A Cowgirl's Secret by Melinda Curtis

Author:Melinda Curtis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-07-15T19:43:38+00:00

* * *

THE GLOW OF Cassie’s presence faded as Bentley sat down across from Shane and gave his cousin a dirty look.

“Hey, kids.” For once, Shane seemed to take a hint. “Why don’t you all take seats at the counter?”

Miraculously, Bentley huffed and puffed and kept the angry words inside until the kids were ten feet away. And then he leaned forward to whisper, “You didn’t tell me Olivia was here.”

Shane mirrored his body language, leaning over the Formica and whispering, “She swore me to secrecy. No one knows she’s here. I deliver her groceries once a week and—”

Bentley swiped a hand across the air between them. “You knew. And you didn’t tell me. I asked you when she was coming. You asked me if I’d seen the lake out there. You knew I was worried. You knew she was a wreck.”

“And now you’ve seen her.” Shane sat back and shrugged. “I’m sorry, but...now you know.”

“That’s all you’ve got to say?” Bentley was afraid he might lose his temper. “Don’t talk to me as if this is okay. It’s not okay. You lied to me.”

“Hey, fellas.” Their cousin Cam appeared at their table. “Do you need to step outside? You’re scaring my customers.” He pointed toward the lunch counter, where four kids stared at them with wide eyes.

“We aren’t taking our conversation outside,” Shane said evenly. “I’m apologizing to my cousin and in about thirty seconds, he’s going to accept my apology.”

“Hardly. I might harbor bad feelings toward Shane for several months, if not years,” Bentley said through gritted teeth.

Cam shrugged. “You know, a lot of people feel that way about Shane.”

“I should leave town,” Bentley said.

“Wrong answer.” For the first time, Shane dropped the repentant act. “I need you to discredit Tanner.”

The tension Bentley had been feeling about staying just to appease Cassie eased. Here was an excuse that didn’t involve his heart and impossible forevers. His cousin expected him to stay.

“All right.” Bentley jumped at the excuse. “But you owe me.”

“Shane owes lots of people.” Cam grinned. “Good luck on claiming that debt.”

Shane scoffed. “It’s a debt of gratitude.”

“We prefer cash,” Cam quipped.

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