Page 87 of Sheriff's City Girl

“I have no doubt that we can make it work,” Mason shot me a wink before slipping into the bathroom. I sat up, running my fingers through my tangled hair as he appeared from the doorway, holding a warm damp towel. He helped me clean up, and I grabbed one of his t-shirts, pulling it over my head.

“So…” I began, taking a deep breath. “How was your day?”

Mason’s shoulders sagged as he grabbed his boxer briefs and slipped into them. “Well, I found out that Lucas only has thirty days before he loses the ranch. He said some bank officer came by today. He’s got a whole list of people who want to buy it out from under him. I think it’s really shitty.”

I nodded, having heard similar news from Lily. “We’ll figure something out.”

Mason held my eyes for a second longer before looking at his feet. “I sure as hell hope so.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Mason

Itook a long sip of my coffee, enjoying the cool of the morning on the front porch of the cabin. Emma was taking Jess to school, and the more time they spent together, the closer they got—and it was heartwarming to watch their bond grow.

But damn, I was tired of being stuck around the house.

Don’t get me wrong, Emma was amazing, and she was there all the time. She made all the meals, cleaned the house, and somehow managed to keep up with her own business—all the while being pregnant. We had the anatomy scan coming up in a week, and I was already nervous. Would I have another girl? Or would there be a hell-raising boy running around?

The sound of tires on gravel caught my attention, especially since there shouldn’t be anyone coming back here. I shifted in my rocking chair, the motion sending a wave of pain through my chest.

“Damnit,” I muttered, wincing. I rubbed the sore spot on my chest and gazed up to see two vehicles tearing down my driveway. I watched in silence as a patrol car and ranch truck parked beside my Bronco.

“You look chipper this mornin’,” Jackson grinned at me as he climbed out. He slammed the door and headed for the steps of the porch, trotting up them in the same way I used to—and now couldn’t.

“Shouldn’t you be working?” I leaned back in the chair, watching as Lucas slowly but surely made his way to the porch. His demeanor was much less positive, and I could only imagine why.

“I am working,” Jackson rolled his eyes, glancing back at Lucas. “And we got a lot to talk about.”

I let out a heavy sigh. “Want some coffee then?”

Jackson shook his head. “No thanks.”

“What about you?” I nodded to Lucas who had just joined us. He was leaning against the porch railing, his eyes downcast to his boots.

Looking up, he shook his head. “Nah.”

I studied his blank expression. “You made any progress with the bank?”

“Nope.” He popped the p in the word, and then glanced over to Jackson. “And we discovered the load of heifers we were going to take to the sale at the end of the month have magically fucking disappeared.”

My jaw dropped. “What?”

Jackson nodded. “Yep.”

“But Graham is in jail. Thought that was supposed to be the end of that. Rangers seemed to think that he was behind the whole thing.”

“Well, either he’s got connections on the outside, or maybe it’s not all that connected,” Lucas grunted. “I’m starting to wonder if Graham didn’t have a hand in it at all.”

The chair beside me squeaked as Jackson took a seat. “I think that Lucas might be right, and that falls along the same lines that Graham is too white collar for cattle rustling. I almost wonder if maybe he does know something about it, and maybe he encouraged it—but I don’t think he’s the source of it.”

“But no one has found the henchmen, either.”

Jackson avoided my gaze. “Nick and Newman picked them up a couple weeks ago.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?” I demanded, irritation trickling in. “I know I’m supposed to be off, but that don’t mean that I don’t deserve to know what the hell is happening with this.”

“Now calm down,” Lucas snapped, shaking his head at me. “No one has probably worried about telling you about it, because you would just get all worked up—like you are right now.”

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