Page 72 of Wyoming Heart

“He was torn up about it,” Bart said softly, which was the truth. Cort had raised the roof. It seemed that his father and stepmother had hit a bump and separated. Vic was at the ranch roaring drunk and scattering cowboys. Cort had to deal with him. He’d asked Bart to make sure Mina knew that it wasn’t from choice that he’d walked away.

Her dark eyes sought his and there was devastation in them. “Was he really, or was he just looking for a way out?”

He smiled. “He’s crazy about you—couldn’t you tell?” he teased. “I’ve never heard such language. He really didn’t want to go.”

She relaxed a little. She smiled. “Okay.”

“He wanted you to know that he’d be back as soon as he could arrange things back home.”

She relaxed even more. “I feel better.”

He cocked his head. “What were you up to with the guys this time?”

“A rescue,” she replied. “We saved a young boy from a kidnapper. It wasn’t even planned—we just walked into it. I felt so good.”

“Someday, you’re going to have to level with Cort about what you really do for a living,” he prompted. He didn’t add that his cousin was going to have to do some confessing of his own.

She grimaced and sipped black coffee. “I know. I should have told him before now. I was living down to his image of me. It stung a little.”

“I know. But your new book is climbing the charts. It’s already made thePublishers Weeklylist and it’s on theNew York Timeslist.”

She nodded. “My agent called me early this morning to tell me that it was at number eight. She was over the moon. She says it will go higher.”

“You bet it will. The reviews on Amazon are awesome.”

She grinned. “It’s so exciting! I never dreamed I’d get so far!”

“I did,” he chuckled. “You have the talent. Not to mention some real solid research associates,” he added. “I can’t wait to see how Cort’s going to react to that news.”

“There may be fireworks,” she sighed. “I don’t lead a conventional life.”

“You go to New York at the end of next week. That’s a lot of travel.”

She shrugged. “I’m used to it. Nicaragua was fun.” Her dark eyes twinkled. “I love being part of the group, you know? It’s the most exciting thing I’ve ever done.” She laughed. “I’ve had requests from my team about how they want to be portrayed in this new chapter.”

“Something along the lines of cosmetic changes?” he teased. “Some of them are pretty rough looking.”

“But with hearts of pure gold,” she replied.

“Speaking of gold, I’m going after a lot of new Angus yearlings. Want to come and look at them with me? You might want a few for your own herd.”

“Will it take long?”

“No. I’m going in the morning.”

“Then I’ll come, but just for the morning. I’ve got a lot of work to do before I leave next Friday for New York. I’ve got several meetings.”

“I’ll make sure we don’t stay long.”

She gnawed her lower lip. “You wouldn’t lie to me, about Cort not wanting to go home?” she asked in a worried tone.

His eyes were soft with affection. “Never about that,” he said. “He promised he’d be back in a couple of weeks. He always keeps his promises.” He didn’t add one more thing; that Cort had also said that he was going to tell Mina the truth when he came back. He had long-range plans for her. Bart was delighted. She’d had a hard life. It was time she had a little happiness.

THENEXTFRIDAYmorning before daylight, she boarded Jake McGuire’s private jet at the Catelow airport for the trip to New York City with her bags packed, yawning.

“We have coffee with bagels and cream cheese,” he teased after they were airborne. “Hungry?”

“I could eat a small horse. I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she added on a laugh. “I’m tired all the time.”