Page 40 of Between a Rock and a Hard Cowboy

Eva still wasn’t sure which way the vote would go, should it come to that. But it didn’t matter, because she planned on having an alternate course of action to present to the family as soon as she finished her research. Plus, she’d make sure she’d gathered enough evidence to ruin Emmett if he ever showed his face in this town again.

“Dad’s researching to see about the validity of that will.”

“I’m doing my own research too. Not just regarding John T, but I’m also digging deeper into your bastard cousin.”

He frowned. “What are you looking for?”

“Any new online dating or social media profiles he might have set up. Anything I can find on the web, really. I can’t do a reverse image search since I’ve never actually seen him, only the pictures he used of yours and Ethan’s so unless you have a picture of him—”

“I don’t.”

“That’s fine. He’d likely set up a new account using a fake photo anyway. That seems to be his MO.”

“You seem like you’re a little obsessed with him,” Linc said, watching her closely.

She took offense at the comment. “I’mobsessedthat he flew under my radar. That I, of all people, didn’t smell his bull shit right away. It's what I do for a living. Expose bull-shitters. Uncover the truth. And I didn't with him. That's what I'm obsessed with. Not with him. I’d never let myself become obsessed with any man. Ever.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

“So, anything else happen at this all-male meeting of the minds?” she asked.

“Actually there was one thing. Wyatt told us he’s had a PI looking for Emmett since you all arrived here.”

“Why?” She frowned.

Linc shrugged. “I’m not sure. He is protective of Olivia. Maybe to make sure Emmett stays away from her and the rest of you? Anyway, after almost a year, Wyatt’s guy finally got a lead on Emmett.”

“And?” she prompted.

“It looks like he’s in Kentucky.”

Her eyes widened. Kentucky.

Thank you Wyatt’s PI, for that very helpful lead…

ChapterTwenty

Linc believed Eva when she said she’d never let herself become obsessed with any man, including Emmett. Even if he’d seen her obsessively researching his cousin online…

And why did he care?

It shouldn’t matter to him even if she were still hung up on Emmett. But somehow it did matter.

The woman sitting in front of him now, typing away on her laptop like he wasn’t even there, while wearing anAnti-Social ButterflyT-shirt wasn’t the type to believe in fairytales.

She wasn’t a woman looking for a relationship. She didn’t even seem to want to make friends outside of Poppy and Olivia.

That was fine. He was like that himself. He had enough socializing with his family. And as for women, it would be silly to tie himself down to one in a serious relationship at this point in his life. Right? He preferred solitude. His own company over that of others…

Why did that thought ring false in his own head all of a sudden? Maybe because his head had been spinning since this damn will clusterfuck started.

Time to get his mind off Emmett and Eva’s feelings, or lack thereof.

When he pushed all the clutter out of his mind, he realized he was hungry, amazingly enough. He hadn’t been sure he’d ever feel hungry again after the kick to the gut Wyatt delivered to them all—that his investigator had a lead on Emmett’s location and he could be as close to them as the next state.

Thinking about his lowlife cousin returning to Bitter End was enough to turn Linc’s stomach for a couple of reasons. But if he’d learned anything in the Army, it was to eat when you were able, because who knew when the opportunity might come again. Food was as good a distraction as any, so…

“You hungry?” he asked Eva, whose attention had been lost to her computer screen once again.

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