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Who grinned that irritating, don’t-give-a-shit grin. “Where’d be the fun in that?” he asked, clapping Shane on the back once, and hard, before he walked away, out of the trees that shaded the cemetery.

Shane reached out and touched his father’s grave. He still didn’t know what to do about Micah or Boone, but at least progress had been made on one problem. “Thanks,” he murmured, before heading back to the house himself, at least a little more determined to fix the problems still in front of him.

Chapter Twenty-One

Cora was nervous. If it had just been Shane and her driving to Denver and taking Micah to a baseball game, she’d have been fine, but this was a whole Tyler family excursion. There’d been talk of Micah “riding with the boys” and her “riding with the girls” and everything felt . . . big.

Weighted.

Which was her own head stuff.

“Can’t we drive ourselves?” Micah grumbled as Cora checked the contents of her bag. This was technically a work excursion as she’d be accompanying Deb and the girls to try on dresses. They were way behind on that front with the moved-up wedding date.

“Not if you want to go to the baseball game. We’re meeting you boys there. Would you rather come with me while the girls try on dresses?” Cora asked sweetly.

He merely groaned, flopping dramatically onto the couch for about the fiftieth time. She peered over the back of the couch at him.

“Is there something you want to talk about?”

His irritated expression blanked. “No.”

“Because you can talk to me.”

“Why? So you can take his side?”

“No.” Cora breathed through her frustration, reminding herself twelve-year-olds weren’t known for common sense. “I know you think agreeing with Shane is taking his side, but I’m on your side. I want you to be safe. So, on this, I have to agree with Shane.”

“Whatever.”

“Oh, gee, I justlovethat word,” Cora muttered. “Next time you ask for dinner I’ll just saywhateverand move on.”

Micah’s mouth twitched, so she kept going. “Mom,” she said, mimicking him. “I ran out of TP. Bring me some?” She adopted her own voice. “Sounds like ayouproblem.Whatever.”

He made a sound, clearly trying very hard to make it not a laugh.

“Believe it or not, I have a mind of my own. It’s not infallible, but it does have your best interest at heart. You won’t always agree, and when you’re an adult you’re free to do any number of things I don’t agree with and break my heart.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Micah’s expression did that blank thing again, the one that made her heart twist so hard she wanted to cry. “If he knew, he probably wouldn’t want us around, you know.”

Cora swallowed at the lump in her throat, wishing she could pretend she didn’t know what he meant. “I don’t believe that. He’d treat us differently, but he wouldn’t disappear.”

Micah shrugged, and she couldn’t have that conversation. Not when she was so hung up on Shane. She had to find a way to arrange these pieces in herself a little better. Then she could calmly and rationally discuss it with Micah.

Dr. Grove would be proud.

A knock sounded on the door, and Cora forced herself to breathe in and let it all go out. She had a job to do with the dresses, then she had some fun to have with her boyfriend and son.

End of story.

She opened the door to find Shane standing there, cowboy hat pulled low. Her heart justflippedat the sight of him, but she’d be careful with that feeling. Shewould. No old Cora allowed. Shane would make all the first moves.

The scariest part was she trusted that he would. Shetrustedthis feeling between him and her, no matter how many times the nasty voices in her head told her she was crazy and foolish.

“Hi.”

His mouth curved into that knowing, sexy smile. She wondered if he was thinking about the last time he’d been here.Shecertainly was. “I don’t suppose we could ditch everybody and head upstairs?” she asked on a whisper so Micah wouldn’t hear.

Shane chuckled. “No, I don’t think that one would fly. You guys ready?” He glanced at his watch. “Mom’s getting antsy about making her appointment.”