Spencer Hope Dutton. Tiny. The youngest of the Dutton household, if only by a few minutes. She swore those few minutes after Kayce popped out were the only moments of peace she had in life...
Now Spencer's family is being pushed to the brink and her...
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June 2010
It was yet another weekend that Spencer found herself dragging her guitar to the bar so she could hang out with the rest of the wranglers. Home for the summer, Spencer found herself meshing in with the new group of men her father had brought in. She was happy they were actually pulling their weight, despite not being branded to the ranch. The newest hire, Ryan, that was who Spencer clicked with the best; seemingly filling the hole that Kayce had left in her heart. He had cut contact when she went back to school, something about joining the Navy and having a kid was too much. She didn't buy it but let her brother slip away from the last member of his family who gave a damn about him.
"I can't let you in Spence," Austin, the bouncer at Outlaws said. She flashed her biggest smile at the man, hoisting her guitar up from the ground next to her.
"Please?"
The man grumbled, pulling the big Sharpie from his pocket, leaving Spencer upset but happy to at least be in as he waved her through.
"I'll split the pot with you Austin!" She called over her shoulder as she ran inside before he changed his mind.
The bar was packed, but Spencer quickly found herself slinking through the crowd to the rambunctious group of men hollering from the side wall at the drunk tourist screeching into the microphone. Their tone drastically changed, however, at the sight of the young redhead. Cheers of blessing sounded out, making Spencer laugh at the antics of the drunk wranglers.
"Buck I don't think I've ever been happier to see that beat up guitar," Lloyd shouted over the ruckus of the men surrounding him.
"What do you want to hear first, Lloyd?"
He threw his hand in the air, dismissing the question, making Spencer laugh. The older man was secretly the biggest Carrie Underwood fan, and it was absolutely hysterical to Spencer when she found Lloyd serenading the horses when she was younger. He had sworn the young girl to secrecy, but she always made it a point to throw him a song or two.
Spencer had made her way to the karaoke area and Alex's face sagged in relief. Alex had never been a fan of the karaoke, but her uncle- who owned Outlaws- used it for his own entertainment, pushing the girl to keep an eye on it. However, when Spencer had first started bugging him to let her play two years prior, the man melted under the redhead's fiery stare. And now her playing brought him even more business, which he never turned away.
"I am so happy to see you, I thought you weren't coming when I saw the guys show up without you," Alex rushed out, tossing her brown hair over her shoulder. "Please tell me you're back for good?"
Spencer shook her head, "Just the summer, but it's my last year so I'll be back soon."
Alex only nodded, happy that her torture had an end date as she shoved Spencer onto the makeshift stage that stood at the back of the bar. The lights dimmed slightly, letting her look out to see the wranglers cheering her on. She did her best to avoid the gaze of the less than savory characters that always seemed to loiter around the shitty bar. But then gaze locked somewhere else.
In the distance, Spencer could make out that someone, a man, was walking in, and she felt the air leave her lungs. It had been just about six months since Spencer laid eyes on Rip Wheeler, and here he was, in the flesh. And it seemed like she wasn't the only one who had grown up.
Rip walked in slowly, doing his best to keep his eyes off the singing redhead. Because he knew once his eyes fell on her, she would be the only thing he looked at for the rest of the night. He knew she was back in town, he heard the truck come in late the night before. And he had also heard the argument that she had on the phone with her boyfriend, which pissed Rip off to no end. Ex-boyfriend, he had to remind himself as he felt his anger begin to bubble over.
"Rip! 'Bout time you joined us!" Lloyd yelled, waving him over and smacking a beer into his hand.
It was nearing the end of the night, and Spencer finally got the nod from Alex that she could abandon her post on the stage. A water was placed in her hand, and it took most of Spencer's willpower to drink it instead of dumping it over her face. She looked up, smiling gratefully at the face belonging to the water. Rip.
"Thought I saw you walk in," she smiled, although her voice became incredibly shy.
Rip smiled and nodded, but looked away as fast as he could. Spencer thought it was because of her, and in a way it was. But the only thing Rip could do to contain himself until the group left was put distance between him and Spencer. Watching her sing, he could do that for the rest of his life.
Eventually Alex came over to kick them out, much to the relief of Rip and Spencer, although the rest of the wranglers were less than happy. Spencer smiled as she all but carried a piss drunk Ryan to the truck, struggling to hold him up and grab her guitar.
"I got the guitar Darling," Rip spoke from behind her, "Get the greenie to the truck in one piece and we'll call it even."
Spencer couldn't respond, gulping hard as she nodded. The look on Rip's face, well damn if it didn't set her on fire. His eyes had traveled from the handle of the guitar case, up her arm and landed on her lips. She had seen it, he knew she had, but it sent a thrill through him when she gave him the same look before walking away.
"You're playing with fire there Boy," Lloyd cackled, laughing harder as Rip broke from his trance staring at the sway of Spencer's hips. He tried to speak, but Lloyd kept talking. "You better think real hard about the trouble you're getting into if you mess with Spencer Dutton. Beth was one thing, we all knew that shit was one sided. But Buck is the baby of that family. You hurt her, it'll be the last thing you ever do."
And all Rip could think about was how trouble had never looked so fine before.
Spencer had finally been able to unload the last wrangler from the truck, waving a goodnight to Lloyd as she began the walk up to the main house. But with each step she felt herself drawn to the foreman's house instead. Drawn to the man sitting on the steps, drinking what was likely only his second beer of the night.
"Bar wasn't up to your standards?" She called as she approached, her hands tucked into her back pockets.
Rip smiled but shook his head. "Guess I was just a little distracted."
"Distracted by what?"
He turned, finally soaking her in for the first time that night. And God, if that didn't re spark a fire in Spencer's blood.
"You."
She wasn't sure who kissed who first, but all Spencer knew was that she had never felt something so right in her life. She knew she'd have to tell him, tell both of them. But that would have to wait for another day. Because right now, the only thing that mattered to her was Rip's hands on her waist and her fingers in his hair.
