Page 50 of A Nice Day for a Cowboy Wedding

When Shane looked over his shoulder at Ben, the man was scowling.

Ben pointed outside again. “So, why don’t you fuck off and leave me alone, huh?”

But something awful had happened in that moment. Shane had seen a flash of insecurity, maybe even fear in Ben’s eyes, as if the admission had cost him something. As if he was a man like any other, not good or some evil boogey man, but a complicated middle ground.

Which was the absolute last thing Shane wanted him to be.

Chapter Thirteen

Cora wanted nothing more than a massage and to sleep, both at the same time. She didn’t think phone calls and babysitting should make her quite so exhausted, but she had put a lot of steps in keeping Aiden happy by walking him around the office. Then Lilly had insisted they take a hike out to a place they could possibly get a permit to hold weddings at.

Cora wanted a giant steak and a glass of wine before that sleep and massage, but pizza would have to do. She couldn’t possibly face cooking or the near hour it would take to drive to a restaurant that served steak,orlisten to Micah bitch about either.

Luckily, since they’d eaten with the Tylers last night, it meant they hadn’t had pizza last night, which meant they could have it tonight. Parenting at its finest.

As she drove through the archway to the Tyler ranch, some of her exhaustion eased. It didn’t go away or anything, but it softened. The set of her shoulders relaxed of its own volition.

She didn’t have any right to feel all those things when this wasn’t hers, but the ranch was something like magic. The people in it magical as well.

That little insidious voice always telling her things wouldn’t work out whispered that this wasn’t hers and never could be. She was kidding herself setting up dates and talking about honesty and heart-to-hearts when she knew without a shadow of a doubt she’d never be able to tell Shane about her past.

Shane was a protector. A solver. Not only would he look down at her for what she’d allowed, but he would treat her differently. Probably like she was something fragile or breakable, or worse, the stupid, weak girl she’d been when she’d been desperate for Stephen’s love.

It was unfathomable to think of admitting anything about that time to Shane.

When she drove her car around the bend, and the big, pretty house came into view, Shane and Gavin were standing in the yard with her son. Playing catch. Such a stereotypical father-son activity, it about ripped her in two.

The Tyler ranch couldn’t be for her, but couldn’t it be forhim? Her past would be a secret worth keeping if Micah was getting the kind of male companionship she’d always wanted for him.

Shane turned and waved at the sound of her car. The giant grin splitting Micah’s face didn’t even dim at the sight of her. Things were improving like they had been before Stephen had interfered and ruined everything.

Cold fear washed over her. Could Stephen find this place? Could he ruin this for Micah too? For her? She was taking precautions with her lawyer, but the basketball camp debacle proved laws and all the precautions she took on her own couldn’t keep them safe from Stephen.

The only thing that kept her from running was the fact that Stephen wasn’t all that interested in them.Henever showed up, which would have broken the restraining order. He only eversentthings. A reminder he had more than they ever would.

She wouldn’t live in fear, though it was a constant, gnawing worry that someday he mightact, not justscare.

Cora brought the car to a stop with so many emotions pummeling her she was a little afraid if someone even smiled at her, she would cry.

She had to be stronger than that for her baby. She’d promised herself she would be. She couldn’t go back on that promise.

Cora forced herself out of the car with a bright smile on her face. “I thought you hated baseball,” she offered to Micah as cheerfully as she could manage.

Micah shrugged. “Shane said I was wrong and he’d prove it to me.”

There was so much joy in that simple statement. Cora was reminded she had to believe in good things. That they were possible for Micah and her. If she believed, it could be true. It could work.

“Baseball is awfully slow and boring if you ask me.” Cora smiled sweetly at Shane and Gavin, who both put their hands to their hearts simultaneously as if they’d been mortally wounded by the same bullet.

“Only someone who doesn’t understand could possibly call it slow and boring.”

Cora shrugged her shoulders. “If you say so.”

“That does it. We’re going to have to take you both to a Rockies game and prove it to you.”

“No way. Seriously?” Micah asked, wide-eyed.

“We can get back and forth from Denver in a day if we catch a day game. And if your mom agrees.”

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