Page 9 of The Cowboy Who Worked Late

“You hum a lot.”

“I just want you to know I heard you.” He reached over and took her hand in his. Part of Angel wanted to protest, but she looked at him and saw the determined set of his jaw.

“Henry,” she said, but she didn’t have the words to continue.

“I’d break all the rules for you, Angel,” he said, his voice soft and powerful at the same time. “But let’s not deal with it this weekend, okay? You need a break, and me adding all this to your plate is selfish and unnecessary.”

“Okay,” she said, her emotions teetering on the edge of sanity again.

“Okay.” He lifted her hand to his lips and gently pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. He said something else about the pub they’d be at soon, but all Angel could hear was the sweetest words a man had ever said to her:I’d break all the rules for you, Angel.

So she started praying that something could be done about the no-dating rules at Lone Star. But that meant talking toDaddy about his policies, and he’d never been very open to her suggestions.

Not this weekend, she told herself. She deserved a relaxing, carefree break from the ranch, and that was exactly what she was going to do for the next two days.

With Henry Marshall at her side.

Biscuits and gravy, she thought-swore.Dear Lord, don’t let this be the biggest mistake of my life.

Chapter Three

Henry pulled up to his cousin’s house a couple of minutes early. But in his family, a couple of minutes early meant he was ten minutes late. Finn had the cutest little log cabin set against a beautiful Texas ranch landscape. He had a barn and a stable off to the right, but Henry couldn’t see them now that he parked in front of the house alongside the other trucks that had already arrived.

He looked up to the log cabin with its front door right in the middle and two smiling windows on the side. He wondered what he’d find behind them. His friends, of course, his cousin, and they’d all welcome him happily with smiles and open arms. There would be good food and lots of laughter, and hopefully Henry wouldn’t have to make too many explanations.

He glanced over to Angel. “You ready for this?”

“Sure,” she said after taking a deep breath. She let it out as she continued to look at the house, and Henry noted that she would not look at him. He wondered what she was thinking, what explanations he’d have to give, and how she’d react to them.

Her blond hair and blue eyes accentuated her frilly dress. Henry found himself wanting this to be a real date. They’d hada great dinner with easy conversation because he’d deliberately kept it light. He asked her nothing about Lone Star, nothing about her dad, and nothing about her mama. He could tell she didn’t want to talk about those things. In fact, those were the things that she was trying to escape.

Henry wanted tobethat escape for her. “All right,” he said. “Let’s go in.”

He got out of the truck and went around to help her down. But of course, Angel, in her strong-willed glory, opened the door before he got there.

“Hey,” he said. “I can come help you down.”

She glanced at him, finally. “I know, but I can get out of the car just fine myself.”

“Yes,” he said. “But it’s what proper gentlemen do on dates.”

She glared at him now, and he at least knew that she was feeling something inside.Of course she is, he thought to himself.She has thoughts and feelings—a lot of them. That’s why she sobbed into her hands right in front of you.

Still, he offered her his elbow, and she laced her fingers through it while he pushed her door closed.

“All right,” he said. “Don’t get overwhelmed. There are only eight people inside. I’m related to some of them. Others I’ve just known for years, grew up with here in Three Rivers.”

He glanced over to her as they started up the steps. “Did you ever come to Three Rivers growing up?”

“No,” she said. “Not much. Maybe to the light parade for New Year’s Eve. My family usually shopped in Amarillo. Sometimes we’d go up to Oklahoma for holidays and stuff. My granny lives up there.”

Henry nodded, noting the bit about her grandmother, which she had not shared with him previously. “Three Rivers is a great little town. We’d go fishing, and hiking, and hunting. Of course, there’s always work to do on the ranch.”

“Always,” Angel murmured.

Henry arrived at the front door and knocked. Then he opened the door without waiting for someone to tell him to come in. Everyone else was here, after all, and certainly, he didn’t need to wait for Finn or Edith to come get the door.

He entered and found all eight adults standing in the back of the house around the island, which was probably laden with leftovers, snacks, and desserts.

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