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“Are you staying in Daly, then?” she asked after Hawk had held out a chair for her then her men had seated themselves on either side of her.
“Nah.” Hugh shook his head. “I haven’t seen my family except by facetime in a couple years. I’m gonna head back to Michigan for a bit; tell my bosses I want a desk job—for a little while anyway.”
“Well, if you ever come back to visit, you have a place to stay with us.”
Hugh looked at her guys, his expression painted with disbelief that they’d be okay with it.
“You do,” Hawk agreed, and she guessed Cannon likely nodded, but he wasn’t in her sightline.
“Okay, then. Thank you.”
“Hey all! Can I get you drinks,” Xana asked, coming over to them. She blinked at Dev. “Wow, you look beautiful.”
“Thanks,” Dev said with a small laugh. “Surprise.”
“I guess so.” Xana waggled a finger between them. “I expect some girl time and an explanation.”
“You got it.”
After that, they settled into chatting and a meal, people occasionally stopping past to say hi to her—then belatedly remember the rest of the table and greet them, too. Alice shyly took it all in.
Dev leaned over Cannon to talk to the teenager. “They’re all very nice. Promise.”
Alice nodded, the gesture small and unsure.
“So I was thinking,” Dev went on. “You wanna start coming to my place a few times a week. I’ll teach you about horses, and we can take rides on the ranch—short ones until it gets warmer anyway.”
The girl nodded again, more enthusiastic this time. “I’d…I’d like that.”
“I’d like that, too.” Dev relished the possibility she might be a lifeline for the teenager. She wasn’t much younger than Dev had been when she’d needed someone, and most of the people in this town had filled that bill.
“Hey, uh, guys,” Leena interrupted while the group continued to chat. Dinner had long been cleared away and bills paid, but she’d told them not to rush. Not tonight. “I have a man up at the counter looking for the Quidell family.”
“That’s us,” Dev said. She and Cannon had decided to take Hawk’s last name, viewing him as their anchor and the de facto head of their group—though neither of them let him order them around. Much. The name change wasn’t official yet, but who was she to argue if someone wanted to jump the gun?
“He has a…horse delivery. From Kentucky.”
“Oh, right,” Cannon said, surprising Dev. “From when we were there two weeks ago.”
“Right,” Hawk agreed.
“Right?” Dev echoed, though she had no idea what they were talking about. “We should go check?”
“Yes.” Standing, Hawk pulled back her chair. After saying goodbye to their friends, they shrugged on coats then headed toward the man who waited near the counter.
“Are you sure it’s okay?” she asked her guys quietly, after he’d greeted them and led them outside.
“Positive. Nothing will happen. Promise.”
She nodded. The guys had told her about the cover story Zoran had given them about visiting horse farms in Kentucky. She’d just never expected actual horses to show up.
The man glanced over at them when they approached the large horse trailer. “Here’s the bill of sale. I’ll need you to sign for the delivery, too.”
“I will,” she said. “I own the facility.”
The driver nodded. “You would be Devon Greeley, then?”
She hesitated at the unfamiliar name. She hadn’t been Devon Greeley in so long. Finally, she nodded and took the clipboard he held out.
