“Technically, I think you owe him a solid kick in the nuts.” Brandon’s voice completely eased her heart.
“Fortunately,” Trace said, “you have us to take care of those kinds of petty annoyances for you.”
She hadn’t heard them come into the restaurant, but was she ever glad to know they were there. The look that passed between Adam and Brandon showed her the truth. Likely the sheriff had called her guys before coming here to tell her the news. If her men thought for one moment she needed them, they’d come.
Trace and Brandon sat, one on either side of her, and wasn’t that just perfect?
“Thank you,” Rachel said. “I might get tossed out of the league of modern womanhood, but I’ve handled every tough thing all my life, all by myself, and I know I could again, if I had to. Thank you both for making sure that I don’t have to.”
“That’s our duty and our privilege,” Brandon said. He cupped her face and kissed her in front of the entire town. Then Trace repeated the gesture, finishing the job of soothing her, so that no angst, no stress, and no nasty negative thoughts could bite into her.
“So, what do we do next?” Rachel asked.
“We don’t show a car registered to the man, so we have to wait. If he thinks there’s a chance he could con you out of a fortune, he’ll likely show up,” Jake said. “His kind always does. I’m ready with the paperwork for you to swear out a complaint against him for harassment after he does that little thing.”
“Would a judge grant me a restraining order?”
“The magistrate of Lusty certainly would—that’s Mother.” Jake grinned.
“And the rest of us will be ready to have a little come-to-Jesus meeting with the man,” Adam said. “Hopefully that will be sooner, rather than later.”
“From your lips to God’s ears,” Rachel said. “I want to be done thinking about Buck Cosgrove.”
A cell phone rang, and Adam looked at the call display. He smiled then took the call. “Hey, little sister. What can I do for you?” Adam’s smile slowly slid from his face. He listened for a minute.
“We’re on our way.” Adam ended the call and shook his head. “Well, that didn’t take long. That was Chloe. She, Grandma Kate, and Aunt Bernice are at the Roadhouse, having lunch. Would you care to guess who just walked into the place?”
Rachel knew she looked shocked, because she was. Brandon ran his hand down her back. “See? Ask and ye shall receive.” Then he looked at Adam. “Trace and I are going to come with you, Sheriff.”
Adam nodded. “I never had a single doubt about that.”
* * * *
Rachel watched as the men headed out. Trace stopped for a moment, and Rachel realized why when she saw the pretty brunette with silver streaks in her hair. Then he hugged the woman, nodded toward Rachel, and followed the others toward the sheriff’s office.
She knew the woman was approaching sixty, but she honestly didn’t look much older than mid-forties.
Jolene Langley came into Lusty Appetites and came right up to Rachel. “Are you all right, Rachel? Trace said there was a bit of trouble.”
Before she could answer the woman, Ginny came over. “Sit back down, girl. You’re past your lunch break as it is. Hey, Jolene. Sweet tea?”
“Yes please, Ginny.”
Rachel sat back down, pleased when Jolene joined her. She didn’t know Trace’s mother well, but they’d chatted off and on.
“Is Libby okay?”
“She is, yes, thanks.”
Jolene sighed, her relief palpable. Then her expression turned rueful. “I’ll bet that ex of yours is causing trouble. I saw the look on Adam’s and Jake’s faces as they left here. They were pissed.”
“That’s a good guess.”
“You don’t have to tell me…”
“No, I don’t mind. It’s just—well, since coming to this town, and then beginning a relationship with Trace and Brandon, I’ve come to see the best that men can be. And it just shames me that I bought the load of crap Buck Cosgrove sold me. I believed him, and I married him. And even though I found out soon enough that I’d been had…” There were times when words failed her.
Ginny came to the table and took Jolene’s order. She opted for the special. Then Ginny turned her attention to Rachel, her pen poised expectantly. She didn’t think she could eat much.
“I’ll just have a bowl of soup, Ginny, thanks.”
Her coworker looked as if she was going to protest, but then she gave her a soft smile then nodded.
As soon as Ginny left them, Jolene folded her hands in front of her and met Rachel’s gaze. “By the time you realized he wasn’t the man he’d portrayed himself to be, you’d married him. You’d taken vows, and those vows meant something to you. I’d bet that, despite the way he treated you, you’d have stayed with him—would be with him still if not for the fact that your little one got sick and he deserted you.”
Rachel hadn’t thought about it before. “I think you’re right.” She didn’t know what to think of herself. What kind of a wimp did that make her?
“I see that look. You need to listen to me.” Jolene reached out and took Rachel’s hand. “I was blessed to have a wonderful husband, one who made me and our children the center of his life. When he was with me, I knew I was loved, and I knew I was valued. I still miss him every day, but I also thank God every day that I knew such a man, that I loved such a man, and that he lives on in his children.
“Your ex-husband’s failure to value the gift you gave him does not diminish that gift. His failure
