Page 58 of Auctioned to the Cowboys

“Of course.” She fixes four glasses and puts them onto a tray. “I think we should take the rest of these treats outside.” Nodding at the box, she smiles tentatively, and I follow her and the twins outside, clutching my peace offering. The power of baked goods should never be underestimated.

When the kids are done drinking, they run off to play again, leaving me with Beth.

She fastens her hair into a loose ponytail, watching her kids play. “Me and Jesse were like them once upon a time. He was older, of course, but we played together like they do.”

“I’ve seen pictures,” I say, fiddling with the hem of my shirt, remembering carefree times with Molly before everything turned ugly.

“I just want what’s best for him,” she says. “I just want him to have what I have: a spouse, kids, and a happy family. When he lost Kai, my heart broke. It was terrible. I kept telling him he’d find happiness again, that he could start over, but he wasn’t ready to hear it.”

“He’s ready now.” The softness in my voice turns Beth’s head. She tips her head to look at me, scrutinizing but not in a way that feels unkind.

“Aren’t you too young for all this, Taylor? For three men, to manage their needs and demands, to give them what they want.”

“I don’t want kids yet,” I admit. “I’ve told Jesse, and he’s prepared to wait until I’m ready.”

“You’ve had that conversion?”

I nod. “It’s important to him, so it’s important to me. I told him I wanted to start my own business. I want to be financially independent. I know they want to take care of me. They’ve even told me they’ll take care of Molly. But I need my own security. I can’t be dependent anymore—not after what happened with my dad.”

Beth nods and sits back in her chair, stretching her legs out in front of her.

“I can’t say that I’d have chosen this for my brother, but if it’s what he wants… I guess I can accept it.”

I close my eyes, momentarily overwhelmed by the relief that rushes through me. “Thank you, Beth. I can’t tell you how important your support is to Jesse.”

“We’re all the family we have left,” she says. “We have to stick together.”

“Exactly,” I say.

The doorbell rings, and Beth glances at me questioningly. “It’s probably Maverick. You can meet Molly.”

I follow her back through the house, pausing as she opens the front door.

Maverick’s expression is pensive, but he quickly applies a smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts. Luckily, I’ve already managed to thaw Beth’s.

“Molly demolished that ice cream sundae in record time. I swear, I’ve never seen such a small person eat so much dessert in one sitting.”

“She’s got a thing for ice cream.” I smile. I wave her over, and she climbs out of the truck. Approaching with uncertainty, she slows every step and curls her shoulders.

“This is Beth,” I say. “Jesse’s sister. This is Molly, my sister.”

“It’s good to meet you, Molly.” Beth holds out a hand formally, which Molly shakes. Her big eyes focus on the older woman, assessing whether she’s good or bad. The hypervigilance is going to take a while for her to lose.

“You ready to go?” Maverick asks. The question behind this is clear to both me and Beth.

“She’s ready.” Beth nods and, in that simple gesture, confirms that I achieved what I intended. She’s not sitting outside our lives behind a wall of disapproval anymore. She’s back inside the family shelter.

True trust will take time to develop between us, but I hope this is the first step toward achieving harmony for us all.

20

CLINT

LETTING GO

Weary from a hard day’s work, me and Jesse drag ourselves in through the back door before discarding our boots, hats, and overshirts. Taylor is nowhere to be seen but Maverick is in the kitchen, eying a tray of goodies that are cooling on the counter. The aroma is delicate, but the impact is immense.

“The girls are upstairs,” Maverick says. “We brought some things from town to make Beth’s room feel more like Molly’s.”

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