Chapter Twenty-Eight
As she left the ranch and set out down the highway toward Jim’s place a little later, Shelley rolled the windows down and turned up the radio. It was a beautiful day, and as she sang along with a country song, it occurred to her that she felt more free here than she had in a long time—maybe ever.
It was funny how things worked out. For the last few years, she’d felt as if she needed to stay on the road in order to remain free. As it turned out, setting down roots with Trip had given her the kind of freedom she hadn’t known before.
And she wouldn’t trade it for anything.
She felt good about her chat with Brody and wasn’t worried about keeping his secret from Trip. She was confident in her heart that if he knew, Trip would want her to keep Brody’s confidence by excluding him.
But just because she wasn’t going to tell a soul how Brody felt, that didn’t mean she couldn’t quietly figure out how Brooke felt.
Shelley liked them both, and from what she could tell, it seemed like they might be a good match. Then again, maybe she should keep her nose out of their business. She wasn’t one for gossip—certainly not for interfering in people’s lives—but she was starting to understand why small-town communities, though notorious for gossip, weren’t always wrong. And she was starting to feel a little less judgmental about it, too. She could see now that at least some folks might genuinely have the best of intentions when they shared news or interfered in other people’s lives.
She was still thinking about it as she turned onto East River Road and headed south toward Jim’s place. As she approached the property, she saw an SUV pull out of the driveway and speed toward her. She was confused for a moment, wondering if she was in the wrong somehow. Why else would—
Her brain didn’t finish the question. It switched to survival mode.
She swerved automatically to get out of the oncoming vehicle’s path. Her car went off the road and landed in the drainage ditch. Her hands were shaking as she cut the engine and looked around, hoping the other driver was all right. Her heart began to pound when she saw that the other vehicle was fine—and its driver was striding toward her.
Her breath caught in her chest.
It was Gavin.
She reached for the door handle, ready to confront him—but stopped short when he reached her car and kicked the door.
“I’ve told him, and I’ll tell you—you won’t get away with it. He has a perfectly good will in place, and I’m going to make sure it’s upheld. When Jim’s dead, all of this will be mine. It’s rightfully mine, and you can’t stop me.”
Shelley inhaled sharply. Yes, she could stop him. And she fully intended to. But she was wise enough to know that reminding him of that right now might not be the wisest move.
He slammed his hand down on the roof of her car. “You won’t get away with it, I’m telling you. They’re not his family. I’m the only family he has left.”
His jowly cheeks were red, his eyes wild. A stray thought flashed across Shelley’s mind—she wouldn’t be surprised if he died before Jim. He looked like a prime candidate for a heart attack in his current state.
He glowered at her. “I’m his family,” he repeated. “Those three aren’t his blood. And Cash—” He turned and spat on the ground. “I’m going to put a stop to him. He thinks he’s such a big deal. He always did. But you know what? He has his own family, and they have their own ranch. Just because Kitty—”
He stopped short, as if realizing he was saying too much. He ran a hand over his face, then smiled.
“Forgive me,” he said smoothly. “You’re just doing your job. I understand that. This isn’t your fault.”
His scowl returned. “It’s that damn Cash MacFarland. And I’m going to put an end to him.”
He stepped back, looking at her car as if noticing for the first time that it was in the ditch. “You’ll be able to get it out of here, I’m sure. You should drive more carefully in the future.”
He smiled again, and it sent a shiver down her spine. His words were laced with threat—a threat that felt real.
She could only watch as he made that strange, mock-hat-tipping gesture before turning and walking away. He climbed back into his SUV, and she watched in the rearview mirror until he disappeared from sight.
By the time he did, her hands weren’t shaking as badly. She tried starting her car again. It felt like a miracle that, after a few tries, she was able to back it out of the ditch and get back on the road.
The fender was dented, but apart from that, there didn’t seem to be much damage. She let out a sigh of relief when she reached the house and relaxed a little more when she saw Harper’s car parked outside.
She’d intended to go straight in to check that Jim was okay and to call Harper to let her know that she was here.
“Jim? Harper?” she called as she let herself in. “Are you here? Are you guys okay?”
Banner appeared in the doorway from the living room, deep lines of concern etched around his eyes. “They’re in here. They’re fine. Gavin was just here. You missed him—and unfortunately, so did I.” His scowl deepened.
Shelley let out a shaky laugh. “I only just missed him. He ran me off the road.”
Banner’s head snapped up at that, but before he could speak, Harper called from the living room. “We’re in here, Shelley Bell.”
Banner stepped aside and gestured for her to go in.
The sight that greeted her broke Shelley’s heart. Jim was sitting in his favorite armchair beside the fire. He looked old and frail in a way she hadn’t seen before. He was pale, and his hand was visibly shaking even as Harper held it. Harper was squatting beside his chair, her manner soothing—but Shelley didn’t miss the quiet fury burning in her eyes.
