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Cash froze with the cup halfway to his lips. He searched for a way to answer her without divulging too much of his personal business. All he could think about was how fucking good Nick looked sleeping in his bed. Harry must’ve seen at least some of the truth in his expression because her eyes widened briefly.
“Oh. Ohhh. Say no more, boss.” Harry mimed zipping her lips.
Awkward. Cash thought it was best to correct the assumptions she’d leaped to but decided against it. Whatever Harry had imagined was probably exactly what his heart desired and feared most. He should’ve probably downplayed her presumptions but worried he’d just overexplain and make it worse. “Everyone knows you’re the real boss around here,” Cash told her instead.
“And that’s a fact,” Rory said. The guy looked rested, in love, and borderline smug when he entered the kitchen. The last one surprised Cash because it seemed aimed at him. Rory had obviously seen Nick’s car when they arrived home, but he didn’t know Nick had slept in Cash’s bed. He was just being paranoid and prickly about his privacy. “And how was my brother last night?”
Cash nearly choked on his coffee. Rory’s words didn’t hold a hint of innuendo, but his shimmering icy blue eyes were another story. That little shit might not know anything, but he suspected a lot. Nick had been spot-on when he’d said people underestimated Rory, but Cash wasn’t one of them. “He’s tired from a long day of travel.”
Rory leaned his hip against the kitchen island and crossed his arms over his chest. It was a classic what-are-your-intentions pose, but his goofy grin ruined any intimidation factor. Or did it? That smile unsettled Cash more than he wanted to acknowledge. He’d fearlessly challenged the wealthy and powerful to achieve his successes, but facing Rory felt scarier. Nick loved his brother dearly and held him in high regard. Rory’s opinion would be important to Nick, so it mattered to Cash too. “I bet he was tired. I assume he landed in Denver and drove here.”
“He did,” Cash said casually. He debated telling Rory about Nick’s car accident, but that would only make Nick’s decision to drive to Redemption Ridge more curious. The last thing he wanted to do was encourage the grinning imp in his kitchen.
Rory broke eye contact with Cash to inspect the rows of muffins. “These smell incredible. I’ll wait a bit to let Nick sleep in, then take him a few with his morning coffee. He loves anything pumpkin.”
“Great,” Harry said. “You’ll have to tell me his favorite meals so I can fix him something special.”
Rory faced Cash once more. “Cash would probably be a better judge. It’s been a long time since I’ve lived with Nicky, and I’m sure his tastes have matured beyond chicken tenders and macaroni and cheese.”
Cash couldn’t help but grin. “Who doesn’t love a good chicken tender and macaroni and cheese?” As far as deflections went, it was pretty lame. “Nick wouldn’t want you to fuss over him,” he told Harry. “He doesn’t have food allergies, and he isn’t a picky eater.”
“He doesn’t like mushrooms,” Rory said.
“He didn’t use to like them, but he does now,” Cash said, recalling the way Nick had wolfed down the omelet. He’d chocked that full of peppers, onions, and mushrooms.
Rory quirked a brow in do-tell fashion, and Cash accepted the challenge.
“Nick changed his mind when he had truffle butter on a steak once.”
“Well, damn,” Rory said. “I used to love grossing him out with them.” After a chuckle, he asked again where he could find Nick. “Maybe I’ll jump on the bed the way I used to when I was little.”
Cash thought of Nick’s injured shoulder and nearly cringed. He quickly pivoted his thoughts to how best to divert Rory’s attention, but Harry beat him to it.
She looped her arm through Rory’s and pulled him toward the refrigerator. “You’ll do no such thing. Tell me all about your trip while you help me prep for breakfast.” Harry looked at Cash and made a get-out-of-here hand gesture. He took full advantage of her distraction to beat a hasty retreat to his office. Cash snagged another muffin from the cooling rack. Being the ranch owner had its privileges.
“It was the best trip I’ve ever taken,” Rory said wistfully.
The guy had traveled the world, and Kansas had stolen the top spot? Cash knew damn well it had nothing to do with the location and everything to do with the people, namely the big teddy bear who’d stolen Rory’s heart. Cash slowed his steps so he could catch the highlight reel.
“Ivan’s mom is so sweet,” Rory continued. “I adore her and the fierce way she loves her sons. Ivan and his brother, Innes, razz each other nonstop. It’s too funny. No one here would dare talk to Ivan the way his younger brother does.”
According to Nick, Rory knew exactly which buttons to push to rile him up too. Cash hadn’t witnessed the shenanigans for himself. If the ranch was lucky, they’d get to see Nick and Rory in action.
“Oh my God, Harry,” Rory blurted. “You should see Ivan fussing over his little niece. She looked so tiny in his gigantic hands. He cradled her tenderly against his chest and talked to her in the gentlest voice I’d ever heard. Swoon. I want to have ten babies with him.”
Cash snorted and picked up the pace. He made a quick detour to the library to retrieve his phone before heading into his office. Burke had texted back No problem and I’ll hold you to it almost immediately after Cash had canceled their dinner plans. He felt like he owed his friend a better explanation. Regardless of Nick’s presence, Cash needed to let Burke down gently, not through a text. He’d set up the rain-check meal where he could let the guy down. Normally, he wouldn’t message people at seven in the morning, but he knew from their conversations that Burke was an early riser.
Cash sat down at his desk and took a fortifying sip of coffee before pulling up his text thread with Burke. He tapped out, I’m really sorry about last night. A friend showed up unexpectedly. Could we meet for lunch this week? He set his phone down and picked up the Sunday paper Harry had laid on his desk. Burke replied before he’d read the first headline.
How good of a friend? Burke wanted to know.
Cash chuckled and shook his head. Of course he’d zeroed in on that part. Two could play this game. Lunch? Cash asked. The bubble with three dots popped up on his screen, so Cash didn’t bother to set the phone down.
I see. Burke followed it with a sad face emoji and, The lucky bastard. Lunch sounds good. Wednesday?
They bantered for a few more minutes while confirming the day and time. Burke said Cash could invite his friend. Maybe the sheriff was curious, or maybe he was probing for information. Cash hadn’t taken the bait. He told Burke to have a good day and be safe. He was in a good mood when he picked up the paper again. Cash was pretty sure Burke saw the writing on the wall when Cash had replaced what they both knew was a date in Burke’s mind with a lunch at the local diner. Cash had squarely friend-zoned him without coming out and saying it. That would happen at lunch because there was no romantic future for them, regardless of what happened with Nick. Based on the teasing tone of Burke’s texts, Cash was certain they would be okay.
His good mood shriveled up and died when he read the top headline. A new rash of thefts was occurring in the surrounding community. The interviewed officer remarked that this latest rash mirrored the ones from earlier in the year. Pastor Samuel Jeremiah, though Cash hesitated to use an honorific title for a cult leader, had accused the ranch crew of committing the thefts. Sheriff Burke and several of his deputies were very familiar with the ranch hands since Dylan trained their K-9 dogs. Burke had refused to entertain the allegations without evidence, which had only made Pastor Jeremiah angrier. Cash supposed that was the impetus for the confrontation at the dog adoption event in Last Chance Creek. As Cash had told Nick, the organization had been quiet—too quiet—since then. But how long would that last now that the thefts had started back up?
