Page 3 of Wyoming Bodyguard
Madden settled beside him, greeting the middle-aged man to his left.
Eve Tilly, owner of the bar and grill, hurried out of the kitchen balancing four plates on a round tray. Her auburn hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, and her hazel eyes were friendly yet focused.
She acknowledged Madden with a nod then weaved through the tables to deliver the orders. She deposited the meals then approached him and Reid with a wide smile. “Afternoon. Don’t see you much this time of day. You usually stop in when the place is empty, not busting at the seams. Must be hungry.”
“More like thirsty,” Reid said, snagging a menu and flipping it open.
Eve chuckled and fisted a hand on her hip. “Most people here are.”
“Glad to hear it. I want to buy a round.” Madden plucked his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans and tossed it on the bar.
“Seriously? During the lunch rush?” Eve bounced her gaze from Madden to Reid and back again.
“It’s all part of the plan, darling.” Reid slapped a hand on Madden’s back. “After you get those drinks passed out, we’ll take some food. But we don’t want to overwhelm you. We can wait to make that order.”
“Okay.” Eve shook her head and huffed out a small laugh. “Hope you boys know what you’re doing. No bulk discounts in my place.”
Thankful he still had at least one friend in town, Madden lifted his palms, eyes wide. “Wouldn’t dream of asking for one.”
“Here we go,” Eve said, letting out a long breath. She took three short steps to a triangle hanging from the ceiling and grabbed the metal stick she used to make the instrument sing. She banged the stick against the three sides of the triangle, the tinkling sound cutting into the noisy room and quieting everyone who understood the significance of the call. “All right ladies and gentlemen. Round on Madden McKay. Figure out what you want to drink and be quick about it.”
A whoop of excitement and gratitude exploded, lifting Madden’s spirits along with the cold beer Eve had slid into his hand.
Maybe this would work. Little by little, people would stop seeing him as the villain and start welcoming him—and his business—back into their folds.
The sun might have set on one dream years ago when his dad had been forced to sell their land, but it had risen on another.
And come hell or high water, he’d do whatever he could to keep this dream alive.
Whatever he could to make Sunrise Security a success.
Chapter 2
Disgust slid down Lily’s throat along with her ice-cold cola. No way she’d pander to Madden McKay’s sleezy attempts to redeem himself. Around these parts, selling the family land was practically a crime.
And when selling that land brought in developers who didn’t respect traditions, it pissed off a lot of locals.
Her dad, Kevin Tremont, clicked his tongue before finishing the whiskey in his glass. “That boy’s got a lot to learn if he thinks buying a few beers at the bar will make everyone forget what his family did. Damn shame.”
She allowed herself one more look at the cocky cowboy before turning away and spearing the last tomato from her mostly eaten salad. She hated that she let Madden get to her—that the swirl of green in his smoky eyes had sucked her in for even one second before her wall went right back up. “Madden’s always been the guy who thinks he can get away with murder. People always fell for his charm, even in high school.”
Kevin leaned forward, his hefty middle smooshing against the side of the table, and patted her hand. “Glad my girl had enough sense to see through the bullshit. Those McKays can’t be trusted. Ever.”
Offering a weak smile, she finished her meal and wiped her lips with a napkin. Madden and his family were responsible for bringing trouble to their doorstep, but now it was up to her to find a solution. It’s been weeks since they’d had a guest stay at Tremont Ranch, and soon they wouldn’t be able to afford to keep their doors open. “You’re right to have warned me about Madden and his pa since I was a teenager. They’ve left us all hurting, and we really need to figure out how to stop the financial bleeding. We can’t compete with that new hotel. They offer too many of the same amenities we do at half the price. I think we need to—”
Kevin picked up the bill the waitress had dropped off a few minutes before. “Don’t you worry about all that. I’ve got a handle on things. Now be a dear and head on up to pay. I need to run to the restroom before we leave.”
Lily tightened her jaw, plucked the bill from between her dad’s fingers and sprang to her feet. Irritated, she skirted the cluster of tables as she made her way to the bar, where the old-fashioned cash register stood.
Eve Tilly wiped down the bar with a white rag and held up a finger before disappearing into the kitchen.
Sighing, Lily leaned against the scarred wood and counted enough cash to cover her tab and leave a nice tip.
“Hello, there, Ms. Tremont.”
The unfamiliar voice had her turning toward the duo sitting at the bar. Madden’s business partner smiled at her. She raised one eyebrow, waiting for the man with the quiet brown eyes and clean-shaven face to say more.
“Uh, I’m Reid Sommers, ma’am. We’ve met in passing a time or two.” He extended a hand, his gaze fixed on her.
