Page 40 of Roaring Fork Wrangler

I glanced at Cord again, who was dishing more food on a plate.

“We should let you folks eat,” my brother said, nudging me.

“It would be great if you could join us for dinner. As you can see, I’m seriously outnumbered,” Sam said to me, motioning to all the men in the room.

Gray shrugged when I turned to him. “Nowhere I need to be.”

“Me either, if you’re sure you don’t mind. I may be biased, since our family owns the place, but I love the Goat’s food.”

Cord’s head shot up. “The Goat?”

“Yeah, have you eaten there?” I asked.

He shook his head. “There’s a bar named the same thing in the town where I’m from.”

“Interesting. You said somewhere in Colorado,right?” Gray asked.

Cord nodded since he’d just taken a bite of pizza.

Sam and I loaded our plates, and she led me to the other side of the room, where it was quieter.

“I found a box upstairs with a bunch of photos in it. I was wondering if you’d mind taking a look to see if you know anyone in them,” she said.

My eyes opened wide. “I’d love to see them.”

She looked down at my empty plate. “Did you want to get more?”

I rubbed my stomach. “I’m stuffed. You?”

“Same.”

When I took her plate and mine and put them in the trash, I saw Cord talking with Beau. The two were head to head about something that appeared serious.

“Ready?” Sam asked.

“What are the two of you up to?” Beau asked as we passed by.

“I’m going to show Juni the box I found.”

“Good idea. I’ll be up in a bit.”

I couldn’t help myself from glancing in Cord’s direction. When I did, I couldn’t read his expression. If I had to guess, I’d say whatever he and Beau were talking about had upset him.

I gaspedwhen I saw the piles of photographs laid out on the floor, and we sat down to look through them. “These are amazing.”

“Some of them aren’t labeled,” she said, pointing to the pile that had been set aside.

When Sam said something about how sad it was that Miss Cena had lost a daughter so young, I glanced at the photo she held in her hand.

“You look like her,” I commented.

“That’s what Beau said. I mean, I see it too. There are so many photos of her everywhere.”

“My mom used to tell me stories about Miss Cena’s life. She didn’t speak of it very often. I don’t think she ever got over losing her only daughter. I mean, how could she? Then losing her husband the way she did.”

“What happened? If you don’t mind me asking,” said Sam.

“Her brother, Jim, was driving Manley home from somewhere, and I guess he was drunk. There was an accident, and both men died. Her husband was only fifty-fourwhen it happened.”

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