In Tune (Red Bird Trail Trilogy Book 3) by Laramie Briscoe Page B

keys.
    He ushered the group outside and down the front porch. The SUV they got into wasn’t the fast car he’d driven the Trail with back in his youth, but now he got his adrenaline rush with tattoos, rock climbing to stay in shape, and shooting guns at the range with some of the Heaven Hill members. Settled was a good way to describe his life—gone was the upheaval of his youth. He’d truly settled into adulthood, and if everyone was to be believed, it looked good on him.
    Looking at the house in front of him as he put the SUV in gear, Cash was still surprised they’d gotten approved for it. It wasn’t more than they could afford, it wasn’t too big, it was just right, but it still amazed him that they’d been that responsible . Someone had given them $120K for a nice home in a suburb of Warren County. It also amazed him that they continued to make the payment, every month, on time.
    Glancing at his blind spot, he saw Madison in her car seat, and he took a moment to smile and wink at her before he reached back and tickled her feet. She squealed, and his heart constricted. The man he was now was not who he’d ever thought he would be, the man he thought he’d never be given the chance to be, but he thanked the stars above that this had been the plan for him.
    *
    Harper blew out a deep breath and looked into the mirror, hoping that she at least appeared calm, cool, and collected. In reality her stomach was in knots. Glancing at her watch, she realized she had five minutes before she opened the doors to the public for her grand opening. She knew, without a doubt, everything was where it was supposed to be. She had drinks, pastries, pieces of cakes, sandwiches made into finger foods, and small bowls of side dishes laid out. There were many ways that would-be customers could sample her wares. She also knew this would be attended, she just wasn’t sure how many people would show up. She’d built up a reputation working out of the home she and Cash had purchased while she waited first for her pregnancy to be over and then for Madison to be old enough to begin this venture with her.
    There was a knock on the back door, and she almost squealed with excitement as she glanced through the glass and saw her family.
    “Hey.” She leaned in, giving Cash a kiss that threatened to turn hot. The passion still hadn’t died, and for that she was grateful, especially after she heard horror stories from other couples.
    “Hey, sorry we almost didn’t make it,” he apologized, handing her the bouquet of flowers. “I ran over at the shop.”
    “No need to apologize; you’re here now.” Harper grinned at the three of them. “I’m so nervous!”
    “No reason to be, Harp,” Remy told her as he leaned over and gave her a hug, handing her Madison in the process. “We’re here for you, and so are all those people lined up out there.”
    “Lined up?” she questioned. “I’ve been back here getting ready for the last hour. Nobody was lined up when I came back here.”
    “Then you need to go check it out, babe.” Cash smiled at her, pride in his eyes. “You have an audience.”
    She grasped Madison tighter in her arms and walked towards the front of the store. They had lucked out when they’d been searching for spaces and had scored one on the square. She was tucked not too far away from where Travis Steele’s wife worked at her hair salon.
    “Holy shit,” she breathed as she saw there was indeed a line, one that went almost around one side of the square. “I don’t know if we have enough food.” She laughed, tears in her eyes. “They’re all here for me?” she asked Cash as he came to stand behind her, putting his arms around her waist and hugging her tightly.
    “They’re here for you,” he confirmed, picking people out of the crowd. He saw the members of Heaven Hill, their wives, the teachers B had given sweet treats to and then had come back for orders of their own, customers of his, of Walker’s Wheels ,