“We’ll talk,” Greg said.
“Isn’t the idea of your passing the torch supposed to mean that you stop being a bossy, arrogant Dom?” Rebecca asked. Beside her, Cody snickered.
Robert said, “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about. Bossy? Arrogant?”
“Right.” She hugged her brother anyway, because whether he was bossy or not, he did love her—and he was being very good with and for Cody.
Grant and Andrew towered over their fiancé, Chloe, and yet Rebecca couldn’t say she’d ever seen two men, anywhere, be as gentle as they were being with her. She’d come to the conclusion that the two had finally evolved beyond the Neanderthal stage. She hugged her future sister-in-law.
“Every time I come to one of these parties, I’m in awe, all over again, that everyone here is family,” Chloe said.
“I know. Even though I grew up with so many relatives, I’ve traveled so I know how unique we truly are, here.”
Rebecca noticed Emily Anne moving about the room, a pitcher of sweet tea in hand. And yet, even as she chatted and filled glasses, her gaze kept straying to the large, plateglass window and the sidewalk in front of the restaurant.
She didn’t wonder who the woman was waiting for. She knew.
As if summoned by the waitress’s thoughts, the door opened and two big, tough-looking men came in.
She’d last seen the private detectives at the cabin, the day Naomi Lake had attacked. That woman had already been returned to Seattle. Although she was charged with several counts of murder, Rebecca knew she’d likely never stand trial.
She’d heard from Adam that the woman’s mental state had deteriorated considerably since her failed attempt on Rebecca’s life.
Rebecca felt sorry for her. She’d been damaged while still a child, and had never really recovered.
“Congratulations.” Melvin Richardson shook Greg’s hand, and gave Rebecca a hug. When he got to Cody, he shook his hand and said, “Aside from coming to celebrate your engagement, we bring you some good news.”
Connor Talbot had greeted Greg and her, and joined his partner in front of Cody. “The US attorney in New York City has issued an arrest warrant for Drummond Pierce. It’s being served on him as we speak.” Connor looked at Greg. “You were right. He did arrange for the entire ‘kidnapping’ adventure.” He shook his head and met Cody’s gaze. “According to my sources—who were willing to go on the record—he paid ten thousand dollars to the men he hired. They were supposed to have killed you, Cody. But they were greedy little bastards, and decided to hold on to you and see if they could collect a ransom for you, instead.”
“Thank you. I’ll look forward to testifying at that SOB’s trial.”
“I imagine the story will be covered on ANN tonight. You should likely get ready for an influx of media here in Lusty.”
“Thanks for the heads-up,” Cody said. “I hope you’ll stay for a while and celebrate with us.”
“That was the plan,” Connor said. “We need to report to Jake, but we’ll do that in the morning. We’ve booked rooms for the night at the Parkview Inn.”
“I know you’ve been putting in a lot of time trying to track down the man who stole Chloe and Carrie’s inheritance,” Rebecca said. “I won’t ask for specifics, but I was wondering if you were getting any closer?”
Melvin Richardson nodded. “We have a lead—a big, complicated lead. Detective work is mostly details and boring, time-consuming checking of those details. We expect this case to start picking up steam, soon.”
Because she’d been sort of keeping an eye open for it, Rebecca saw the moment that Emily Anne Bancroft realized the investigators had arrived. She blushed, and bobbled the tray she held. But then she seemed to get a grip, not just of the tray but her emotions, too.
When the men both smiled at the young woman, she gave them a cool look, a slight nod, and went back to doing her job.
“Looks like you men have your work cut out for you,” Cody said.
“That’s all right,” Melvin Richardson said.
“Some things just aren’t meant to be easy in life,” Connor Talbot agreed.
Rebecca watched as they headed toward the back of the room, where the babies were holding court. The two men were welcomed easily and seemed to enjoy getting in the midst of what many might consider chaos.
When Connor Talbot accepted one of the twins from Jake Kendall, Greg chuckled. “Now that was a smooth move.”
