Midnight Thunder(INCR) by Vicki Lewis Thompson Page A

intimidated but honored that you’d trust me with this.”
    â€œI’ve known you since you were a little kid. I’d trust you with my life.”
    Unexpected tears sprang to Lexi’s eyes. She gave Rosie a quick hug and hoped she hadn’t noticed the waterworks. “Same here.”
    â€œRosie, I hate to interrupt.” Herb walked into the room. “But we have a situation out there and I thought you’d want to know about it.”
    Rosie pushed a button that propped her upright, as if she’d be able to face the news better that way. “What sort of situation?”
    â€œAs you know, the word’s out that you’re in the hospital.”
    â€œI’m aware of that.”
    â€œSo Ben dropped by.”
    â€œBen’s here?” Lexi would definitely say hello. The saddle he’d made her last year was the best one she’d ever owned.
    Herb nodded. “And he brought Molly.”
    Rosie gasped and clapped a hand to her mouth.
    â€œWhat’s wrong with that?” Lexi stared at her in confusion. Ben and Molly had married this past spring at the Last Chance Ranch in Jackson Hole. Molly was the Chance brothers’ cousin, and thanks to her, Lexi was conducting a riding clinic over there in mid-July.
    Rosie ignored the question as she looked at Herb. “Has she met Cade?”
    â€œYep.”
    â€œHas she figured it out?”
    â€œYep.”
    â€œI need to go out there.” Rosie started to get out of bed.
    â€œNo, you don’t.” Herb hurried over to stop her. “The horse is out of the barn. We’ll let them work through it. I just thought I’d better tell you.”
    â€œI should’ve called that boy the minute I met Molly. It’s obvious the two of them are related. But things have been so crazy.”
    â€œRelated?” But immediately Lexi knew it was true. That explained why she’d liked Molly on sight. She’d looked into Molly’s green eyes and had felt as if they already knew each other.
    Rosie glanced over at her. “Molly’s maiden name is Gallagher.”
    â€œIt is?” Lexi hadn’t met her until after she’d married Ben, so she’d had no reason to know that.
    â€œI’ve kept quiet about this because it was so sensitive, but she called before Christmas looking for lost relatives. She asked if I knew anything about a family named Marlowe. I could honestly say I didn’t.”
    â€œI guess that’s true.” Cade had mentioned that after Rance Marlowe had abandoned them, they’d started using his mom’s maiden name, which had suited them both just fine.
    â€œAnyway, I took Molly’s number and passed it on to Cade.”
    â€œAnd he didn’t call.”
    â€œGuess not.”
    Lexi wasn’t surprised. She’d once asked him if he’d tried to contact his mother’s family. Apparently he’d decided at a young age that if his mom had avoided them, they must be as worthless as his dad was.
    Rosie sighed. “Long story short, I’m guessing Molly and Cade are first cousins.”
    â€œWhich means Cade is also a first cousin of the Chance brothers.” Lexi had trouble digesting that. She couldn’t imagine what Cade must be feeling right now. The Chance family was well-known in Wyoming for their registered Paints, their beautiful ranch and their community spirit.
    Cade’s self-image had always been that of a lone wolf. Although he was extremely loyal to his foster parents and his two adopted brothers, he’d also taken a perverse pride in being a guy with no typical family ties. That was about to change.
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8
    C ADE LOOKED INTO eyes the same shade of green as his. She wore tortoiseshell glasses, but behind those glasses were eyes that were achingly familiar. His mother’s eyes. Molly’s earnest explanation wasn’t registering, but the sound of her voice mesmerized him. She sounded just like his