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“Wait.” Colton blocked his path. “We’re not trying to give you a hard time. We’re happy if you’re happy. We’re just trying to protect you.”
“No, you’re not,” Gunner said. They had never tried to protect him from anything. “You’re just being a bunch of Miss Marples.” He shouldered past Colton and headed for the house, desperate to get back to his wife and away from these nimrods.
“Who’s Miss Marple?” Kash asked behind him, but no one answered him.
“Can you just tell us if you’re paying her?” Tucker asked.
Gunner stopped and turned around, wondering what on earth a woman as smart as Wynona saw in this skinflint. “That is none of your business. None of you wanted to run this ranch, so I’m running it. Did any of you want to marry Nova?” He paused for effect. “No? Okay, then I married her. You don’t have to be happy about it. I’m happy.” He didn’t sound happy right that second, but it was true.
“You know what?” Tucker said. “I’m sorry.”
Whoa, he actually sounded it.
“You’re right. I can be too suspicious of people, but you are a good judge of character, and you wouldn’t have married her if she wasn’t a good investment.” He nodded. “I mean it, man. I’m sorry.”
Gunner wasn’t sure what to say.
“I’m sorry too,” Colton said. “It just seemed like it happened so fast, you know because you didn’t tell any of us it was happening.”
“Can you blame him?” Ryker said, and no one answered him.
“Well, then,” Kash said. “I’m so glad someone finally took my advice. I told you to marry that girl, and you did! Well done!”
Chapter 42
Nova was a little nervous to be in the house with these women she didn’t know and was glad Gabby was lurking, trying to be part of the big girl conversations, but she still missed Gunner sorely.
“What do you think they’re talking about out there?” Wynona said, staring out the window with her arms crossed.
“I think,” Frankie said, “that Tucker is asking Gunner a string of obnoxious questions, like did he run a background check on Nova, and what’s her credit score?”
Nova tried not to show her alarm, and Frankie sent her a comforting smile.
“That does sound like him,” Wynona admitted, “but I think it’s more likely that he’s trying to get them to take a stand against my cowboy church.”
Frankie laughed. “You don’t need him. I’ll help you with the cowboy church. Ryker thinks it’s a good idea.”
“That’s good news!” Wynona sounded really excited, which made Nova more excited for this project she didn’t quite understand.
Nova realized Bella was staring at her and stopped moving.
“Are you doing okay?” Bella said. “This must be a lot.”
The other women turned to look too, and Nova felt her cheeks get hot. “I’m sort of so focused on the next step that I haven’t taken time to panic about the big picture.”
Bella laughed lightly. “That actually sounds very wise.”
Wynona stepped away from the window. “I’m sorry, Nova. I’ve been so caught up in my cowboy church that I haven’t reallyconsidered what this must all be like for you. But it’s going okay? Gunner is treating you okay?”
Nova nodded, feeling a bit sheepish. “He’s an absolute prince.”
The women exchanged a look. “Gotta say,” Frankie said, “I hadn’t really thought about it, but knowing Gunner the little that I do, it makes sense. I mean, he’s so good with animals and kids, it makes sense that he’d be a big old romantic prince too.”
“Yeah,” Bella said. “Makes me a little jealous.”
Frankie laughed. “Oh, stop it. You’re head over heels for Kash. When are you guys getting married, anyway?”
“Well, now I have to wait for Denver to get married,” Bella said.
