Page 34 of Waiting in Wyoming

She’d seen Martin Tyler in the diner last night, with three little boys all under the age of nine or so. And they’d had so many memories in their eyes.

It was something Dylan wouldn’t ever forget.

“I’m supposed to meet someone here, in a little bit. I’m looking for a trailer to rent. You know of any good places?” Helooked at his baby. “I can’t afford much, really. But I want a place for her to have her own bedroom, and stuff. That’s important, I think.”

“A home is most definitely important. I’ll ask around today. There are people I know who have rental properties. If you want to come back through in a few days, I’ll see if I can find you some names.” Because Dylan got it, she understood.

All she’d ever really wanted was a home for her and her sisters that they didn’t have to leave in the middle of the night, too.

He ordered his meal and ate like he was starving. The baby woke just as his food arrived.

Dylan didn’t know what made her do it—but she offered to hold the baby while he finished. He made the baby a bottle and handed it to Dylan. He watched her the whole time. And told her about the baby’s mother and how much he had loved her. And that she had died a day after his baby was born.

Dylan’s heart broke for them both. She just couldn’t imagine how much that had hurt him.

Dylan fed the baby and snuggled her close during the break in the crowd. When he was ready to go, she gave him a refill on his soda and told him his baby girl was beautiful.

And watched him carry her away.

Sometimes the world wasn’t fair, but she suspected that little baby was going to be okay. She had a dad who really loved her, after all.

When Quade got there to pick her up, Dylan—for just one moment, imagined having a guy who loved her like Ben loved Dusty. Who would want little babies with her someday. Then she reminded herself it wouldn’t be Quade. Sweet, kind, and seriously hot though he was.

They just weren’t made for each other, and she knew it.

But she was young—she was going to enjoy her life now. With herfriends.And her family. Those who mattered most.

Meeting Sonny and his baby had shown her the truth again—life was too short to justwait.

She wrapped her hand around Quade’s and led him on their next adventure.

The man needed to have some fun, too. It would do him some good.

26

Meyra hadn’t beenable to settle. Not knowing what had happened. It was all over the news, and Charlotte was pacing right next to her. Charlotte hadn’t stopped in the hours since Brandt had left in such a hurry.

Charlotte’s pacing was driving Meyra insane. Making her worry for him, for his sister even more. She knew he had to be terrified right now. He loved his twin sister so much.

They still didn’t know what had happened to Powell, or the woman Heather who had been a guest at the hotel at the same time, either. The one with the sweet little girl and the baby Meyra had gotten to hold that day.

Brandt’s sister was one of Charlotte’s closest friends on the planet. Had Charlotte been able to leave Masterson again so quickly she would have. But Brandt had already been gone when Miranda had informed Charlotte what had happened.

Charlotte had booked a flight out first thing in the morning. It was the only one she could get. Charlotte wasn’t waiting very patiently.

Meyra sat on her stool next to the check-in desk. She had already handled all the night check-ins, even though she technically wasn’t working. She just had to dosomething.

Now she just had to wait until Dylan got back from her date with Quade Davis.

“This is insane. Why does this stuff keep happening?” Charlotte asked, after pacing in front of the desk again. “None of this makes sense. Unless it was all just to get to Gunnar, or something? Powell doesn’t have anything to do with the Texas State Police. And Heather wasn’t even in Finley Creek when all of this started.”

Charlotte had spoken to her friend Shelby. She’d told her that Powell had just disappeared off the streets with Heather. Powell and Heather had just disappeared. In a gated neighborhood. Where there were security guards and everything.

They should have been safe there.

Meyra just nodded. She suspected that was all Charlotte expected. “I liked Heather. She is a cop, right? So she can take care of Powell okay?”

“I don’t know,” Charlotte said as Fletcher came in the lobby doors. He had driven Dusty home from the diner. Well, to Ben’s. But Dusty was in the dining room now, helping out since their newest clerk Abby had gotten sick or something and Devaney was filling in for her, while Dusty took the dining room instead. Charlotte was supposed to be working the dining room tonight, but everyone knew she wasn’t in much of a state to be working.

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