Page 7 of A Rancher's Vow

Laughter bubbled from Charity’s lips. “Forget about running the gauntlet. Follow me.” She guided them away from the crowd. Slipping behind the stage, the volume of music swelled to deafening. Charity didn’t bother to speak, just pointed up at the illuminatedexitsign tucked behind the massive speakers.

A moment later they stood in the back alley behind Rough Cut. The warm spring air was a refreshing change after the closed-in atmosphere of the pub.

Charity’s expression turned to pure contentment. “Freedom, as requested. Which also means we’ll skip the jalapeños. At least on my portion of the tray.”

Fern offered a high five. “Well done, bestie. New plan for the evening activated. Come on. Nacho time. We’ll find something to watch.”

“You are not getting me to watch that horror flick you were raving about,” Charity warned as they formed a line three across, striding down the alley away from the noise of the pub.

“It’s not horror, it’s a psychological thriller.”

“Oh goodie, that makes it so much better—not. It’s a mind fuck,” Charity complained. “That’s not relaxing and entertaining. It’s stressful.”

“Adrenaline is good for the system.”

“Ha.”

Dustin paced beside them, enjoying their quiet banter after the noise, not just of the pub, but his past two days.

While he still had his phone on him, Dustin had shoved the device in his back pocket. He’d muted the ringer and every type of notification possible. Right now, the only people who could get a hold of him were Caleb and Tucker.

Damn social media.

A soft nudge hit his shoulder, and he glanced over to see Charity eyeing him with curiosity. “You’re awfully quiet tonight.”

Dustin shrugged. “Just thinking.”

Fern tucked her arm around his. “A dangerous thing to do.”

Charity snickered.

Time with these two was comfortable. Easy.

As Fern had said, they were pals. The Fields and Stone families had been friends forever, which meant he and Fern had spent a lot of time together off and on over the years. When Charity had moved to Heart Falls a few years ago, she’d slipped right into that comfortable space as well.

Which reminded him. He squeezed Fern’s hand. “Shim will be here on Monday.”

“I know.”

It was tempting to roll his eyes again. “I should have guessed you’d already heard.”

Fern waved a hand. “Considering we’ve talked to each other on a weekly basis the entire time he’s been gone, of course I’m up to date on his schedule.”

Well, damn. “I had no idea you guys were—” Dustin stopped, literally. Right there on the sidewalk outside Charity’s apartment. Shim hadn’t said a word about Fern. “Come to think of it, I have no ideawhatyou two are up to. Did you really manage a long-term relationship all this time?”

A chorus of laughter danced between Fern and Charity.

Fern shook a finger in his direction. “No. There’s nothing like that between me and Shim. He’s been mentoring me online in some tech skills I need for my job at the gallery.”

“So you’renotdating?” Dustin was confused. Although Shim had never come right out and admitted anything, Dustin had his suspicions. “I always thought you guys were interested in each other.”

He followed Charity into her first-floor apartment.

“Of course not. Shim knows that. I have my eye on someone else,” Fern offered with a bright smile.

Interesting. “Well, that’s an open invitation to ask for more.”

Charity transferred ingredients from the fridge to the counter. She paused to shake her head firmly at Dustin. “You’d think so, but the woman is a steel-trap when it comes to details. She drops just enough to tease the hell out of me. I pride myself on being observant, so I have no idea why I can’t figure out who she’s pining for.”