behind the other, he and Charlotte couldn’t make a peep let alone scream their hearts out.
They exchanged a look of understanding. Still, Cash wanted more.
“The trailer’s hot, and the fans don’t do much. In the winter, we’ll have space heaters. Then it will be stuffy. And the damn sofa bed squeaks.”
Manny and Hank cracked up laughing, but Cash wasn’t feeling the humor in the situation. The pressure was on to get Hank’s home built so he could begin work on his own. Right now, that dream seemed far off.
“At least you’ll have applied for the green card by the end of the week.” Hank set a few more pieces of lumber out in the configuration they needed.
“True.” Cash and Maya were traveling into the city soon to take care of that business. Also, he wanted to make a trip to the bank and speak with someone about a construction loan. Living on the ranch with no expenses, he’d saved his small wages from sales of hay and beef. He had enough for a down payment—he hoped.
He kicked up the pace.
“Feeling the urge to work faster?” Hank drawled.
“Yes. Where the hell are our brothers?”
“Witt and Kade went to town for more wood for me. They took the flat-bed trailer, and I told them to load it.”
Sweat ran into Cash’s eye, stinging it. He squinted at his brother. “And Beck?”
“He’s in Vixen.”
Another glance of understanding passed between them.
“Another brother on the marriage market?” Manny asked, gathering a handful of nails. “Where on earth will they sleep?”
“Have to clean out a stall in the barn, sounds like,” Cash grumbled, but Hank laughed.
At least one of us is good-natured about the situation.
* * *
“Cash.”
He looked up to where Maya stood in the kitchen doorway, hair loose and shining on her shoulders, eyes sparkling with mischief. His heart gave a lurch—a telltale sign of how smitten he was.
“Supper’s on.”
“I’ll be right—” He cut off as the telephone in the front room rang. Damn, he hoped he wasn’t trapped in a conversation with Aunt Diane. He nodded at his wife and strode to answer the phone.
“Daltons.”
“Thank Christ it’s you, Cash. I need help.”
“Beck, what the hell’re you up to? That’s one long trip to Vixen.”
“I’m not in Vixen.”
Cash shook his head, trying to make sense of a brother who never raised any hell—except recently at the wedding, but they’d all let loose. Beck was one of the quieter Dalton brothers, always weighing consequences before acting.
“Where are you?”
“Sabrina asked me to bring my guitar up to this club in Ashton and play.”
“Ashton?” That was a long way from Paradise Valley. “Who’s Sabrina?”
“Look, I need help. Just come get me. And…bring some clothes.”
“What?” A grin spread over Cash’s face. Was this really Beck? Their voices were all close, and he’d mistaken one for another more than once. But no, Kade and Witt had returned from their lumber run hours ago.
“Just don’t ask questions,” his brother said tightly. “Come get me.”
“Where the hell’s your truck?”
“Sabrina has it. Now, Cash…please, bro. I’ll owe you one.”
“Good. I’ll be cashing in on all my favors to get my house built fast.”
“I’ll work all night. I just can’t be found like this.”
Cash got the location, which was difficult enough. “At the third tree, turn left” wasn’t exactly clear. He poked his head into the kitchen and told his family he was leaving.
Maya glanced up, crestfallen. Warmth bloomed in his chest. She got up and crossed the tile floor to him. “What’s going on?”
“I need to pick up Beck. Truck problems. He was just on the phone,” he said loud enough for all to hear.
“Need some help, bro?” Kade half-stood.
“Nah, I’ve got it covered.” He pinched a long tendril of Maya’s hair between his fingers and rubbed, imprinting the soft feel into his skin. “I’ll be back soon, darlin’. If you’re tired,
They exchanged a look of understanding. Still, Cash wanted more.
“The trailer’s hot, and the fans don’t do much. In the winter, we’ll have space heaters. Then it will be stuffy. And the damn sofa bed squeaks.”
Manny and Hank cracked up laughing, but Cash wasn’t feeling the humor in the situation. The pressure was on to get Hank’s home built so he could begin work on his own. Right now, that dream seemed far off.
“At least you’ll have applied for the green card by the end of the week.” Hank set a few more pieces of lumber out in the configuration they needed.
“True.” Cash and Maya were traveling into the city soon to take care of that business. Also, he wanted to make a trip to the bank and speak with someone about a construction loan. Living on the ranch with no expenses, he’d saved his small wages from sales of hay and beef. He had enough for a down payment—he hoped.
He kicked up the pace.
“Feeling the urge to work faster?” Hank drawled.
“Yes. Where the hell are our brothers?”
“Witt and Kade went to town for more wood for me. They took the flat-bed trailer, and I told them to load it.”
Sweat ran into Cash’s eye, stinging it. He squinted at his brother. “And Beck?”
“He’s in Vixen.”
Another glance of understanding passed between them.
“Another brother on the marriage market?” Manny asked, gathering a handful of nails. “Where on earth will they sleep?”
“Have to clean out a stall in the barn, sounds like,” Cash grumbled, but Hank laughed.
At least one of us is good-natured about the situation.
* * *
“Cash.”
He looked up to where Maya stood in the kitchen doorway, hair loose and shining on her shoulders, eyes sparkling with mischief. His heart gave a lurch—a telltale sign of how smitten he was.
“Supper’s on.”
“I’ll be right—” He cut off as the telephone in the front room rang. Damn, he hoped he wasn’t trapped in a conversation with Aunt Diane. He nodded at his wife and strode to answer the phone.
“Daltons.”
“Thank Christ it’s you, Cash. I need help.”
“Beck, what the hell’re you up to? That’s one long trip to Vixen.”
“I’m not in Vixen.”
Cash shook his head, trying to make sense of a brother who never raised any hell—except recently at the wedding, but they’d all let loose. Beck was one of the quieter Dalton brothers, always weighing consequences before acting.
“Where are you?”
“Sabrina asked me to bring my guitar up to this club in Ashton and play.”
“Ashton?” That was a long way from Paradise Valley. “Who’s Sabrina?”
“Look, I need help. Just come get me. And…bring some clothes.”
“What?” A grin spread over Cash’s face. Was this really Beck? Their voices were all close, and he’d mistaken one for another more than once. But no, Kade and Witt had returned from their lumber run hours ago.
“Just don’t ask questions,” his brother said tightly. “Come get me.”
“Where the hell’s your truck?”
“Sabrina has it. Now, Cash…please, bro. I’ll owe you one.”
“Good. I’ll be cashing in on all my favors to get my house built fast.”
“I’ll work all night. I just can’t be found like this.”
Cash got the location, which was difficult enough. “At the third tree, turn left” wasn’t exactly clear. He poked his head into the kitchen and told his family he was leaving.
Maya glanced up, crestfallen. Warmth bloomed in his chest. She got up and crossed the tile floor to him. “What’s going on?”
“I need to pick up Beck. Truck problems. He was just on the phone,” he said loud enough for all to hear.
“Need some help, bro?” Kade half-stood.
“Nah, I’ve got it covered.” He pinched a long tendril of Maya’s hair between his fingers and rubbed, imprinting the soft feel into his skin. “I’ll be back soon, darlin’. If you’re tired,
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