“When I heard Will was arranging a ranch vehicle for you,” he answered finally, “I wanted to make sure you had the newest and safest one available.”
Okay, that was probably true. Ben had a protective streak as wide as Strawberry Canyon. She fished out the keys from her purse and handed them to him. “You should have your truck.”
He ignored her and walked to the driver’s door, opening it. “Tough cookies. It’s yours for the time being.”
A car honked, making them both turn their heads. There was a sheriff’s car parking behind Ben. The guy who’d picked them up from the airport and put the hoods on themuncurled from the car. This time, he was wearing the brown uniform, but that didn’t make her any surer of him. The kind of ruse he’d been willing to play with Will at her and Neil’s expense made him a wildcard.
“Good to see you, Hannah,” Logan called, all friendly-like. “Haven’t seen you around Sanctuary Springs yet.”
“I’m still finding my feet,” she answered breezily. “What has you stopping at the Prentice house? Did the boys do something?”
“No, Jolene will be delighted to know I’m here to talk to Ben. He was supposed to meet me.”
Ben’s jaw hardened. “I was coming, dammit. Excuse me, Hannah.”
She watched the two men walk away a fair distance so she couldn’t overhear what they were saying. The whole situation was weird. Detouring back to the garage, she found Neil watching Luke’s phone, laughing along with the boys at some video.
“Dylan!” she called.
He came running like he always had when he was little. “Yeah.”
“What did Ben talk to you boys about?”
“He wanted to see if we’d like to work on Will’s project building the rehab center and your wellness clinic on Wild Mountain. We’re always looking for work. Me especially since I’m not sixteen yet.”
First a little foal to heal and now hiring her favorite boys to work on her future. He continued to be full of surprises. “Since when do you wield a hammer?”
“We’ve been doing odd jobs on the Triple M since you left. Ben came by and told Ma that if she needed anything, to call him.”
Oh my God.That man.Even though he’d been so hurt and angry with her…he’d stepped in and taken care of the Prentices while she’d been away. Jolene hadn’t mentioned that. Not that she would. Except now she could see why Jolene talked about Ben like she had. “I see.”
“Hannah, are we going to have to stop being friends with Ben now that you’re back?” Dylan looked at her with the same kind of puppy eyes he used to. “You know we would if we had to.”
She reached out and gave him a gentle shake. “Of course not. You be friends with anyone you want.”
He nodded before turning serious, way too serious for a fourteen-year-old. “Hannah, we really like Ben, but you’re family. You know we’d do anything for you.”
This time she hugged him. “Goes the same for me. I need to say goodbye to Ben. You want to sort the rest of my socks for me? I forgot to wash them, so excuse the smell.”
“Gross! I’d rather be pulled behind a horse for three days uphill, Hannah.”
She had to laugh, but as she left the garage again, she noted how tense Logan and Ben were. Still, their standoffishness didn’t stop her from walking right up on them. They broke apart, of course, which only had her cocking her brow at Ben.
He was stony silent. Never a good sign.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
Ben put his hands on his belt buckle, a muscle ticcing on his jaw. “You’ll hear soon enough. The lumber Will ordered was delivered to another address and pretty much ruined.”
“Oh no! That’s terrible.”
Logan swore softly. “That it is. But don’t worry none. We’ll straighten things out. Ben, I’ll meet you at the lumberyard. Hannah, always a pleasure.”
As Logan walked back to his vehicle, she turned to Ben. “Ben, why is the sheriff’s office involved in a lumber delivery?”
He tipped his cowboy hat down, his mouth working like he would rather chew gravel. “Because I think the lumberwas diverted to another location on purpose so it would be ruined,” he told her in a hard tone.
She put her hand on his chest before she knew what she was doing. “But that’s crazy. Who would do such a thing?”