“Are you okay?” she asked Jim.
He waved a hand as if to bat the question away, but it was clear he was shaken. “I’ll be fine. Nothing that having you two pretty ladies around can’t fix.”
Harper gave his hand a squeeze. “I know we’re adorable, Jim, but I don’t think even we can make this better. We need to do something about him.”
Banner muttered something, and Shelley turned to look at him.
“I’ve wanted to do something about him ever since he showed back up in town,” he said, his expression softening as he looked at Jim. “But I haven’t been allowed to—so far.”
Jim sighed heavily. “Did you call Cash?”
“I did. He’s on his way.”
Harper looked puzzled, but Shelley knew exactly why Jim wanted Cash there.
“I’m all right,” he insisted. “But I want to talk to him.” He turned to Shelley. “And what about you? What happened?”
She shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal of her encounter with Gavin. Jim was the important one here.
Harper met her gaze. “You might as well tell us what he did to you.”
“He ran me off the road. I was in the ditch before I even realized it was him. He was ranting about…” She glanced at Jim, and he nodded.
“I already know,” he said. “He thinks he can find some way to make the old will stand so he’ll inherit everything.” His gaze held steady as he looked into her eyes. “You won’t let that happen, will you?”
She swallowed, then assured him, “You know I won’t.”
One of the secrets he’d asked her to keep was that he’d already drawn up a very simple replacement will, leaving everything to one person he trusted to distribute it according to his wishes—even without a legal document to enforce them.
“And all I did was help, Jim,” she reminded him. “You’ve already ensured that, no matter what happens now, he won’t receive a penny.”
“Did you tell him that?” Banner asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t think I even uttered a word. I just let him rant—and then he drove away.”
“You need to be careful, Miss Shelley,” he told her. Harper nodded in agreement.
Jim shook his head sadly. “I shouldn’t have brought you into this. I hate to think I might’ve put you in danger.”
Shelley went to him and squatted beside his chair, taking his hand. “You haven’t put me in danger, Jim. I’m not just saying it to make you feel better—I honestly believe it. If he’d wanted to hurt me, he had the perfect opportunity out there on the road. Yeah, he screamed at me, but all his anger is directed toward Cash.”
That brought the first hint of a smile to Jim’s lips, and she understood why.
“Just goes to show how stupid he is,” Banner muttered. “If he had any sense at all, Cash would be the last person he went after.”
“I hope he finds him,” Harper said.
Jim chuckled. “I don’t think he’ll need to search too hard,” he said, looking at Banner again. “You said he’s coming?”
“He is.”
Shelley watched their exchange with interest. From everything she and Jim had talked about these last few weeks, she’d wondered how Banner felt about Cash. From the way he was acting, she guessed Banner was the same as everyone else—it seemed like everyone around here looked up to Cash and knew they could turn to him when they had a problem.
As if thinking about him had summoned him, they all turned at the sound of tires crunching to a halt on the gravel outside. A beat of stillness followed, then the sound of heavy footfalls. A moment later, Cash filled the doorway.
The air seemed to crackle around him, as if he were literally bristling with anger. And yet when he met Jim’s gaze, his smile was gentle. His whole demeanor changed.
Shelley got to her feet, and Harper did the same, both of them stepping aside as Cash approached Jim’s chair. He held out his hand without a word, and Jim took it, using it to haul himself up.
Shelley’s throat clogged with emotion as she watched the two men embrace. For a moment, she imagined the same scene forty years ago—Jim strong and stocky, like Cash was now, and Cash just a young man finding his way.
She exchanged a glance with Harper, whose hand had come up to cover her heart. When she looked at Banner, there was no missing the fact that he was choked up, too. He smiled at her and nodded before returning to the doorway—standing guard, it seemed.
She was surprised that Cash’s voice came out as not much more than a croak when he asked, “Are you okay?”
“Aye,” Jim said. “Though I don’t mind telling you, I’m a damn sight better now you’re here.”
Cash hugged him tighter before gently letting go. “That makes two of us. Do I have your permission to deal with this my way?”
Shelley wasn’t surprised when Jim nodded — but she was saddened when he said, “This whole thing has finally gotten through to me that I’m not the man I used to be.” He held his hand up as everyone started to protest. “We can dress it up however you like, but we all know it’s true.”
He grasped Cash’s arm.
“I did what I could to keep you safe and on the right path for as many years as I could.” He looked back at the chair behind him, and Cash gently took his arm and helped him sit again.
His expression broke Shelley’s heart when he added, “Never occurred to me back then that the day would come when I’d have to turn to you to keep me safe. But I think it’s arrived.”
Cash’s eyes flashed with fury.
