“You’ve heard about that, have you?” Dani wrinkled her nose. “It’s true, my brother used to be quite the ladies’ man. Not so much anymore.”
“Did he have a bad breakup?” Lana asked. Sly hadn’t brought up any past romances, but then, she’d never asked.
“Is a breakup ever good? Mine never are. Years ago, Sly had a serious girlfriend, and last year he dated someone for a while. But as always, things didn’t work out.” Dani shrugged. “As the queen breaker-upper and breakup-ee, I understand the process only too well. But eventually you have to move on. I mean, I always do.”
She sounded a lot like Kate. “Sometimes healing the heart takes a while,” Lana said. “It did for me.”
“I’m sure Sly isn’t carrying a torch for any of his exes. But he hasn’t dated much since his last breakup. That’s why, when he mentioned you, I got excited. Now that I know you, I’m doubly thrilled.”
“I think you’re great, too,” Lana said. “But don’t expect anything to happen with Sly and me. Besides the adoption and his reputation, he’s suing my cousin.”
“There is that. But the lawsuit is tearing him up. He’s never sued anyone before. He wouldn’t be doing it now unless he had to. When I heard what happened at the gas station last week...”
“It sounded horrible.” Lana closed her eyes a moment and shook her head.
Her cousin claimed that Sly had provoked him, but several bystanders corroborated Sly’s version of the incident. If only the two men would settle their differences... Glum, she rested her chin heavily on her fist. “I’m not sure what to think about any of it. I wish they’d sit down and work things out.”
Then, if she wanted to date him—and despite all the reasons why that wasn’t a good idea, she did—she could do so without feeling as if she were betraying her family. She’d also have to somehow make sure dating him wouldn’t impact any possible adoptions. Of course, if Sophie chose her, Sly would pose no problem. But the jury was still out on that.
“They could definitely work it out if your cousin would pay up and apologize.”
“But what if he’s not responsible for what happened?” Lana asked.
“Then... I have no idea.” Dani tightened her ponytail. “Trust me, Sly has tried to talk with him several times. The way he’s acted makes him look guilty.”
“Cousin Tim can be a real jerk, all right,” Lana agreed. “But he’s family, and I have to support him.” Her parents ought to give her decision to adopt the same unflagging support, she thought. Next time they gave her grief, she’d point that out to them.
“I get that, but it makes me sad. Maybe this poisoned-cattle thing will sort itself out. I hope so, because you and Sly would make a great couple. If you give this thing between you a chance, you might even have a shot together. Promise me you won’t write him off.”
“I promise,” Lana said, wondering at herself. For so many reasons, she and Sly were wrong for each other.
Weren’t they?
But her promise was enough to make Dani’s face brighten. “Regardless of what happens between you and my brother, we can still be friends, right?”
Lana smiled. “Absolutely. What about you, Dani? Are you dating anyone?”
“A guy named Paul, but it’s not serious. He’s not exactly the man of my dreams, but he’s cute and sexy. Unfortunately, he has a bad habit of not showing up when he says he will, and he’s canceled dates at the last minute.” Dani sighed. “But I like him, so I put up with it. Sly says I have rotten taste in men. He’s right, but I can’t help who I’m attracted to.”
Just as Lana couldn’t help being attracted to Sly. “I understand,” she said. “By the way, my best friend, Kate Adams, says she knows you.”
“Kate’s great! She comes into Big Mama’s now and again. Tell her I say hi.” Dani glanced at her watch. “Whoa, it’s almost nine. I’m due at Big Mama’s at five tomorrow morning, so I’d best go home and get some sleep.”
“Ugh, that’s early.”
“We open at six, and someone has to be there. Heck, I’m used to it. And don’t forget, we close at four. That means I’m usually out of there by five-thirty, which frees up my whole evening.”
Before they parted, they shared a warm hug.
“Let’s get together again soon,” Dani said. “Maybe Kate will join us.”
Lana smiled. “It’s a date.”
After a day that had started at dawn and finished some twelve hours later, Sly sprawled gratefully on his La-Z-Boy, relieved for some R&R at last. The only things he was good for tonight were sipping a cool one and watching a basketball game. Halfway through the first quarter and his beer, his eyelids dropped shut. He was heading off to la-la land when the trill of his cell phone jerked him awake. Ace and the rest of the crew would call if anything went wrong, but right now, an emergency was the last thing Sly wanted to deal with. Grumbling, he slid the phone from his hip pocket.
Lana Carpenter, the screen said. His sister had programmed her number into his phone. Well, well. Suddenly wide-awake, he muted the TV and answered. “Hey.”
“Hi.” She sounded a little breathy and unsure of herself.“Am I calling too late?”
