming back to her mind. Could she
be so shallow to just use him for sex? Even knowing he was probably fucking
Phoebe, too? Her jealous heart said no, but her body said yes. She laughed.
    Olivia smiled at her. “Penny for your thoughts.”
    Tess rolled her eyes and picked at her sandwich. “It’s
just…” She lowered her voice to whisper and shielded her face with her hand to
keep Ella from hearing or seeing. “The sex was really good.”
    Olivia smiled and raised her eyebrows. “Yeah, that can
muddle the mind sometimes.”
    “Please don’t tell me anything about my brother. I’d like to
be able to finish my food.” Tess shook her head and already started to feel
better.
    “Yeah. Totally not going there.” Olivia popped a French fry
into her mouth. “So, are you rethinking your position?”
    Tess almost spit out her tea and wiped her mouth with her
napkin.
    “I didn’t mean that kind of position. Jesus. Maybe
you should rethink this.” Olivia winked at her and flashed a smile.
    She reminded Tess of the classic pretty girl who lived next door.
Dark red hair and a few freckles across her nose. She wore little makeup and
didn’t really need it. And Cade loved Olivia more than anything. His little
family was his entire world.
    “My body says I’m a fool if I give up, my mind says don’t be
stupid.” Tess poked the pickle spear on the edge of her plate. “Why can’t I
find someone like Cade? He’s the sweetest guy I know. He always has been.”
    “I’m lucky to have him and Ella. You’ll find someone, Tess.
God, you’re what…twenty-two? You’ve got plenty of time. Finish school and enjoy
your freedom. You don’t know what I’d give to go back and change the choices I
made when I was your age.”
    Tess knew about Olivia’s past. The abuse she had endured at
the hand of her ex-boyfriend was unimaginable. Tess had never been in a fight
with, let alone hit by a man. If anyone deserved someone like Cade, Olivia did.
    Ella dipped a chicken nugget in ketchup and licked it.
    “You need to come stay with Aunt Tess soon, my little princess.”
Tess rubbed Ella’s leg.
    Ella nodded and smiled before chomping on the chicken
nugget.
    Olivia paid for lunch and kissed Tess on the cheek,
promising to bring Ella over.
    Tess felt more at ease after talking with Olivia. She was
more than just her sister-in-law, she had become her friend.
    Every time Tess’ mind wandered to Shane, she tried to think
of something else. He had called a few times and sent a few text messages,
which she had ignored. He finally stopped. The championship started in a few
days, so surely he was busy prepping. He didn’t need her complicating things
for him.
    She missed Tippi, but going to the ranch meant she was sure
to run into Shane or Phoebe and she did not have the want to deal with either
of them.
    Her parents would be back in a few days, so she cleaned the house
and changed into shorts and a t-shirt to wash her dad’s truck. The hose was
coiled beside the house and she unwound it and turned the spigot on. She
squirted some dish soap into a bucket and filled it with water. Kicking her
flip flops off, she dipped a sponge into the suds and ran it over the hood of
the