Carter (Remington Ranch Book 3) by SJ McCoy Page B

Beau?”
    Summer laughed. “About having everyone over for dinner, silly!”
    “You want to invite him again after what happened last time?”
    “That wasn’t his fault! He’s a nice guy. I feel a bit sorry for him; it seems like he’s the outcast of the family.”
    Cassidy frowned. “I wouldn’t go that far. He’s not exactly an outcast, he’s just not as close as the other three are. But it strikes me that that’s by his choice, not anyone else’s.”
    Summer shrugged. “Maybe, but I don’t think he’s as bad as everyone makes him out to be.”
    Cassidy laughed. “There goes my little bleeding heart, Summer. You’re too soft. Anyway, enough about Beau. It’s Carter I want to hear about. What happened last night? Come on through to the back and you can tell me all about it.”

Chapter Six
     
    Carter looked up at the sound of a truck approaching. Mason. What was he doing here? He walked around the house to meet his brother as he pulled up.
    “How’s it going?” asked Mason as he got out of the truck.
    Carter nodded. “It’s going well. We’re just getting finished up here. Should have everything finished by the end of the week. I’m sure Cassidy will be glad to have us out of her hair finally.”
    Mason looked around. “You’ve done a great job on the place.”
    Carter nodded. “I can’t take much credit for this one. Old Mr. Allen had already drawn up what he wanted to do with the place before he sold it to Cassidy. She liked what he’d come up with and added a few touches of her own. I just did the grunt work.”
    Mason smiled and shook his head. “Nah, sorry, Carter. I’m not buying it. Mr. Allen drew up his plans under your guidance and Cassidy sought your advice on everything she wanted. You can say what you like, but I can tell, this place is one of your designs. It’s got your name written all over it.”
    Carter dropped his gaze and toed the gravel.
    “Don’t be so modest.” Mason grasped his shoulder. “Own your genius.”
    Carter had to laugh at that. “I’d hardly call it genius. I’m just good at knowing what to plant where. It’s not exactly rocket science.”
    Mason gave his shoulder a gentle shake. “There are different kinds of smart, you know. I could never do what you do. Hell, I bet there aren’t any rocket scientists who could.”
    Carter had to laugh at that. “Thanks, Mase. But I’m fine with who I am. You don’t need to build me up every time we talk.”
    Mason let go of his shoulder and punched his arm. “Who says I’m trying to build you up? If you must know, I was trying to sweeten you up, since I have a favor to ask.”
    “Well, you don’t need to sweeten me up for that. Of course I’ll help. What do you need?”
    Mason laughed. “Don’t you think you should find out what I need before you say you’ll help? You don’t know what you’re letting yourself in for. You might hate the idea.”
    Carter shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Whatever it is, I want to help.” It was true. Helping his brother and taking care of his family was more important than any inconvenience it might cause to himself.
    “I wondered if you could give me a hand this weekend. I’ve been training some horses for the McLellan Ranch. They said they didn’t need them out there until the end of the month, but now they need them back next weekend. They’re pretty much ready to go, but I want to put them through a final bombproofing this weekend. Make sure none of them have any spook left in ’em.”
    Carter nodded slowly. He’d helped Mason out with the horses many a time in the past. He enjoyed riding them through scenarios that might frighten them. Mason trained them to cross water, pass fire, pass waving flags, all kinds of things. He liked to bombproof them, as he called it, before the ranches trusted them to take visitors out on the trails. The only problem was Carter had been planning on spending as much time as he could with Summer this weekend.
    Mason studied his