Jim chuckled. “I’m just glad I managed to teach you how to keep a lid on that until you need it.”
Cash smiled. “Yeah, me too. You were right; it’s more powerful when it’s harnessed—focused and directed.” He took a breath before adding, in a lower tone, “And that fucker’s going to be on the receiving end of the full force of it.”
He looked around at them, as if noticing their presence for the first time. “Ladies — are you both okay?”
Shelley nodded, and in the way only she could, Harper broke some of the tension.
“I may be a little hot under the collar after that display of rugged manliness — but other than that, yes, I’m fine, thanks.”
Jim chuckled and added, “But don’t you go getting any ideas, Cash. Harper’s heart’s already spoken for.”
“It is,” Harper agreed, glancing at him. “I love you, Jim.”
“I know,” he replied — then winked at Shelley and added, “But we both know that wasn’t what I was talking about.”
He was more perceptive than even Shelley had realized — if he knew who had captured Harper’s attention.
Cash went and kissed Harper’s cheek, saying, “And I know, too.”
Then he came to Shelley and touched her arm. “You okay?”
She nodded. “I’m fine. It’s Jim I’m worried about.”
“I’m going to take care of that.”
She watched as he approached Banner — and any lingering concerns she’d had about their relationship evaporated as she saw the two men embrace. Her heart felt heavy as she acknowledged that one day, Cash might be in the position that Jim was now.
She just hoped that if that day came, Banner would step up for him in the same way.
~ ~ ~
When they arrived back at the house, Trip was disappointed not to see Shelley’s car already there.
Travis turned to him with a smile. “If she’s hanging out with Harper, I’d guess she might be a while.”
“Yeah. I know, and I’m glad she has her friend here with her like that. She said she’d asked Retta if she wanted to join them, but she was busy with Callie and the baby.”
“Retta told me about that. She was glad they invited her. I think she was a bit worried at first when she found out Harper was moving here. She feels close to Shelley in a way that she hasn’t yet found with the other women. Not that she isn’t friends with them—they’ve all gone out of their way to include her. But I know she’s glad that Shelley didn’t just drop her once Harper arrived.” “She wouldn’t,” said Trip. “She said the same thing to me. She gets along with all the women, but she has a soft spot for Retta.”
“Call me soft—most people do—but I love that the two of them gravitated toward each other. Since they’re our ladies.”
Trip grinned. “If that’s soft, then I’m as soft as you are.”
“I love it,” said Travis. “And we’re not soft. It’s just because we’re best buds. And since I’m your best bud, I’m going to leave you now, because I’m sure Shelley will be home soon—and I need to start making the calls about tomorrow.
“I’ll make sure everyone’s going to be here—and that none of the MacFarlands think you’re trying to steal the Sunday lunch thing away from them.”
“I doubt they’d think that. If anything, I’m thinking of my place as more of a backup option. Not everyone has a direct connection at the MacFarlands, so the stragglers can have lunch and hang out here. I’m only making a bigger deal of it tomorrow because Blane and Mav are home.”
Travis’s smile faded. “If nothing else, I guess if you start holding Sunday lunches, Mav and Libby will each have somewhere to go—without things getting awkward.”
Trip blew out a sigh. “I’ll tell you what—if you really don’t mind making the calls and getting everyone else over here, I’ll call Libb.”
“Yeah, you do that. I don’t even know if she’s going to come tonight. Maybe it’s just me, but I sometimes think she doesn’t share as much with me. You know, since I was away with Mav all that time. I think maybe she feels like I’m more loyal to him.”
Travis frowned. “But that’s just not true. I’m loyal to both of them. My deal is—I just want to see them get back together.”
Trip grasped his shoulder. “I know, bud. We all do. And I don’t think she holds anything back from you. I think she treats us all the same way. It’s hard for her, too. For the longest time, she tried to avoid us all, so we wouldn’t have to choose between her and Mav. The thing is—we never did. We never had to. We love both of them.”
He reached for the door handle. “If you’re sure you don’t want to come in, I’ll leave you to it. I’ll give Libb a quick call while I wait for Shelley to get home.”
Travis chuckled. “Yeah, right. You’re just going to sit there and stare at the ring, aren’t you? I don’t blame you. It’s a badass ring. You’ve got me thinking about buying Retta one of those. Do you think she’d have to wear it on the same finger or the other hand?”
Trip laughed. “I have no idea. You’ll have to consult with Alana and Tanya. They’ll set you straight—they did me.”
“Yeah. I might even give them a call. Tell them I want to talk about it next time I get to pick them up.” Travis nodded to himself, apparently liking that idea.
Trip smiled. “It’s funny—you know what Loretta said in the jewelry store this morning? I know she was only joking, but she’s also kind of right. It feels like we are putting the band back together. And not just in terms of getting everyone home. Emmett’s starting to join in more again—and including his girls in things…” He took the ring box out of his pocket and smile. “In the way things are not just changing but evolving …” He nodded. “It feels like things are coming good.”
