Cowgirl Up and Ride (Rough Riders #3)(113)

“In about an hour.”


“You sure you want to go alone? I could drive you.”


“Thanks, sis, but I’ll be fine. It’s gonna be a quick trip.”


“Did you talk to him today?”


“Yeah. He don’t understand and I’ve done a poor job explainin’ it to him.” By the time Cord decided to tell Ky what’d happened to Dag, his son had plain gone into hysterics and demanded to come home. Oddly enough, Marla agreed Ky should be with him. They’d changed the plane reservations and Cord was scheduled to leave on the last flight out of Cheyenne to Denver, en route to Seattle. As happy as he’d be to see his boy for the first time in a month, a layer of sadness dimmed his enthusiasm. Death changed everything.


Carter shoved his empty cup across the table. “Sorry I’m gonna miss seein’ the little squirt, but we can’t stick around.”


“My fault,” Cash said. “I doan wanna leave Gem alone with the twins overnight. She says she can handle them but she shouldn’t have to. We brought two horse trailers and we still need to load up the horses I bought from AJ before we take off.”


Cord’s stomach clenched at the mention of AJ’s name.


“That means you guys are leavin’ me to deal with Colt once I track him down?”


Colby asked.


Shit. Cord hadn’t thought of that. “Can it wait until I get back?”


“What am I, Colby, chopped liver? I didn’t get to knock some sense into Carter the last time we had a McKay fall out of line, so I’m entitled to let loose on another one of my stupidly clueless brothers.” Keely gave Cord a pointed look.


“What?”


“You know what.”


Kane said, “Don’t sweat it. Kade and I’ll be around.”


Quinn scratched his head beneath his hat. “Count me and Bennett in, if you give us enough warning so we can make the drive. Chase has gotta get back on the road too.”


“Where you competin’ next?” Cash asked.


“Wichita. Big purse. Lotsa points.”


“That’s a long way. You drivin’ straight through?”


Chase nodded.


“Good luck and be careful.” When Cash stood to leave, everyone at the table followed suit.



After Cord was on the road, he heard his cell phone beeping and he saw he’d missed a call from AJ. Damn. They’d been playing phone tag for a couple of days. The day after Dag died she’d gone to Billings with Jenn to get her mother moved into the assisted living facility. She wouldn’t be back until after he and Ky returned.


Yeah, he knew it was over. He knew he shouldn’t call her back. He should just let it go. He should just let her go. But the idea of not seeing her again? Not talking to her?


Not laughing with her? Not touching her? That was just another reason why his reunion with Ky would be so bittersweet.


He hit redial anyway and left her another message. Cell service through Wyoming was spotty at best so he knew chances were slim they’d actually connect. Why did everything in life have to be so goddamn hard?


Why don’t you just buck up and tell her how you feel?


Right. So she could walk away from him?


Maybe she’d stay.


Nah. The die was cast. The ball was in play. There was no way to go back and he really couldn’t see how he and AJ could go forward when they’d literally be miles apart from Sundance to Denver.