AN: Hello dearests!

Welp. Another chapter that's the exact length that I said it wouldn't be. My b.

Disclaimer: Zach, Cammie, and the Gallagher Universe belong to Ally Carter.

Happy reading!


Zach's POV

Beeep beeep beeep

I groaned as the loudest alarm I'd ever heard dragged me from my sleep. With heavy, squinting eyes I checked the time.

Nope.

I slammed my hand down on the snooze button and rolled over. I hadn't woken up this early since Blackthorne.

I was almost blissfully asleep again when a taunting voice said, "Time to wake up, Zach. Breakfast is in a half hour, and we have some eggs to collect before then."

I opened my eyes a crack to find Ryden standing at the foot of my bed with a grin on his face. It was the same grin he wore when Grandpa Morgan had told me I'd be bunking with the ranch hands—far, far away from his granddaughter.

I scowled at him. "Isn't a rooster supposed to crow or something before you country folk get up?"

His smile, if possible, grew. "Rooster's still sleeping, city boy."

"Then so am I," I said, pulling the covers over my head.

"Alright," he laughed, walking toward the door. Finally. "Cammie and I will collect the eggs together, then."

What? Oh, heck no!

I threw the blanket off and jumped up, but Ryden was already gone.

I swore as I dressed at record-breaking speed. Mr. FarmFresh wasn't going to be spending alone time with my girlfriend. Not if I could help it.

I mean, a man doesn't call a woman "Cammie Cat" unless he's interested in her, right?

My feet were thunder on the stairs, and it took me only three strides to get from them to the doorway. I yanked the door open harshly and nearly slammed into Cammie, her arm half-raised in a pre-knock position.

"Zach," she said with a surprised laugh. "Where's the fire?"

Put out…for now.

"Nowhere," I said. "I was just excited to see you." I leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Good morning," I said lowly in her ear on the pull back.

She smiled up at me. "Good morning." Then she snorted. "You know, Zach, I was excited to see you too, but I still managed to put my clothes on properly."

I looked down at myself. "What do you—" Oh.

My shirt was on backward, my pants were inside out, and I was wearing two different shoes.

"How the heck didn't you notice when you were buttoning your pants, you weirdo?"

I had no answer to that.

"I was going to have you collect eggs with me, but it looks like you need a few more minutes," she said, giving my chest a small push back into the house.

"I won't be long," I told her.

She reached up and fixed my hair, combing her fingers through it—something else I hadn't bothered doing in my rush to get ready. "It's okay. Take your time. Ryden and I can gather the eggs. Can't we?"

"No problem, Cammie Cat."

I stiffened and turned slowly to find Ryden leaning against the kitchenette's counter, looking very cowboy in a blue flannel, worn jeans, and black cowboy boots. He raised his mug of coffee in my direction like a salute. "Glad to see you managed to wake up," he mocked.

My hands fisted and my jaw tightened, and Ryden sipped his coffee, amusement in his eyes.

Cammie, who has had more experience with people fighting over who got to kill her rather than who got to kiss her, was completely unaware of what was happening here. She gave me another push toward the stairs, and said, "Go on. I'll see you in the main house in thirty, okay?"

"Okay," I muttered, not taking my eyes off of Ryden as he placed his mug in the sink then walked to the door.

He smiled at Cammie as he passed her. "Ready?"

"Yep." Then she was gone.

Ryden followed after her, and I trudged back up the stairs.

"Oh, and Zach."

I spun back around at the sound of Cammie's voice. "Yeah?"

She winked at me from the doorway. "Don't forget to brush your teeth this time."

I raced back down the stairs, huffing my breath at her. She squealed and ran off before I could catch her. Leaning against the door jamb, I watched as she ran halfway across the dark, open yard then stopped and looked back. The porch light reached just far enough to touch a smile that I'd once worked very long and very hard to get directed at me. These days she gave them freely, and I chuckled a bit as I imagined how jealous sophomore-year-Zach would be if he could see me now. She blew me a kiss then ran the rest of the way to the chicken coop…to Ryden.

My smile dropped as I heard him laugh at something Cammie said.

Sophomore-Zach isn't the only jealous one around here.

It was going to be a long week.


AN: Thank you for reading this here chapter! It's appreciated much! Feel free to leave an encouraging comment or a helpful critique! OR just think those things and beam them directly into my mind with telepathic brain power. But please be courteous if you plan on doing the latter. I'm on Eastern Daylight Time. I don't need "THIS WAS THE BEST/WORST CHAPTER EVER!" shouted into my mind in the middle of night. Thx.

Speaking of telepathic communication, I think I hear some of you now saying "Ooooo! Tension!" And a few others saying, "Who the H E Double Hockey Sticks does this Ryden kid think he is?!" Listen, friends. I hear you. I feel you. And in my most sympathetic and comforting of tones, I'm telepathically saying back, "It's going to get worse before it gets better. Sorry not sorry."

Much love, Rachel