Page 111 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

“True, but the sooner we get started…” Wade laughed. “We can talk about this later. It looks like Cash is getting impatient.”

Tanner laughed at the sight of Cash standing with his hands on his hips, scowling at them. “I’d better go and see what he wants.”

When he reached him, Cash punched his arm. “So? How’s phase one going?”

“It’s going great. And thanks again – it wouldn’t be happening at all if it wasn’t for you.”

“You know how much I’d like admitting that I was wrong, but I was wrong about the jet. When Mav first brought it up, I argued against it. I thought it was an expense that we didn’t need. The way it’s turned out, I love being able to use it, and he’s still not…” Cash’s words trailed off, and he shrugged.

“He wanted it so that he’d be able to get back here if ever Libby needed him, right?”

“Yeah. But we all know how that’s working out.”

“I’m still keeping my fingers crossed that they’ll figure it out one day.”

“We all are.”

“He didn’t want to come with you this time?”

Cash laughed. “He didn’t want to come last time, but after what went down with Zeke, we both felt like we needed to come.”

Tanner frowned. “What exactly did go down with Zeke?”

“Fuck! Forget I said that, would ya?”

“No. I don’t think I can. I let it go at the time; I was more concerned with how Everly felt. But from your reaction…”

Cash made a face. “Zeke ran interference for us on a couple of jobs a while back. Those motherfuckers managed to track him down in Salt Lake. They were looking for payback.”

“But they didn’t get it?”

“Not exactly.”

“What does that mean? He was in one piece when he got home – he didn’t look like he’d taken a beating.”

“He didn’t. They just used him to pass a message on to us.”

“What message?”

“That they could get to him if they wanted to.”

“And can they still?”

Cash stared out at the mountains as he shook his head. “They won’t be getting to anyone anymore.”

Tanner nodded. He knew that Cash wouldn’t give him any more information than that, and he didn’t need it. All he needed to know was that Zeke no longer had a threat hanging over him.

“How’s Ford been?”

Tanner cocked an eyebrow at his brother. “You mean how’s he taking having his space invaded?”

Cash chuckled. “No. I don’t need to ask that – I can see for myself.” He jerked his chin to where Ford was sitting in one of the big rocking chairs on the porch. He had Ashton sitting on one of the arms of the chair, Mateo sitting on the other, and Maya sitting on his lap. All four of them were laughing as he rocked back and forth in the chair.

“We may have our issues, but I never had to doubt that he’d welcome Everly and the little guy into the house.”

Tanner grinned as he watched Ford with the kids. “I have to tell you that he’s surprised me just how good he is with them – both of them. Ashton loves his Uncle Ford, and if it weren’t for Ford, there’s no way that Everly and I would have figured things out as quickly as we did – or maybe even at all.”

“So I heard.”

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