“We’ll pick up some pizzas,” Nate said.“Give Aly a cooking break.”
“Oh, no.I can make—”
“We’ll pick up some pizzas,” Nate said firmly, cutting Aly off.
“But—”
“Come on, Al.Give yourself a break,” Landon said, his arm around her shoulders.“Pizza and meet at the ranch.”
She was about to argue again, but her gaze snagged on something behind Cal.He glanced behind him, and there was Benjamin, being led out of the courtroom in his handcuffs and shackles.
His smile was back.Aimed at their little group huddle.Cal didn’t try to smile back this time.He looked at his family.Jill, Glenda.Everyone.Strength shared was better than whatever Ben was trying to work up from jail.
“He’s got something up his sleeves,” Cal told everyone.“We’ve got to figure it out before it works.Together.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
The Bennet Ranch
Aly didn’t knowwhat to do with herself if she couldn’t be putting together food.Landon had changed and gone out to the bunkhouse to check on ranch things.Cal had gone into his rooms to change.Jill and Glenda had needed to stop by the pharmacy in town on their way up, Nate and Sam the pizza place, so no one was here yet.
Aly had changed too, washed the makeup off her face.She knew she looked rough, but she didn’t have the energy or skill to try to hide that.
Now she stood in the kitchen alone and at a loss.No meal to make.Nothing to busy her hands with.
If she didn’t find something, she was going to cry.And then Landon would eitherseeher crying or see the aftereffects of her crying and try to comforther, when this was… not hers.Not like it was his.
So she gathered plates and cups and started to set the table.A tangible, physicalthingto do.She didn’t look up right away when she heard someone come in from the back.It would be Cal or Landon, so she focused on what she was doing.On trying to work on a cheerful expression that wouldn’t cause either one of them to worry.
But when strong arms came around her from behind, stopping her forward progress, she just closed her eyes and breathed.Let the hug settle her, and hope it settled Landon too.Because there was no doubt they were all in this together, but sometimes the physical reminder just… helped.
Ben could smile at them.His lawyer could introduce whatever.Everything would be okay.
It had to be.
“Why don’t we eat in the living room?”Landon suggested, his arms still wrapped around her, his chin resting gently on her shoulder.“Relax.Treat it more casually.”
“That’s a good idea.Less tense, maybe.”
“Yeah, maybe.”He helped her gather the plates and cups she’d set out and move them into the living room.They stacked everything on one of the end tables.
The door opened without a knock, and that warmed something in Aly.That Nate had finally gotten over knocking, at least if they knew he was coming.Because they were family.
Jill and Glenda were close behind, so Sam left the door open while Nate plopped the stack of pizzas onto the coffee table and Sam arranged a two-liter of pop and a twelve pack of beers.Cal arrived from his room about the time Jill was settling Glenda into a chair.
“I called Bo,” Sam said.“He, predictably, didn’t answer, but I left him a message explaining what we were doing.Hopefully if he listens to the message, he’ll call me back.”
She smiled, but Aly knew it was fake.And hid guilt around the edges.Though Aly didn’t know why Sam had taken it on herself to be responsible for Bo.Just because he’d hired her?
Was there something more to it?Another surprise?Another…
Aly stopped the suspicious line of thought.An old knee-jerk reaction to Sam being involved with anything Bennet related.Sam was helping Bo because that was what shedid.
Everyone got their pizza slices and drinks and settled into couches and chairs.Landon had been right to suggest this.It did feel better than sitting around the dining room table.Less like some formal meeting and more like… family.Family coming together to solve a problem.
God, she wanted this to be solved.Once and for all.They’d have to deal with the emotional toll for the rest of their lives, but if this trial could be over and Ben could be in jail… At least some real healing could start.
Jill sat cross-legged on the floor next to Glenda’s chair.Nate and Sam were cozied up on the love seat, which also warmed Aly.Because Nate had reappeared like some solitary, separate figure.For so long, Sam had been exactly that, moving about town a bit like a pariah.And now it looked like they each had a partner in each other, asomeone.
