Page 4 of Second Chance With a Cowboy

“It wasn’t that dirty,” Ford said, ruffling his dog’s neck. She was splitting her attention between him and Elizabeth, pushingher head against Ford’s hand for pets while jostling her rump against Elizabeth for scratches. “The time we put the frogs in his bed—nowthatwas dirty.”

Elizabeth made a disgusted face as Ford and Dodge cracked up.

“This was all in good fun,” Dodge said. “We knew Leni was back in town and filling in for her sister at the coffee shop, and we just thought it would be a good way for Chevy to…” He used his fingers to make air quotes. “… ‘accidentally’ run into her.”

“Wait,” Duke said, pausing in between dumping another scoop of ground coffee into the filter. “Leni is back? Leni Gibbs?”

Elizabeth let out an exasperated sigh. “Would somebodypleasetell me who Leni Gibbs is?”

Ford pulled one of the cups from the carton, apparently not too concerned by his brother’s threat that he’d spit in one, because he took a long gulp, grimaced worse than his grandfather had, then chugged down half the cup. “Leni Gibbs was the love of Chevy’s life,” he explained as he wiped his mouth on the side of his sleeve.

“She was the one who got away,” Dodge added.

“She didn’tget away,” Ford corrected. “Chevypushedher away.”

Elizabeth’s brows drew together. “Why?”

“Because he’s a dumb ass,” Ford said.

She ignored his comment. “Because he didn’t really love her?”

“No,” Duke said. “Because he loved her so much that he let her go.” He brought a set of cups out, his thumbs threaded through their handles. They clinked as he set them on the table. “Leni was a real smart girl—still is, I presume—she had several colleges lined up, most of them offering her scholarships. Big ones.”

“Big schools or big scholarships?” Elizabeth asked.

“Both,” Chevy answered softly, his gaze focused on the coffee mug he’d picked up. Murphy had given up on getting a treat and come back to lay on the floor, his body sprawled across Chevy’s boots, ready to offer emotional support when needed. “She got a big offer from MIT, a place she’d dreamed of going since we were kids.”

“That sounds amazing,” Elizabeth said.

“It was,” Dodge told her. “But she and Chevy had finally gotten together—after being friends for years, but really in love with each other forever.”

“That sounds nice,” Elizabeth said, but the miserable look on Chevy’s face showed it was anything but.

“She wanted to give up MIT and stay in Woodland Hills,” Ford said. “For Chevy.”

Chevy set the cup down, but his gaze remained on it. “And I couldn’t have her give up everything she’d ever dreamed of. Not for someone like me.”

“I don’t know what that means,” Elizabeth said. “You’re a great guy.”

“Thanks. You’re sweet,” Chevy said. This is why everyone in the family had fallen in love with Elizabeth almost as much as Ford had. She had a way of looking on the bright side and always seemed to have a kind word for everyone. “But it doesn’t matter how great I was. I couldn’t let her give up everything—her chance at an awesome college, a bright future, an amazing career.So, I tried to break it off.”

“But she didn’t believe him. Or she wouldn’t accept it,” Dodge said. “Even though he tried to break up with her like four times. So, he finally had to ‘Old Yeller’ her.”

Elizabeth looked from one brother to the other. “Old Yeller her? I don’t get it. She had rabies so he had to take her out back and shoot her?”

Dixie let out a whine and snuggled closer to Ford.

Dodge laughed. “Oh, maybe I got that wrong. But you know, whatever that movie was where the kid tries to get the dog to leave, but the dog won’t go because he loves the kid so much, so he starts yelling at it, telling the dog he doesn’t care about it anymore, and that he never did. Then he picks up a rock and throws it at him to get him to leave.”

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at Chevy. “You threw a rock at this girl?”

Chevy shook his head as he let out a huff. “No, of course not. But I did do all that other stuff. Told her I didn’t love her and that I never had.”

Elizabeth’s shoulders sank, and her tone softened. “Oh, Chevy.”

“Hardest thing I ever had to do. Broke both our hearts and any kind of relationship we would ever be able to have again.” He let out a weary sigh then buried his head in his hands. “But I had to. She wouldn’t have left otherwise.”

“That’s ancient history, brother. She told me she was here for at least a few weeks while she helps her sister with the new baby,” Dodge said. “So, what are you going to do to win her back?”

---