on the side with thick gravy, and Colt knew he was in for a treat.
Knowing it was rude not to wait, and not caring, he picked up his fork and cut into the meat.
“My God.” Ryder’s exclamation told him he wasn’t alone in his haste.
Colt chewed slowly to give his stomach a chance to prepare for the feast. “Damn, that’s good.”
“You look as if you’ve not seen a decent meal in ages. Isn’t Susie feeding you?” Matthew asked.
Colt froze, his gaze going directly to Susan. He had to strangle back a laugh because his woman’s face had gone totally red. He flicked a glance at Ryder and knew his friend wasn’t doing much better hanging on to his composure. Then he caught the incredulous stare Kelsey shot her husband.
“Um…why don’t we forget I just said that?”
“Do you think?” Susan asked.
Kelsey seemed determined to change the subject because she looked down at her plate. She speared a French fry with her fork. “Had some Canadian tourists in here the other day. Do you know they put vinegar on their fries?”
“I heard that,” Ryder said.
Everyone seemed fascinated with their lunch. Colt took another couple of bites and decided that Kelsey Benedict did have a talent in the kitchen.
“So, what have you been up to?” Steven asked of Susan, and Colt closed his eyes and shook his head. Was there any hope for this conversation?
“The roof line of her house, but that isn’t going to happen again anytime soon.” He knew Susan wouldn’t appreciate being put on the spot, but he thought the faster they steered away from double entendre hell, the better.
“Our sister does tend to want to try and do every damn thing herself,” Steven said. Colt thought he might always have that ruddy complexion.
“I’m right here, you moron. Why did I ever think the two of you were my favorite brothers?”
Colt wondered if all-out sibling war was imminent. The words “saved by the bell” came to mind when he heard the ringing of a cell phone. Until he realized the phone that was ringing was his.
He pulled the device out of his pocket and looked at the display. “Huh. Our office admin.” He and Ryder had both left instructions they were only to be called in the case of an emergency. His gut knotted. “Excuse me, please, while I take this.” He flipped open the phone. “Evans.”
“Colt? We have a problem.” His usually unflappable admin, Nancy, sounded scared. He shot a look at Ryder, who set down his fork, immediately alert.
“What kind of problem?”
“There’s been an explosion at the site of the number two rig. Colt, Murphy’s hurt. He’s hurt bad.”
Chapter 10
Susan hated the smell of hospitals. She didn’t know why, but there it was. Usually she only set foot in one under the most dire of circumstances.
One look at both Colt and Ryder’s expressions when they’d heard about the explosion and she knew there was no place she’d rather be than with them.
“Have you known him a long time?” She sat beside Ryder in the waiting room as they awaited news. Their friend and employee, Michael Murphy, was in surgery and had been since they’d arrived at the hospital in San Angelo. The men handled anxiety differently. Colt paced, Ryder hunkered down. Funny, I’d have thought they’d do the opposite .
“Yeah. As an employee, he’s been with us since the beginning.” Ryder huffed out a breath and sat back against the chair. She’d kept her hand on his leg, and now, he picked it up, threaded his fingers through hers. “I should say our second beginning. Actually, he’s the father neither of us ever had.”
Coldplay’s Viva La Vida began to play. Colt stopped in his pacing, pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “Evans.”
Ryder’s focus shifted to his partner. Susan wondered if the call was from Matthew. She’d been pleased her brother had volunteered to accompany them to the drill site—a private field outside San Angelo. When it became clear her men needed to get to
Knowing it was rude not to wait, and not caring, he picked up his fork and cut into the meat.
“My God.” Ryder’s exclamation told him he wasn’t alone in his haste.
Colt chewed slowly to give his stomach a chance to prepare for the feast. “Damn, that’s good.”
“You look as if you’ve not seen a decent meal in ages. Isn’t Susie feeding you?” Matthew asked.
Colt froze, his gaze going directly to Susan. He had to strangle back a laugh because his woman’s face had gone totally red. He flicked a glance at Ryder and knew his friend wasn’t doing much better hanging on to his composure. Then he caught the incredulous stare Kelsey shot her husband.
“Um…why don’t we forget I just said that?”
“Do you think?” Susan asked.
Kelsey seemed determined to change the subject because she looked down at her plate. She speared a French fry with her fork. “Had some Canadian tourists in here the other day. Do you know they put vinegar on their fries?”
“I heard that,” Ryder said.
Everyone seemed fascinated with their lunch. Colt took another couple of bites and decided that Kelsey Benedict did have a talent in the kitchen.
“So, what have you been up to?” Steven asked of Susan, and Colt closed his eyes and shook his head. Was there any hope for this conversation?
“The roof line of her house, but that isn’t going to happen again anytime soon.” He knew Susan wouldn’t appreciate being put on the spot, but he thought the faster they steered away from double entendre hell, the better.
“Our sister does tend to want to try and do every damn thing herself,” Steven said. Colt thought he might always have that ruddy complexion.
“I’m right here, you moron. Why did I ever think the two of you were my favorite brothers?”
Colt wondered if all-out sibling war was imminent. The words “saved by the bell” came to mind when he heard the ringing of a cell phone. Until he realized the phone that was ringing was his.
He pulled the device out of his pocket and looked at the display. “Huh. Our office admin.” He and Ryder had both left instructions they were only to be called in the case of an emergency. His gut knotted. “Excuse me, please, while I take this.” He flipped open the phone. “Evans.”
“Colt? We have a problem.” His usually unflappable admin, Nancy, sounded scared. He shot a look at Ryder, who set down his fork, immediately alert.
“What kind of problem?”
“There’s been an explosion at the site of the number two rig. Colt, Murphy’s hurt. He’s hurt bad.”
Chapter 10
Susan hated the smell of hospitals. She didn’t know why, but there it was. Usually she only set foot in one under the most dire of circumstances.
One look at both Colt and Ryder’s expressions when they’d heard about the explosion and she knew there was no place she’d rather be than with them.
“Have you known him a long time?” She sat beside Ryder in the waiting room as they awaited news. Their friend and employee, Michael Murphy, was in surgery and had been since they’d arrived at the hospital in San Angelo. The men handled anxiety differently. Colt paced, Ryder hunkered down. Funny, I’d have thought they’d do the opposite .
“Yeah. As an employee, he’s been with us since the beginning.” Ryder huffed out a breath and sat back against the chair. She’d kept her hand on his leg, and now, he picked it up, threaded his fingers through hers. “I should say our second beginning. Actually, he’s the father neither of us ever had.”
Coldplay’s Viva La Vida began to play. Colt stopped in his pacing, pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “Evans.”
Ryder’s focus shifted to his partner. Susan wondered if the call was from Matthew. She’d been pleased her brother had volunteered to accompany them to the drill site—a private field outside San Angelo. When it became clear her men needed to get to
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