Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders #12)(112)

As soon as Tell and Dalton saw he was alone, they approached him. Tell spoke first.

“So you got any news for us?”


“I haven’t talked to Rielle yet.”


“Why the hell not?” Dalton demanded.


“Because she can be prickly as a damn cactus. Any time I’ve seen her, she’s in one

of them moods.”


“That’s because everything is closing in on her.” Tell leaned closer. “You need to

get this deal done, Ben. Soon.”


He was half tempted to tell them to take a shot at talking to her if they thought it

was so f*cking easy. “I get that.”


“Do you?” Dalton’s gaze flicked to the banker. “What were you and Talbot talking

about?”


“Nothing important. Why?”


“We were just wondering if you were asking him about a loan, to cover, you know, your

portion. Because if this is about money, we can front you some cash—”


“It’s not about money. Jesus.” His cheeks heated. “I said I’d take care of it.”


“See that you do because we don’t wanna lose out on this,” Tell warned.


Then they took off, leaving Ben to brood.


Fifteen minutes later, Chase slumped against the wall next to him. “You been hidin’

over here the whole time?”


“Hiding.” Ben snorted. “As if anyone could hide in here. I’m glad Mom and Dad built

that three-season room or we’d only get to invite half the family.”


“Neither of us would’ve minded that.”


“True. But Mom’s really happy everyone is at our place for a change. Seems we’ve

always had to go to Uncle Carson’s house for get-togethers.”


Chase sipped his beer. “How much do you think Mom’s happiness has to do with Gavin

showing up?”


“Some, I reckon. But I also figure that’s the reason the whole fam-damly is here. To

get a good look at him. No offense, bro.”


“That’s what I thought too. I still think it’s weird he ain’t stayin’ here.

Especially since Mom and Dad stayed at his place in Arizona.”


“You and Ava ain’t stayin’ here either,” Ben pointed out.


“You can’t fault me’n the missus for wanting to stay in Kane’s trailer, since it

holds special significance for us.” He waggled his eyebrows.


“Right. You and Ava are afraid Mom and Dad will hear you two havin’ loud sex all

night long.”


Chase shot him a sideways glance. “We are newlyweds. Besides, maybe me’n the missus

are afraid we’ll hear the folks havin’ wall-thumping sex all night long.”


“Now I’ll have to scrub my brain with scotch to erase that image. And gee, ain’t it

cute how you’re always calling Ava the missus now?”


“Fuck off. We’ll see how you act when you fall in love with the woman of your dreams.

You won’t wanna wait to put a ring on her finger and call her yours.” Chase hadn’t

let grass grow under his feet where Ava was concerned. As soon as she’d agreed to

marry him, he’d whisked her off to Hawaii for a private ceremony on the beach.