Read Online No Strings Attached (Last Hope Ranch Book 1) by Amanda McIntyre - Free Book Online Page A

“That helps to explain calling me Little Miss Bossy Butt in front of everyone and telling me to mind my own damn business.” She looked up in thought. “And something about not needing anything from some backwoods grade school music teacher—or something along those lines.”
    Clay’s face crumpled into a grimace. “Your memory is pretty good.” He looked down and sighed. “Honestly, you were probably right at the time, calling me out like that.” He looked at her. “I am better—emotionally stronger. Being here at the ranch has helped tremendously. Just feeling productive—moving forward with my life.” He released a sigh. “I think I was in a lot of denial still. Mad at the world in general. If it’s any consolation, Rein, Dalton, and poor Hank, got the brunt of that part of me back then as well. I’m damn lucky for their patience and friendship, that they reminded me of the man they knew as their friend in college.”
    Her gaze searched his before she spoke. “Life changes for sure. Sometimes, it’s hard to remember in those moments the things inside us that make us truly good.”
    Clay thought on her words, and then held out his hand with a smile. “Truce?”
    She accepted his hand and, to his delight, smiled. “Truce, at least until the next time I need to kick your butt.”
    He chuckled. “Fair enough, bossy butt.” This conversation, much to his relief, had taken a great weight from his shoulders. That said—he wasn’t sure she was prepared yet to hear his thoughts on the recent “baby daddy” rumors circling around town. What he did notice was that she hadn’t yet released his hand. She was smiling at him.
    “What?” Not that he minded one bit holding her hand or having her beautiful smile directed at him.
    “It’s just that I haven’t felt this good about being friends with a guy in a long time. I hadn’t realized how much I missed it.”
    Being her perceived big brother was all well and good in theory, but the tightening below his belt proved otherwise.
    “Sally,” he said, brushing his thumb over the back of her hand. “I heard something today that I wanted to ask you about.” He waded into the ‘baby daddy’ waters, not wanting to disrupt what progress they’d made.
    Her eyes widened and she tugged her hand from his, bolting toward the stairs. “We really need to get some rest.”
    “Sally?” He shifted to look at her as she walked hurriedly away.
    She paused on the stairs, tapped the railing gently, and then looked at him. “Please don’t ruin it.” She held his gaze. “Goodnight, Clay.”

Chapter Four
     
    Sally pushed back the hair from her face. She’d waded to the back of the walk-in closet, climbing over boxes and plastic tubs that she kept telling herself she’d have to go through one of these days. Today wasn’t that day. But her suitcases, at least a decade old, were stuffed at the very back of the closet. Which reminded her how often she’d gotten out of this little town.
    “Hey, are you in here?” Rein stuck his head inside the door. The bare bulb with its yellowed string pull illuminated the spot just inside the door, and little else. She looked over her shoulder and saw him searching for her in the shadows. “Sal, you need a flashlight?”
    “I’m good,” she answered. She knew exactly where the suitcases were stored. Her knee bumped against the sharp corner of an ornate frame. “Ow, dammit,” she muttered. She’d forgotten about the old mirror that her mother had once hung above the fireplace mantel.
    “Do you need any help?”
    She planted her hands on the stack of containers stacked between her and her set of tweed Samsonite luggage. It had been a graduation gift from high school—for college and beyond. Wide-eyed and full of adventure, she couldn’t wait to taste college life, to be on her own—away from the arguments between her parents that had then plagued her daily life. She had dreams of visiting places where music was