Thunderstruck. Vicki Lewis Thompson

that, don’t you, bro?”

      “’Fraid so. But if you’re not ready for that kind of commitment, then—”

      “I’m not. But you want to know the weird thing about this? Phil has no intention of trying to change me. She accepts that I’m a guy who isn’t into the white picket fence routine. She’s a-okay with a temporary arrangement.”

      “Wow, that’s kind of different.”

      “I know, but she’s different. She’s strong and she’s savvy. I’ve never met anyone like her. She grew up with guys like me and she has no illusions. She’d rather not be attracted to me, but she is.”

      “Nothing new there. That’s the story of your life ever since you hit puberty.”

      “But Phil’s so practical about it. Instead of trying to make this into something it isn’t, she seems fine with having a great time for a few days and then going our separate ways.”

      “But then there’s Rosie, who expects you to ride off into the sunset together.”

      “Yeah. So, um...” Damon rubbed the back of his neck. “Would you consider talking to her about Phil and me?”

      Cade chuckled and shook his head. “Nice try. That’s your job, and somehow you have to make it stick.”

      “Phil understands how it is with me. Why can’t Rosie?”

      “Because you’re one of her boys. She has definite ideas about how our lives should turn out. She’s a fixer. That was what got her into social work all those years ago, and what prompted her and Herb to turn the ranch into a foster home.”

      “We’re damned lucky she’s a fixer,” Damon said. “She saved my bacon, that’s for sure.”

      “She saved all of us, and she...well, she can’t stop trying to help. She thinks matching you up with Phil was a stroke of genius, and before you go blaming it all on Rosie, it was Lexi’s idea to start with.”

      “Wait, there’s the plan! I don’t know why I didn’t think of it. I’ll talk to Lexi, who should understand given that she’s dragging her feet regarding you.”

      “Hey! Tender subject.”

      “Sorry. But see, I could talk to Lexi, and Lexi could talk to Rosie. How’s that?”

      “It would have sounded great to me when we were in junior high.”

      “Shit.” Damon sighed. “You’re right. I have to face Rosie, which will be damned embarrassing, and find a way to explain that Phil and I will be nothing more than friends with benefits.”

      “Can I hide in the closet and listen?”

      “No. And if there’s a rubber snake in my bed tonight I swear I’ll sneak over to Lexi’s duplex and duct-tape the front door while you two are in there doing it. So watch yourself.”

      Cade just grinned at him. “It’s good to have you back, bro. Let’s go have another beer before we call it a night.”

      “Sounds fine to me, but Lexi probably wants to take you home and have her way with you.”

      “She probably does, but we need to drink another beer so she can slip out to your cabin and get rid of that rubber snake.”