In Bed With My Ex's Brother-in-Law novel · Chapter 17 of 32

Chapter 17: The Email

I read it three times in the dashboard light.

It didn't change.

Kacey told me about the mares. Fine by us.

Under it, his name. Rance Bridger, Bridger Ranch, and his phone number.

"When?" I said.

"A week before the wedding." Kacey had both hands wrapped around her stethoscope. "Noreen told me at the dress fitting. She thought it was funny. I drove straight to the house and told Rance."

"And he said?"

"He said let it happen." Her voice went thin. "I begged him to call you. He said if you heard it from us, you'd stay and fight Noreen for them. If she did it in front of everybody, you'd walk."

The truck heater ticked.

"I should've told you myself," she said. "In the pantry. I almost did."

"I know. I saw your face."

"Shiloh..."

"Not you," I said. "Not right now."

I got out of the truck.

He was standing where I'd left him, in the snow by the grulla, with the Jessup yard lights on him.

He saw the paper in my hand.

He knew what it was before I got to him. I watched him know it.

He didn't look away.

That was the worst part. I wanted him to look away.

"Tell me it's fake," I said.

"It's not fake."

Behind me, the Jessup pack had gone quiet again. Wolves have good ears, and every one of them was using them.

I didn't care.

"You knew," I said. "A week before. You knew she was going to stand up at that wedding and give my mother's horses to your sister in front of both packs."

"Yes."

"And you wrote her back. Fine by us."

"Yes."

"Why?"

He took a breath.

"Because I needed her to keep the deal alive until I found the proof," he said. "And because I wanted you out of that house."

"You said that already."

"I didn't say all of it." His voice was very low. "I figured if she shamed you bad enough, in front of enough people, you'd walk. And I'd be sitting at the table by the door."

The snow came down between us.

"You bet my mother's mares on it," I said.

"Yes."

"You let me stand in that barn with the lead in my hand."

"Yes."

"You let me walk out of there with nothing but the shirt on my back."

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