“Okay,” the gorgeous redhead whispered with a shy smile.
Cash pulled Tracy to him for a kiss. Her turquoise eyes closed and her full lips, so sweet and supple, invitingly parted. Sliding a hand under her glossy, thick hair to the nape of her neck, he hugged her and then reluctantly let her go. Before she could change her mind about spending the night, he jogged away from her. He gave Sam, who was helping Kellie, Teresa, and Cristen, a wave. He sprinted past Jeff and Larry who were expertly rounding up guests like the wranglers they were and herding folks toward cars parked in front of the house. He met up with Jacob in the driveway and popped open the trunk of the Mustang. Retrieving Tracy’s packed bag, he gave the car keys to Jacob and stashed Tracy’s bag in the foyer of his house.
“Thanks for everything, Cash!” Jacob called as he headed the Mustang toward the ranch gate and highway. “You and Tracy take care of each other. Hope to see you soon!”
“Sure thing, Jabob,” Cash said and waved.
Donna was driving the van directly behind the Mustang and, like Jacob, was on the opposite side of the vehicle from Cash. In Donna’s case the passengers blocked most of herview. Good. Earlier, she’d frowned and ignored Cash as all the contest winners, getting into the van, had thanked him saying they’d be back. As for Donna, he hoped he’d seen the last of her. On the flip side, he was glad Diane and Joyce had been able to spend time with Chloe and Derek and their kids during the barbecue. Those two ladies had hugged him and assured him they’d see all the Coopers again. Now, the contest winners were all waving out of the van windows, once again shouting outthank yous and see you sooner than laters.
“Please come back again.” Cash smiled as he waved goodbye. Other departing guests called their thanks and farewells as he continued to the front gate, his thoughts on Tracy. What bedroom would she choose?
“You’re just in time, boss,” Beau said, leaning against the split rail fence next to Ed.
Under driveway lamps and moonlight, Cash saw Gerald Moles. Surely getting dust all over his shoes, he was pacing back and forth on the driver’s side of a Tesla in the open space where the SUV had been parked. Spinning on his heel, Gerald glared at Cash and pointed to the driver’s door of the white Model 3 electric vehicle. It was the cheapest model Tesla made.
“What are you going to do about that?” Gerald demanded.
“About what?” Cash asked, coming to a stop a few feet from Gerald and his Tesla.
“That gouge!” Gerald’s voice and the finger he was pointing both shook.
Beau walked around the car holding a bright flashlight which they always had on hand to escort people to their cars. He shone the light against the car door where Gerald was pointing. Cash couldn’t see anything and said so. Gerald flipped on his cell phone flashlight and held it a couple of inches from the door.
Ed joined them and said, “We specifically told this gentleman he could not park here because the driver of theSUV would have difficulty opening his door wide enough to enter his vehicle.”
“I can see that without the SUV even being here,” Cash said.
“We can’t detect any damage to this gentleman’s car, boss,” Beau said and winked.
“Right here,” Gerald blared, stabbing his finger against the bottom of the door. “See? Or are you all completely blind?”
Turning on his own cell phone flashlight, Cash leaned over and squinted. He realized the complaint involved a smudge on the white paint. Beau had winked because it was a speck of mud and not a scratch, much less a gouge.
“Who was driving the SUV?” Cash asked as he stood up straight.
Ed snickered. “Owen Custis. His son, Sully, was with him.”
“Okay,” Cash replied. “I talked to our good friends, Owen and Sully, earlier.”
“I’m calling the Colorado Springs police,” Gerald spat.
“The El Paso County Sheriff’s Department has authority out here in the country,” Cash said helpfully.
“I think 9-1-1 will know who to contact,” Gerald said smugly, preparing to call.
“When the deputy arrives, tell him you blocked the SUV door of retired El Paso County Sheriff Owen Custis,” Cash said evenly. Owen Custis, highly respected and admired by law enforcement and local ranchers alike, consulted with and assisted Derek in his horse business in training Percherons for mounted officers.
“Cash, maybe you could call your brother-in-law, Derek, to get his take on this situation,” Beau suggested.
“Yeah.” Ed looked at Gerald and said, “Since Brevard worked with Custis as a deputy sheriff for a number of years, he’ll know what to do.”
Ed and Beau both chuckled. Cash held his cell phoneflashlight to the door again and, using his thumb, flicked away the dirt. He shined the light from the spotless door to Gerald’s face as the man’s mouth fell open. Cash stood, turned off the light, and shoved his phone into his back pocket.
“We’re done here,” Cash said, hands on his hips and facing Gerald.
Squaring off with Cash in an aggressive manner, Gerald said, “I can kick your magazine article to the curb and have Tracy fired with a stroke of my computer key.”
“I doubt it,” Cash said. It was one thing to threaten him, but not Tracy. “Your boss personally called me to set this up. He and my father were college roommates.”
