“I’m sorry to hear about your folks,” Coop said.
“Me, too, Tracy,” Cash said.
“Thank you,” Tracy said. “It was a long time ago. They were in a helicopter crash during a sightseeing tour of the Grand Canyon. I was only three years old and had stayed behind with Grandpa Lew and Grandma Tammy in Wild Horse, Colorado.”
“You have something in common with my granddaughter-in-law, Jade,” Coop said. “She lost her mother when she was a toddler.”
“So, when’s your twenty-fourth birthday, Tracy?” Cash asked.
Tracy rolled her eyes and laughed. “As if the Daltons aren’t firecrackers enough, I was born on the Fourth of July.”
“Duly noted,spitfire.” Cash’s eyes narrowed as he also took in her red hair. In calling her spitfire, he sensed he’d thrown her off balance, just a bit. Fair enough because she rocked him to his core with every look she flashed and every word she spoke. Turning his attention back to his grandfather, he said, “Coop, I’m surprised you know so much about the Daltons.”
“Full disclosure,” Coop began with a twinkle in his eye, “Cade Cooper, a distant relative from way back in the day, was falsely accused of horse theft in ol’ hanging Judge Isaac Parker’s neck of the Oklahoma woods. Franklin Dalton, US Marshal, knew who the real thief was and spoke up on Cade Cooper’s behalf. Because of a Dalton, a Cooper didn’t hang back in 1885.”
Never having heard that family story, Cash was taken by surprise. He looked from Coop to Tracy. Her sensual mouth had fallen open in obvious shock. Cash’s eyes met hers and the corners of his lips turned up in a grin as he saw the gooseflesh covering her skin.
“Wow!” Rubbing her forearms, Tracy told them, “That gave me goose bumps.”
Cash would like to be giving her goose bumps from head to toe. “Coop, I remember hearing about Cade Cooper, but never that he was accused of being a horse thief,” Cash said. “As I recall he rode Mustangs in rodeos and stayed in Oklahoma instead of coming west to Colorado.”
“That’s right. Cade Cooper was long gone before my time,” Coop said. “But because of my history with the rodeo, I’ve always had a soft spot for ol’ Cade.”
“That connection will clench your interviews with Chase and Chloe,” Cash said to Tracy. Then he turned to Coop to explain, “Tracy hopes to expand herRanchers and Rangesarticle to include Triple C-Central and West.”
“You in, Coop?” Tracy asked, smiling at him.
“Yes, indeed,” Coop replied. “Whatever you need.”
“Thank you,” Tracy said to him.
They spoke about the article she was writing, and Coopregaled them with a few favorite stories about the Triple C Ranches. Tracy seemed mesmerized as Cash sat back and mostly listened. The time flew and an invisible rope seemed to fall around Cash, lassoing him to Tracy.
“Coop is a history buff,” Cash said. “He also knows the Alamo history like he was there with Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett. A few years ago, Coop donated an authenticated Bowie knife to the Alamo,” Cash said. “We all flew to San Antonio, Texas for the dedication.”
“Oh, my gosh! Where in the world did you find an original Bowie knife?” Tracy asked.
“On Triple C Ranch-West,” Coop told her with a glance at Cash.
“That’s a story in itself,” Cash said.
“I love the Alamo too.” Tracy clasped her hands under her chin. “May I mention your donation of the Bowie knife to the Alamo in my article, Coop?”
“Sure,” Coop said with a big grin.
“I’ve got so much to write, I’d better head back to my laptop and get busy,” Tracy said.
As they were done with their tacos and the margarita pitcher was empty, Cash stood and said, “I’ll walk you back to your cabin.”
“Okay.” Tracy scooted back her chair, stood and said to Coop, “I’m honored to have met you, sir.”
Coop stood, too, and took Tracy’s hand. “You make a great first impression.” He lifted her hand to his lips and lightly kissed it. “Truly a rare pleasure, Tracy Dalton.”
Tracy was apparently so moved she hugged Coop. Damn, Cash had to give his grandfather credit where it was due. Coop had received a hug from her before he had.
Standing back, Tracy said with a choke in her voice, “The pleasure is all mine, Coop.”
“Coop, do you need a ride back to your place?” Cash asked.
