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“Let me help.” His big fingers pick up the brush. With a careful hand, he streaks it through the ends of my hair. “What color?”
“Lilac gold.”
He finishes the ends, then sets the brush in the sink. I turn to study his handsome face, his stern jaw covered by dark scruff. The sharp tic in his cheek tells me he’s worried.
“You’re hidin’ something from me, cowboy.”
“You’re right.” He smooths big hands over my shoulders. “I have bad news.”
“What?”
“We have to do the run tonight.”
“Why? What happened?” It’s not supposed to happen until a few days before the launch party.
“Craddock happened.” Cole’s face is hard. “Warren’s mic in the Rusty Spur picked up a conversation between Craddock and one of his deputies. They were planning to stop our trucks next week. If they did that, they’d have found the guns.”
“Oh god. They know.” My fingers fly to my mouth.
“They know something, but if they had anything solid, they’d already be here with warrants tearing up the place.” Though his voice is steady, his eyes betray worry. “Syd says we do the run tonight. This way, we slip past their defenses and catch them off guard. They won’t have time to pull anything together.”
“Is that safe?”
“Better than the alternative. But that means…”
“You won’t be here for the reviewer.”
“I’m sorry.” He swears under his breath, shakes his head. “I don’t like leaving you alone.”
“It’s okay. I have Wells, Hassie, and Vaughn.” I smile playfully. “Besides, I know your whiskey better than you, cowboy.”
Cole’s laugh is a low rumble in his chest. “Fightin’ words, darlin’.”
I press up on tiptoe to kiss him. When I pull back, he says, “Got some other words I want to ask you too, and soon.” He studies my face, watching my reaction.
I blush and bite my lip. “Cole.”
Before I can say anything else, he kisses me, then scoops me up and carries me to our bedroom.
* * *
The Wild Westons storm through the empty tasting room, adjusting Stetsons, tucking guns into waistbands. All business. Tension, chaos charges the air. But I’m learning it’s always going to be like this. If I’m with Cole, there’s a dark edge to his world.
I accept it.
“You got this, Del?” Ezra reaches for his keys.
“I got it. Ready to charm Nolan Kraus and get him blissfully soused.”
“She does,” Cole echoes, striding toward me.
My heart pounds as I return his smile. Despite my slight nerves, focus, determination stab through me. The Westons trust me to do this. Even better, I know I can.
Tonight, this entire summer, feels like it’s meant to be my life. Like it’s not just luck anymore that got me here. It’s the love I have made.
“Hassie’s on her way to the airport.” Warren checks his watch, scowls. “If she’s on time.”
River, phone to his ear, talks in low tones to Syd.