Rebecca understood immediately what he meant. What woman could resist a man who had no problem cuddling a small baby to his big chest?
Out of the corner of her eye she watched as Emily Anne’s face softened. And then chuckled when she shook her head and turned her back on the scene.
“I’m kind of glad we’ll be staying in Lusty for a few months,” Cody said. “I think I’m going to enjoy watching that story unfold.”
Greg moved so that he stood between the two of them. He placed one hand on Rebecca’s shoulder and one on Cody’s. “You know, the cousins were all full of dire warnings about Grandma Kate and her matchmaking ways. But if you think about it, we have Robert to thank for our getting together. I really don’t see how she has had anything to do with those two private dicks falling for Emily Anne, either. And the ones who became engaged just before us—that would have been Grant and Andrew, and Chloe. They all met because Carrie got hired here, and the cowboys realized she was the woman meant to be theirs. I think Grandma’s penchant for bringing lovers together has been reported all out of proportion.”
Carrie had come out of the kitchen to inspect the buffet, and had obviously heard Greg’s softly spoken comment.
She came over to them and flashed a grin that looked young and full of fun. “You know, big brother, you ought not to doubt the reach—or the intelligence—of our grandmother,” Carrie said. “She was the one who suggested the firefighters be assigned to watch over Chloe when the town was rallying to protect me from George Lockwood, and she was the one who suggested those two private dicks be put on the case of our stolen inheritance.”
“And I’d be willing to bet she’d had a heart-to-heart with Robert before you even called him,” Rebecca said quietly. “Because my brother the bossy, arrogant Dom would do a lot of high-handed things, but setting events in motion so that you would be left alone with his baby sister really isn’t one of them.”
“And,” Cody said, “she is the one who gave you Maria’s Quest to run.”
Greg met her gaze and then laughed. “All right, I give. I will never doubt my grandmother again.”
Carrie gently patted his face. “Probably wise.”
Music played quietly on the sound system, and darkness descended upon the town. Inside Lusty Appetites, people chatted and mingled and munched. They lived and they laughed and they loved.
Rebecca noticed how Emily Anne, likely despite her best intentions, kept turning and watching Mel Richardson and Connor Talbot. The look on her face was, Rebecca judged, half wistful and half lustful.
It was going to be interesting to watch that story unfold. Rebecca snuggled in next to her men, content, at least for now, to be home.
THE END
WWW.MORGANASHBURY.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Morgan Ashbury, also writing as Cara Covington, has been a writer since she was first able to pick up a pen. In the beginning it was a hobby, a way to create a world of her own, and who could resist the allure of that? Then as she grew and matured, life got in the way, as life often does. She got married and had three children, and worked in the field of accounting, for that was the practical thing to do and the children did need to be fed. And all the time she was being practical, she would squirrel herself away on quiet Sunday afternoons, and write.
Most children are raised knowing the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule. Morgan’s children also learned the Paper Rule: thou shalt not throw out any paper that has thy mother’s words upon it.
Believing in tradition, Morg
an ensured that her children’s children learned this rule, too.
Life threw Morgan a curve when, in 2002, she underwent emergency triple bypass surgery. Second chances are to be cherished, and with the encouragement and support of her husband, Morgan decided to use hers to do what she’d always dreamed of doing—writing full time.
Morgan has always loved writing romance. It is the one genre that can incorporate every other genre within its pulsating heart. Romance showcases all that humankind can aspire to be. And, she admits, she’s a sucker for a happy ending.
Morgan’s favorite hobbies are reading, cooking, and traveling—though she would rather you didn’t mention that last one to her husband. She has too much fun teasing him about having become a “Traveling Fool” of late.
Morgan lives in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, with a mysterious cat, a new Morkie puppy who thinks he’s a German Shepherd, and her husband of forty years, David.
For all titles by Cara Covington, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/cara-covington
For titles by Cara Covington writing as
Morgan Ashbury, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/morgan-ashbury
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Love Under Two Adventurers [The Lusty, Texas Collection] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 25
