Page 108 of The Cowboy's Unshakeable Love

Trip scowled at him. “Because I need her in the office.”

“And you don’t think you could manage seeing her and working with her?” Ace asked.

“I don’t want to try it. You know I won’t mix personal and professional.”

“Hey, Spider. How’s it going?” Travis called. He didn’t care that he was cutting across the conversation – it was intentional. He knew that Trip wasn’t going to suddenly see the light and take a chance with Shelly just because they talked him into it. So, he’d rather move the conversation along – and get the others to give Trip a break.

Spider grinned as he came over. “Sorry. What can I get you?”

“Just an Americano, thanks.”

“For me, too,” said Trip.

“And I wasn’t calling you over for the coffees,” Travis added. “I was really asking – how’s it going?”

Spider nodded. “Things are going well, thanks. We stay busy enough in here. We’re talking about taking a trip to LA soon. I need to check in on the coffee shop.”

Ace shook his head. “It still amazes me how much Frankie loves your trips to LA; I just can’t imagine her enjoying it there.”

Spider smiled. “She worried that she wouldn’t like it the first time I took her with me, but you know what she’s like – she found a way to make it work.”

“Is she still working with that old timer at the community center?”

“Terry? Yeah. The two of them took a shine to each other. She’s set up a whole bunch of programs for the kids who use the center, and Terry oversees them – brings people in to run them while she’s not there.”

Trip cocked his head to the side. “And this community center, it serves foster kids, and vets, doesn’t it?”

“That’s right. TJ – do you know him? TJ Davenport?”

“Yeah,” said Travis. “He’s a good kid – the Davenports are good people. I shouldn’t call TJ a kid anymore, though, should I?”

Spider laughed. “I hope not; he’s my age. He runs the programs for the vets. It’s not just them, though. The center lives up to its name – it serves the whole community. Yes, there are the vets and the foster kids, but there are also the young moms, and the seniors, and the after-school kids, and there’s the food pantry for families who need it.”

Trip grinned at Travis. “Sounds like you need to have a word with TJ – I’ll bet some of the vets he works with would enjoy a visit to Montana.”

Spider met his gaze. “I’d have to agree with that. Although, I don’t know how they’d get here. And if you’re looking for paying customers, then they’re definitely not your crowd. Half of them hang out at the center because it’s the only place they can get something to eat.”

“Yeah, I’m not looking for paying customers – I’m looking for guys who’ll benefit from coming up here for some time out. I’m not looking to make a profit; I’m looking to make a difference.”

Trip grinned at him, and Ace grasped his shoulder.

“What?” he asked. He didn’t understand the way they were all smiling at him.

Deacon laughed. “Just you and your big old heart. We should get you a T-shirt printed up with that on it.”

He shrugged. “It’s true.”

Deacon winked at him. “We know – and we love you for it. There, I said it.”

Travis laughed out loud. “Aww! You made my day, Chief!”

Deacon shrugged. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

“I’m so glad they invited us to Sunday lunch like this even though Callie isn’t here,” Retta said as Travis turned into the driveway of MacFarland Ranch.

He shot her a quick smile. “Yeah, I am, too. It made my day when Ty said that he – and the others – see me as another big brother.”

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