Cowboy After Dark

“Absolutely,” Damon said, “but in that case, I want to be out here helping.”

“We can let Grady decide if you should or not.” Cade turned to him. “Here’s the deal. Finn, Damon and me, we had a few beers at lunch and sat around shooting the breeze like we always do, reminiscing about all the great times we’ve had and the stuff we got into, and—”

“Blah, blah, blah.” Damon reached over and knocked Cade’s hat down over his eyes. “Cut to the chase.”

“Hang on, bridegroom.” Cade repositioned his hat. “I needed to set the scene. Anyway, it occurred to us that since every guy who was at the ranch is our brother, the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood should be inclusive, not exclusive. You and Liam don’t have to go along with that idea if it doesn’t appeal to you, but—”

“It appeals to me.” Grady glanced at Liam. “How about you, big brother? Wanna be part of the club?”

Unexpected emotion tightened his chest. He hadn’t thought this mattered to him, but he was incredibly touched. Tucking his thumbs in his belt loops, he rocked back on his heels and grinned. “That depends. Do I get a secret decoder ring?”

“You bet,” Finn said. “Just pop one off your next can of beer, put it on your pinky and you’re in business.”

“Then I’m in.”

“Good.” Cade looked incredibly pleased with himself. “It was mostly my idea, but—”

“It was not.” Finn rolled his eyes. “Way to hog the credit. If I remember correctly, and I’m sure I do, it was—”

“Boys!” Rosie clapped her hands. “We’re getting off track, and I want to see that sculpture. Who’s going in the house with me?”

Damon glanced at Grady. “Can I stay? I can help you figure out where it should go.”

“Yeah, let him stay,” Phil said. “He has a good eye. I’m sure I’ll be happy with the placement.”

“Okay.” Grady nodded. “You’re right. It’ll be better if one of you tells us where to put it. We won’t end up having to move it later.”

“Then it’s settled.” Rosie motioned toward the porch. “Women, inside. Men, get to work. Call us when you’re ready for the big reveal.”

“There’s only one thing wrong with this plan, Rosie,” Phil’s stepmother said.

“What’s that, Edie?”

“We don’t get to watch all these gorgeous men flex their muscles.”

That got a laugh. Liam checked Hope’s reaction to the remark and discovered she was smiling. More than that, she was smiling at him. Maybe Grady was right. He should go for it.

3 (#ulink_05abddd5-6a40-5e48-9efe-8f583314b83a)

ONCE THEY WERE INSIDE, Hope accepted with gratitude the glass of wine Phil handed her. Somehow she kept herself from knocking it back like a shot of whiskey.

“I’m organizing card games so nobody’s tempted to peek out the window,” Rosie said. “Who wants to play?”

“Count Hope and me in for the second round,” Phil said. “We’re going to take inventory of beer and snacks for the guys after they finish.”

Lexi glanced their way. “Need help?”

“Thanks, but we can handle it.” Phil led the way into the kitchen.

Hope followed. She hadn’t offered to help organize the food and drinks, but Phil must have guessed she needed a time-out. Plus, she and Phil hadn’t had a chance to talk by themselves all day. Until Phil and Damon left on their honeymoon, Hope was staying in one of Rosie and Herb’s guest rooms out at the ranch.

That put her at the center of the activity, which had been great for getting to know everybody. Rosie, Herb, Cade, Finn, Damon and Lexi were all wonderful people, but Phil was the one she’d come to see.

“What did you do with your kitty cats?” she asked as they walked into the kitchen.

“Once I realized we’d be hanging out here, I closed them in the bedroom. They have food, water and a litter box. It’s better if they’re not part of this craziness.”

“Much better.”

“And if I haven’t said this before, I so appreciate that you’re willing to stay here after we leave and take care of MC Hammer and Nine-Inch-Nails.”

“Of course! It’ll be fun. So what are we doing to get ready for the testosterone invasion later on?”

Phil laughed. “No kidding. Beer is the magic potion. I have some in the fridge and more in the pantry.” Phil opened the pantry door and pulled several varieties of chips from the top shelf.

“See how you do that? I’ve always envied your height.” Phil had been the designated top-shelf gal for their crowd in high school.

“I always envied your boobs.”

That made Hope laugh. “These old things? I’ve had them for years, but where have they gotten me?”

“Prom queen.”

“Besides that. That doesn’t matter.”

“It does when you’re seventeen.”

“I suppose.” Prom queen. What an empty accolade that was now. “So I assume you invited Debbie and Joan. Couldn’t they come?”

“Sadly, no. I guess you didn’t hear that Debbie moved to New York and Joan took a job in South Carolina. Debbie’s about to deliver her first kid, and Joan was coming but she just started this job and couldn’t wrangle the time off.”

“That’s too bad.”

“I know. They both wanted to be here. They would have loved to see you.”

“Likewise.” She regretted losing touch with both women, but a lot of water had gone under the bridge. Maybe it was too late to rekindle the friendship. “So! What do you want me to do?”

“I’ll get chip bowls if you’ll put more beer in the fridge. We’re well stocked, because I anticipated Damon’s brothers dropping by.”

Hope surveyed the cases of beer. “How much of this do you want chilled?”

“All that will fit. None of it is up to Finn’s standards, I’m sure, but he’ll just have to deal.”

“Why’s he so picky?” Hope carried a case over to the fridge and started making room on the shelves.

“He owns a microbrewery in Seattle, and he prefers his own beer. He shipped some to Rosie and Herb for the reception, but I can’t buy it locally yet.”

Kneeling, Hope layered cans on the bottom shelf by turning them on their sides. Phil was a lifesaver for bringing her in here to do this little chore. Working at something simple in the kitchen was perfect for calming her frazzled nerves. “It must be fun marrying into a family with so many brothers.”