Page 33 of The Cowboy’s Intriguing Love

Ty blew out a sigh. “I don’t know. I guess it’s just one more thing we’ll need to work out – if things get that far.” He chuckled. “It seems crazy to think about it, especially considering that I don’t even know what she looks like yet.”

Ford’s eyebrows shot up. “You don’t? And yet you’re taking time off to go and see her?”

“Yeah. I like who she is, and I just have this feeling that she’s gorgeous.”

Ford shook his head. “It’s a big gamble – you might go all that way only to find out that you don’t like the way she looks. Even setting aside the possibility that she’s the homely kind, she might be gorgeous but just not do it for you.”

“I know. By all accounts she’s good-looking – Chance and Xander both told me she is. But …” He smiled. “I’m prepared to take the risk. And so’s she.”

Ford smiled. “Good for you. I hope it works out. When’s your flight? Do you want me to give you a ride to the airport?”

Ty grinned back at him. “Thanks, but I’m good. I’m going to drive myself and leave the truck at the airport. There’s no need to go out of your way, but I appreciate it.”

Ford shrugged. “Just don’t tell anyone that I offered.”

Ty laughed. “They probably wouldn’t believe me if I did.”

“Exactly. Let them all think I’m a miserable bastard.”

“No one thinks that.”

Ford got to his feet. “They do, and I’m fine with it. I’m going to go up. Thanks again for this.” He waved his now empty plate in the air. “I needed it.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll do some meal prep over the next couple of days and leave the freezer stocked so you won’t starve while I’m gone.”

“Thanks, squirt. Goodnight.”

“Night.”

Ty checked the time. He still had another twenty minutes to wait before Shayna called – if she wasn’t late. He picked up his phone and went to tidy the kitchen before he went upstairs. He wanted to be ready in case she called early.

Once he was settled in bed with his phone plugged in, he went back through all the messages he’d exchanged with her since the very first one that April had sent. She was awesome. He liked everything about her – everything that he knew so far. She was down to earth, a hard worker, she was honest, and she told him the truth even when she admitted that she was scared he might not like what she had to say.

The last girl he’d dated had fed him all kinds of bullshit in the beginning, everything from loving horses to enjoying beer. When they started spending time together, he’d discovered that she didn’t like horses – she was scared of them, and thought they were smelly! And he’d never once seen her drink a beer – not that it was a requirement, he didn’t care that she only drank fruity, girly drinks, wouldn’t have cared if she didn’t drink at all – it was the lying about it to make him like her that bothered him.

Shayna wasn’t like that. She knew who she was and what she wanted, and she was prepared to tell him – whether he liked it or not.

He grinned when his phone buzzed with a text. He opened his messages eagerly and let out a short laugh when he saw that it was Cash, not Shayna.

Cash: What’s the deal with this Shayna?

Ty frowned, wondering how he knew about her.

Ty: Why?

Cash: Shit. Sorry squirt. Not trying to be an asshole. I just had a message from Alma. Haven’t heard from her in years, and here she is asking about you and if I’m prepared to be held responsible for you when it comes to this Shayna.

Ty: What the hell does Alma have to do with anything??

Ty didn’t get it. He’d heard about Alma. She was like this legendary character in the stories that Cash and his buddies told about their missions back in the day. She was a spook, who they’d worked with on a few ops but …

Cash: She’s calling herself Shayna’s mom, but she must have adopted her or something.

Ty: That’s Alexis. Alexis and Davin are the people who took her in.

Cash: Right. That’s Alma’s real name – Alexis Marston. It got shortened to Alma because she used so many different aliases that we couldn’t keep track of her. We couldn’t call her by her real name, so Cal shortened it. But that’s not the point. What’s the deal with the girl?

Ty: I’ve been talking to her online and I said I’d go see her this weekend.

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