Page 5 of Knot Her Cowboys
I nudged his hand free with a playful nip. “Okay. How’s Carter and your parents?”
“Parents are still enjoying themselves pretending to be ranchers. And Carter isactuallya rancher now.”
“I’m sorry, how didCarterbecome a rancher? He was the shiest little bookworm I’ve ever met back in the day.”
Cash shrugged. “He really grew into himself when he got a pack that understood him.”
“I’m glad. He was a good kid and I’m happy to hear he turned into a good man too.” I chewed my lip, desperate to ask my next question, but not wanting Cash to know exactlyhowdesperate. “Do you still talk to Cooper and Morgan?”
Yes. Cool and casual. Just asking about the love of my life I’d left behind to restart my existence in New York, like I was asking if he enjoyed the newspaper this morning.
Cash didn’t seem to hate me for disappearing, but he’d always been more easygoing than Cooper. The chances of Cooper hating my guts weren’t as slim as I’d like, and the longer the silence had gone on, the harder it was to consider changing that.
“Every damn day for Coop. Not as often for Morgan, but often enough. She lives a couple of hours south with her pack.”
I choked. “Morganhas a pack?”
Cash laughed. “I know. I was shocked when I found out too. Our little prickly pear grew up into a cuddle bug. She runs a hunting lodge with her alphas and she’s happy as a clam out there doing education tours and photography.”
“Good.” My throat swelled with emotion, making my next words thick. “She deserves it.”
I swallowed hard and Cash pulled me against his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around me. “What’s wrong, Riles?”
“Just wasn’t expecting to see you, or anyone really. It’s dredging up a lot. I know you said not to say anything, but Iamsorry. I missed you guys, even if it doesn’t seem like it because I stayed away.”
“Hey!” Bruce appeared on the trail behind us. “Wejusttold you not to touch her.”
“Why are youcrying?” Bryan jogged over, snatching me right out of Cash’s arms, face like murder. “What did you do to her?”
“Nothing!” I tried to pull away from Bryan, but he held fast. “You guys, I was just overwhelmed. It’s fine.”
“It’snotfine,” Bruce countered. “You’re obviously not happy here. We’re not happy here, either. Let’s pay the cancellation fee and book a hotel.”
“No, I want to stay.”
I wasn’t stubborn about a lot of things with Bruce and Bryan, but I was going to be damn fucking stubborn about this. Cash didn’t deserve me bolting because I got a little up in my feelings. I wanted my fiancés to experience the place where I’d grown up and they weren’t getting out of that because of a few tears.
“Anne—” Bruce began.
“No. We’re staying and I’m going to keep talking to Cash whenever I want because I’m a grown-ass woman and he’s my friend. Deal with it.”
My alphas stared at me like I’d grown a second head.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Bryan asked quietly, searching my face. “You hardly ever cry. I worry.”
“I’m okay,” I promised.
“I don’t like what this place does to you,” Bruce said after a beat. “You’re not yourself.”
Cash watched our exchange with wide, concerned eyes.
“We’re not in New York. When in Rome and all that bullshit.” I shrugged.
“How refreshing to know your values are location-based.” Bruce huffed. “I can only imagine what personality we’ll end up with when we’ve moved abroad if that’s the case. I’m disappointed in you, Anne.” He turned to Cash. “Show us the cabin so we can get back to our pocket of civilization and Internet access.”
“Sure thing. It’s just up here.”
I fell into step between Bruce and Bryan, guilt a heavy weight in my chest. They weren’t wrong. New York Anne and Montana Riley were different people, and right now the Montana girl in me was slipping out. They didn’t have to like it, but they did have to accept she was part of me.