“It does,” Travis agreed. “All except the biggie—so if you can work some magic and get Mav and Libby to both come to this lunch tomorrow…”
“I’ll do my best,” said Trip—although he suspected it would take a stroke of actual magic to get them both there.
After he watched Trav pull away, he let himself into the kitchen and poured a glass of soda—he didn’t usually drink the stuff, but Shelley had insisted on buying a case to stock the fridge in the break room at the clinic. The overflow had ended up here at home.
He took his glass through to the den and pulled his phone out of his pocket before he sat down. He smiled to himself as he took the ring box out of his pocket too and flipped it open. Travis was right—it was a badass ring.
The diamonds were big and bold, and the setting was classy, yet somehow understated. It was the perfect ring for Shelley. He set the open box on the coffee table beside his soda and pulled up Libby’s number.
“Hey, Trip” she answered. “What’s up?”
“Hi, Libb. I just wanted to check in with you and see how you’re doing. Are you going to come out with everyone tonight?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. I texted with Blane and told him that I’d come for a drink if nothing else, but… I don’t know. I’m still at work now, and I want to stop and see Jim on my way back up to town.”
“Jim’s going to be there tonight,” he told her. “You could see him then.”
She let out a short laugh. “I know. Nice try, but… you know how it is, Trip.”
“I do. I’m not trying to force you into anything. I was just hoping that you might come.”
“Oh! I heard that you guys went ring shopping this morning. Do you want me there because you’re going to propose tonight?”
“No!”
“Oh, shit—sorry, I thought… but then I should know better than to rely on gossip.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to bite your head off. The gossip’s right. I did go ring shopping with the guys this morning. And I bought Shelley a ring—but it’s not an engagement ring. I’m not going to ask her to marry me.”
“What then?”
“I’m going to ask her to spend the rest of her life with me.”
“That’s perfect. I was kind of surprised when I heard you’d bought an engagement ring. After Katrina, you always said…”
“And I wasn’t just saying it—I meant it.” He looked at the ring, which seemed to sparkle at him from the coffee table. “I’m definitely not going to give her the ring tonight. But I’m inviting everyone over here for lunch tomorrow. I’m not promising anything, but I might ask her then. If the right moment comes up.”
“So… if I want to be there when you ask her, I have to come to your place tomorrow. Is that what you’re saying?” Libby asked.
“Like I said, I’m not even promising that I’ll ask her then. But I’d love for you to be here, Libb.”
She sighed again. “And I think you know that I’d love to come. It’s just… it’d be bad enough if I came out tonight. Coming to your place—that would be even tougher. Your house might be huge, but there’d still be no way for me and Mav to avoid each other, would there?”
“That’s kind of the point,” said Trip. “I usually keep my nose out of it. I’ve never given you a hard time or asked you to do any more than you’re comfortable with. But…”
“Go on, say it,” said Libby. “It’s true that you don’t get on my back about it like some of them. Whatever you have to say, I probably need to hear it.”
“I’ve never pushed you to do more than you’re ready to. But maybe… if you guys aren’t ever going to get back together… it might be time for you to admit that. And find a way to be comfortable around each other.”
Libby was quiet for a long few moments, and Trip waited.
“I’m still here,” she said eventually.
“Good. I’d hate for you to hang up on me.”
“I’d never do that. It’s just… I don’t think I’m ready to admit that we’ll never get back together—even though I know I should. I’ve never known what my life is without Mav in it. And even after these last few years, when we’ve barely seen each other, barely talked… I don’t know who I am without him, Trip.”
Trip closed his eyes. “Then maybe it’s time for you to admit that to each other—because I know damn well that he still feels the same way.”
Libby made a noise that could have been a cough but sounded to Trip more like a sob.
“I’m not going to push you, honey. And if you don’t come tonight or tomorrow, I won’t give you a hard time. If you want to hang out sometime soon—just you and me, so you can talk about it—I’ll be there for you.”
She sniffed loudly. “Thanks, Trip. You’ve always been there for me. How about… I’ll see how I feel. Maybe I’ll surprise you and show up tonight, even if it’s only for a quick drink with Blane. Maybe if I wake up tomorrow and feel strong, I’ll show up at your place and surprise everyone. Or maybe I’ll call you on Monday and take you out for a drink—if Shelley doesn’t mind.”
He smiled. “Mind? Shelley won’t mind. She’d be happy about it—she cares about you too, you know.”
“Yeah, I do know. You found yourself a good one there, Trip. I’m happy for you.” She sniffed again. “But I’m going to go now. I’ll see you soon.”
The call ended before he could even say goodbye.