Ty scowled. “They haven’t found him yet, and I know Booker was trying to send him on a wild goose chase by saying that Shay went to Stanford, but if he’s gone there to look for her, we might never find him.”

Cash pursed his lips. “The kid was only trying to help.”

“I know, I’m not mad at him.”

“Good. Amelia’s still digging, but she’s been slammed with our own work the last couple of weeks. In fact …” Cash narrowed his eyes when he saw Ford come out of the house. “I should go have a word with him.”

Ty hated the tension that filled the air whenever Cash and Ford were around each other.

“Don’t look like that,” said Cash. “I’m talking about extending an olive branch. Maybe I’m going soft in my old age, but I like seeing all you guys getting coupled up. There’s only him and Tan left now. I’m not going to hold my breath on seeing Tanner settle down anytime soon, but I know for a fact that Ford and Amelia took a shine to each other when she was here.”

“I’d love it if you and Ford could find a way to bury the hatchet, but … I dunno, Cash. He’s not keen on talking about her even to the rest of us – I don’t think he’d want to hear about her from you.”

Cash chuckled. “I reckon you’re right – but I told myself I’d try while I’m here. Here goes nothing.”

Ty watched him go, hoping that their conversation wouldn’t deteriorate into a fight. When he turned to look for Shay, he laughed when little Maya went running by him. Rocket came thundering after her with a big smile on his face.

It spoke volumes about the big man that instead of being afraid of him, Maya was giggling like crazy. She spotted Travis, who had just arrived, and headed straight to him.

“Travis! Rocket’s coming after me!”

Travis scooped her up. “You need me to save you from him?” he asked.

“No! You need to savehim, too! He’s running behind me so that the monsters can’t get me!”

Ty shook his head with a smile. That figured. Rocket hated anything that scared Maya and her brother.

He left them to it and went to join Shay, who was sitting with Callie. He loved that – she got along with all the girls, and she saw most of them during the week for one reason or another. When she had time to just be, it seemed that she and Callie gravitated toward each other.

Kolby greeted him with a smile that indicated he felt the same way Ty did.

When he reached them, he hauled Shay up out of her seat and spun around before sitting down with her in his lap.

She pressed a kiss to his lips. “Smooth move – I like it.”

He was about to answer, but Travis arrived and pulled the same move with Callie. Once he was seated, with her on his lap,he grinned at Kolby. “I’m not making a move on your girl, it’s just that she’s as close as I can get to her mama!”

Kolby laughed. “I know.” He raised his eyebrows at Callie. “Are you any closer to getting her out here to visit?”

Callie blew out a sigh. “She said maybe when the school year’s over.”

“She works too hard, she should come up here and take it easy – with me,” said Travis.

“You’re not telling me anything I don’t know. If you can help me persuade her to come, I’ll love you for it.”

“I’ll see what I can do. Once I’m back here, it’ll be easier.”

Ty grinned at him. “Are you coming back soon? Did you make the deal?”

Travis grinned. “I sure did.” He turned to Shayna. “And I’d like to set up a meeting with you, little lady. If you’re interested.”

“I’m more than interested!”

Kolby laughed. “I think we need to watch ourselves around this guy, Ty. He’s got my girl on his lap and yours eating out of his hand.”

Ty laughed with him, but he loved the way that Shay tightened her arm around his shoulders. He wasn’t worried about Travis, or anyone else, stealing her away from him.

Chapter Twenty-Six