Dana had to bite her tongue. She’d been against Brick going into law enforcement from the beginning. For years she’d worried about Hud’s safety every time he left the house to go to work. She didn’t want to have to worry about one of her sons, as well.
“He was born to do this,” her husband said as if seeing her expression. She met his gaze, too upset to speak. “I didn’t encourage him. And I certainly didn’t approve of this. But you know how he is.”
“He wants to please you,” she said, her voice breaking. “He idolizes you, so of course he wants to follow in your footsteps.” Hud said nothing. Clearly he had to know there wasn’t much he could say. She saw how difficult this was for him. He was worried and upset. She felt her anger vanish as quickly as it had appeared.
Stepping to him, she wrapped her arms around him. He pulled her down on his lap and buried his face into her neck. “Brick will be fine,” she whispered. “He’s enough like you, he’ll be fine.”
Hud nodded against her shoulder, and she tightened her arms around him as she hoped it was true. His cell phone rang, making her groan. That was another reason she was anxious for him to retire. They deserved peace and quiet at this age—not the constant sound of a phone ringing at all hours and Hud having to go take care of marshal business.
She stepped from his arms so he could take the call. But she didn’t go far. If this was about Brick... She listened to her husband’s side of it, something about a motor home being found. So not about Brick.
Turning away, she headed toward the kitchen to bake something, anything. That was what she did when she was upset—bake. She didn’t want to know about the dark things her husband dealt with daily. She didn’t want to think about what Brick had involved himself in or how dangerous it might be.
She turned on the oven, anxious to smell something sweet filling up the old ranch house kitchen.
“I CAN’T BELIEVE Natalie would stop this soon,” Brick said as he looked around at the busy main street as people were enjoying the warm summer night. Everywhere there were tourists with their campers and sunburned kids, fishermen wearing fly vests, an older couple sitting outside eating ice cream cones and watching all the activity. “But I can see where she could blend in here since the locals seem to be outnumbered.”
His comment rated him one of Mo’s smiles. This one actually reached her blue eyes. He felt himself grow warm under the glow of it and warned himself to be careful. If she turned it on him too much, he might find himself feeling close to her and that would be a mistake, especially given his reputation—and hers.
“Natalie knows this area. She went to college in Bozeman so she’s floated the Madison River on tubes, drunk beer in Bogert Park’s old band shell and sledded Pete’s Hill. There are just some things you do when you attend Montana State University. Or at least we did back in the day.”
He turned toward her. “You went to MSU?” She nodded. “Did you know—”
“Natalie?” She shook her head. “But we were there about the same time. I wouldn’t be surprised if we crossed paths and didn’t know it.” She seemed to be studying the activity on the main street.
He followed her gaze to all the people dressed in shorts and sandals. It made him think of a summer when his parents took them to Yellowstone Park. Growing up on the ranch, there was no such thing as a lazy summer. There was always work to do. It was why he used to sneak away and find a place in the shade to take a nap, but his mother always found him. She would scold him and before she was through, she’d suggest they all go down to the creek for a swim.
That summer in Yellowstone he’d felt like one of the tourists. It had been a great summer with his twin, Angus, brother Hank, sister Mary and cousins Ella and Ford. He realized Mo was staring at him.
“Nice memory?” she asked. “Let me guess. There’s a girl involved.”
He laughed. “As a matter of fact, there is. My mother.” He told her what he’d been thinking about and the picnic lunch they’d had in Yellowstone, swimming in the Firehole, watching Old Faithful go off at sunset before pitching tents at Lake Campground and sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows. Ranch kids often didn’t get those kinds of trips. Too many animals that needed tending to. “The whole trip was my mother’s idea.”
She didn’t say anything for a moment. “She sounds like a great lady.”
He smiled. “She is. Not that Dana Cardwell Savage isn’t tough when she has to be. She’s one strong, determined woman.” He met Mo’s gaze. “A lot like you.”
“She doesn’t want you doing this, does she.”
Brick leaned back behind the wheel, watching tourists stream past for a moment. “She doesn’t want me doing a lot of things, including becoming a deputy marshal.”
He could feel Mo openly studying him. “Maybe you should listen to her.”
He turned so he was facing her. “You don’t think I have what it takes?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“But it’s what you were thinking.”
She shook her head. “Don’t assume you know what I’m thinking.” They both grew quiet. “I just don’t want to be responsible for your mother having to attend your funeral.”
“Then you’d better make sure nothing happens to me,” he said and laughed. “Look, it’s nice to know you care, but I’m not your responsibility. This is my choice and I can take care of myself.”
He followed her gaze. Mo was watching the older couple down the street. They were taking all day to eat their ice cream cones. “And you aren’t responsible for me. If the only reason you’re here is to stop
