Page 40 of A Marriage Pact for the Cowboy

Psalms were good. Hadn’t David been harassed and chased and belittled before he became king? There was a lot of lamenting in those poems, if Eryn remembered correctly. She flipped through that section, her eye catching on Psalm 139.

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.

The psalm went on, but Eryn’s attention had been snagged by the opening lines. If God truly perceived her thoughts, then He knew how she struggled with the memories of a lifetime of being Amelia’s twin. He was familiar with all her ways.

And, by implication, loved her anyway.

Oh, Dad loved her for who she was. Mom had, too, though it had seemed like Amelia was her favorite. But Amelia had always resented Eryn in her life. Resented sharing everything, especially birthdays.

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.

This didn’t feel as comforting as it should. Because knowing Eryn was the first step to understanding how unworthy she was. Best to keep Maxwell in the dark about that for as long as possible.

Around him, Maxwell’s crew jumped into the current project, rejuvenated by their two-week break. Jordan and Tory painted one of the loft bedrooms, Jordan cutting in along the ceiling with a steady hand, and his helper following with a roller.

In the kitchen, Steve installed backsplash tile while Janessa inspected the evenness of the grout lines. Steve glowered at her and said she was making him nervous.

Maxwell checked his watch. Why wasn’t it noon yet? Not that he was all that hungry, but that was when he’d see Eryn again. How was her morning going with Aunt Nadine? It would be fine.

Finally, he called time, and Tory immediately hollered down the stairs with, “We need ten more minutes. Meet you there.”

Steve flexed his shoulder muscles in the kitchen. “Nearly done. Just need to clean the tools. Unless Janessa wants to do it.”

“As if.”

Maxwell should wait for his crew… but why? He jingled his truck fob in his pocket. “I’ve got something to check on. See you there.” The something was Eryn, but he didn’t need to tell them that.

A few minutes later he strode into the dining hall to find Tate and Graham at a table with an open laptop between them. “Hey, guys.”

Tate glanced up, a smile creasing his face. “Hey. How’s things on Ladybug Lane?”

Maxwell chuckled, forcing himself to focus on his brother rather than glancing beyond the counter into the kitchen. “You’ll never believe the ladybug tiles Janessa found. We’re using them as accents in a couple of the bathrooms.”

“Too funny.”

Graham frowned. “I saw the invoice for those.”

Maxwell managed not to roll his eyes. This was a perfect example of why he preferred flipping houses on his own, not answerable to Sullivan Enterprises. “They were a minor expense that will bring plenty of smiles.”

“Right.”

They did need Graham — or someone like him — as CFO. Expenses could get way out of hand rehabbing this ranch, not that Grandfather’s pockets weren’t plenty deep enough to handle it all.

Maxwell glanced toward the kitchen. “Lunch smells good.”

“You’re here early.” Tate’s eyebrows tilted up. “The bell won’t ring for another five minutes.”

“I was in the vicinity.” At least, after he’d driven down from Ladybug, he had been. He scanned the whiteboard. “Split pea soup and biscuits. Mmm, sounds good.”

“You don’t have to pretend, you know.” Tate’s voice was laced with humor.

“Pretend what?”

“That I don’t know why you’re here early, the guy who nearly always charges in just before the line closes.”

“What am I missing?” Graham’s gaze shifted back and forth between them.

Tate leaned toward Graham, his eyes still on Maxwell standing beside the table. “You’ve been busy, what with the honeymoon and all.”

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