Free Colters' Lady: Colters’ Legacy, Book 2 by Maya Banks Page A

affectionately at his chest.
    “Hey, Dad, you got a minute?”
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    Colters’ Lady
    Ryan looked up and dropped his hand from the horse’s neck. “Michael, where the hell have you been?
    You had your mother all worried, and Lord knows she’s worried enough about her other kids.” Michael chuckled. “Have I ever been any trouble?”
    Ryan snorted. “You and Dillon. It’s a wonder I survived your childhood. You tortured poor Seth endlessly and made us all crazy in the process.”
    He walked toward Michael and put his arm over Michael’s shoulders. “What’s up, son?” Michael allowed Ryan to walk him outside into the bright sunshine. As nasty as it had been the day before, spring had won the battle once again, and it was marginally warmer.
    They walked to the far edge of the fenced section that overlooked the drop-off to Callie’s Meadow.
    Ryan leaned on the newly replaced wooden fence and glanced sideways at Michael.
    He didn’t say anything, but then Ryan had never been particularly verbose. He simply waited for Michael to say what was on his mind.
    “I’ve met a woman,” Michael said, surprised by how nervous he was having this conversation with his dad. Thirty years old and he still felt like a teenager crushing on his classmate.
    Ryan lifted one eyebrow in Michael’s direction. “You say this like it’s a bad thing.” Michael ran a hand through his hair and blew out his breath. “It’s complicated.” Ryan chuckled. “Meeting a woman is always complicated. So, tell me about her. How in the world did you manage to meet a woman when you spend more time with your animals than you do people?” Michael shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I met her when I went down to Seth’s yesterday.”
    At that Ryan frowned. “What were you doing down there? Is anything wrong?”
    “No. I wanted to talk to him about Callie. Talk him into coming up so maybe he could find out what’s going on with her.”
    “And did he?”
    “Yeah, he’s in town now.”
    “Your mom’s worried about her.” Ryan’s eyes flickered, and he focused his gaze on the distant patch of land that was Callie’s namesake. “I’m worried about her.” Ryan turned back to Michael. “So where did you meet this woman? She must have made a hell of a first impression if you only just met her and she’s got you tied in knots.”
    “There’s no easy way to ask this,” Michael muttered. “I wanted to know about you and the dads. And Mom.”
    Ryan shot him an inquisitive look but didn’t interrupt.
    “I met Lily at Seth’s.”
    He stared at Ryan, waiting for his dad to make the connection.

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    49

    Maya Banks
    Ryan’s lips came together and understanding dawned. “Ah. Damn. I take it this woman is important to Seth.”
    “He just met her too,” Michael said in frustration. “The day before I did. Christ, this is complicated, Dad. You have to know, none of us have ever batted an eye over the way we grew up. But none of us ever imagined that we’d go the same route. I mean, it sounds crazy. Two days ago I would have laughed in your face and said not only would it never happen, but it would never work. And then I met Lily, saw how Seth was with Lily, and I knew that neither of us is going to back down an inch.”
    “So you want to know what? If it works? If we threatened to kill each other in the beginning? What?”
    “I want to know what kind of fucked-up gene you passed on to your kids,” Michael grumbled.
    Ryan threw back his head and laughed. He sighed and slapped Michael’s shoulder then squeezed.
    “It’s not funny. What the hell am I supposed to do?”
    “The question is less about what you’re going to do and more about how Seth is handling this.” Michael sighed. “He isn’t any happier about it than I am.”
    “Seems like you’ve got a problem then.”
    “Anyone ever tell you that you have a gift for understatement, Dad?”