Page 89 of Wyatt

“What?”

She glanced over at RJ. “You wouldn’t like a man who couldn’t stand up to you or your brothers.”

Scarily true. “He and Ford got into it in Russia.”

Her mother nodded, her lips pursed.

“Ford won.”

A smile tweaked her face. “Of course he did.”

She didn’t add that the only reason was because she’d distracted York with a scream. “He worked for the CIA in some capacity.”

“So, a friend from work.” Her mother passed a slow-moving orange Kia.

RJ laughed. “Yeah, that’s it.”

“Where’s he from?”

“Wisconsin. Raised by his grandparents. His parents were killed when he was a kid, but he didn’t tell me the details. He had an uncle who was a Marine—that’s why he enlisted.”

“So how’d you meet?”

She hadn’t exactly filled her mother in on her Great Escape from Russia, although she knew the summary. “He…works as a travel agent. Helped me get out of Russia.”

Her mother sighed. “Okay, honey. If that’s what you want to go with.”

“It’s that—or the ugly truth.”

“I’d like the truth, please. I know you were accused of assassinating a Russian general.”

“Coco’s dad, actually.”

From her mother’s quick intake of breath, she hadn’t known that part. “Did you see Coco?”

“Yeah. That’s why—oh, Ma, I’m so sorry. There’s so much you don’t know.”

“Like why Wyatt is in Russia right now? And the real reason you’ve been hiding out on the ranch? And even why Tate came home to check on you?”

Oh. “Yes, those things.”

“Let’s see. I’ve got about four free hours. I can probably squeeze you in.”

“Fine. But you have to promise not to freak out and drive off any cliffs.”

“Have another donut and start at the beginning.”

RJ reached for the bag. “It all started with a message I got from my boss, Sophia Randall. I’d been traveling with her a lot, and when her contact reached out with the message that he thought General Stanislov had a hit out on him, I tried to contact her. When I couldn’t find her, I took the meet instead.”

When her mother said nothing, RJ stared at the road in front of them and told her the story.

Two hours later, they hit Ellensburg, Washington, and stopped for lunch.

“So, what you’re telling me,” her mother said over a McDonald’s chicken sandwich, “is that Wyatt went to Russia to find Coco and clear your name?”

“Mmmhmm.”

“Oh, that boy.” She picked up a fry and dipped it into ketchup. “He’s always been the romantic one.”

---