Page 35 of Some Cowgirls are Worth Protecting

Numbly, Rachel reached for her bedroom door and shut it. She leaned against it and let out a soft laugh. This was one more thing she could add to the craziness that her life had become.

A soft yip drew her attention, and her eyes landed on Cookie pouncing around on Rachel’s bed. In a few long strides, Rachel was able to scoop up the puppy and give her a hug. Everything felt different now. There was more hope, more light, and more excitement for her future.

The feeling that she was drowning in her decisions had fled, being replaced with a sense that everything was going to be okay. She’d continue fighting for the wild horse sanctuary with Hudson by her side. A newfound giddiness joined all the other emotions swirling around inside her, and she let out a little squeal of delight.

It was a good thing she hadn’t told Athena what had happened between herself and Hudson before he’d taken off. She got the feeling that Athena would have come to her rescue. Her sister could probably rip Hudson to shreds at any given moment. All Athena knew was that Rachel had a scare with the break-in and Hudson was out checking the property.

Granted, Henry had seemed more upset, but he’d remained quiet as Rachel had updated Athena on everything going on.

Now, Rachel had something good she could call her sister about. She’d always wanted to have a sister she could share stories with, and now that she did, this could be one of them.

She hugged Cookie once more, then placed the pup on the bed again. It was time to get ready for bed and, hopefully, a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow would be the start of something new, and Rachel wanted to be ready for it.

17

Hudson

Hudson fiddled with the tie at his throat. He hadn’t brought anything nice with him to Rachel’s place, so he wound up in his old room staring in the mirror at a man he barely recognized. Here he was, doing the unthinkable.

Weird didn’t seem to describe accurately what was happening. Hudson had never been interested in dating. He didn’t need to bring anyone else into his already congested life. Carter had it right. He’d gotten out of here before he got himself into trouble.

And yet Hudson didn’t quite feel that way anymore.

It was strange. The more Hudson thought about it, the more he realized just how excited he was. As soon as he’d stopped fighting these feelings, everything became clearer. He saw the opportunity for what it was.

No longer would he have to lump himself in with his family. He could start one of his own. He could find one person to care for who loved him back, and together they could make the world their own.

He scowled at his reflection and tore the tie from his throat. It wasn’t even his. He didn’t exactly own one. There were no reasons to wear one. He’d never been forced to wear them at weddings, and they hadn’t gone to enough funerals to make it a worthy investment.

Lucas was the snazzy dresser. He was the one with the dress clothes, nice shoes, and ties. He was the one who still had a closet at the house where they’d all grown up, even though he no longer lived there.

It was too bad he didn’t hang around much. He might actually be some help.

Motion in the mirror caught Hudson’s attention, and his eyes darted to the reflection of his younger brother. Liam watched with curiosity. There was no judgment, no teasing. He simply appeared to be wondering why Hudson had dressed up for the first time in his life. And why wouldn’t he be curious? Hudson was known for avoiding all kinds of social engagements.

Turning, Hudson stared at his brother and held up the tie like it was a snake he’d just pulled from the brush that surrounded their home. “You know how to tie these things?”

Liam nodded, moving into the room. “Mr. Callahan made me wear them when we went to some of the better auction houses. I’ve never seen so many cowboys in suits.”

Hudson snorted. “I would actually pay good money to see that.”

“It wasn’t as interesting as you think it is.” Liam took the tie from his brother and maneuvered the fabric around into a triangular knot. “There. See? It’s not that hard.”

“I didn’t see anything of what you just did.”

Liam grinned. “It’s a good thing you’re probably never going to need to know.”

Hudson gave his brother a funny look. “Why do you say that?” He turned toward the mirror again and tightened the knot a little closer to his throat. “I might need to know how to do this for my wedding.”

“Unless you don’t get married.”

His brother wasn’t trying to be rude. He was just stating a fact. Hudson didn’t like to be around people. No one had figured out that he had a thing for Rachel. At least he didn’t think so. The only one who might come close was Henry, and that was only because Hudson had called him to help out.

Still, Hudson hadn’t confirmed any of that. He’d rather maintain some degree of privacy, even when it came to his brothers. One more quick look at Liam confirmed that Hudson’s question had only added to Liam’s confusion.

It was fine. People change. Hudson was no exception.

The awkward silence continued to grow between them until Liam’s staring got to be a little too unnerving. Hudson turned to his brother with narrowed eyes. “Did you want something?”

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