Page 86 of Cowboy of Convenience
Peters chuckled. "You leave my daughters out of this, Haynes."
Grady's grin turned devilish. "I'm not talking about your daughters."
Peters’ smile disappeared immediately and one hand came up to scrub over his face. "I don't even want to talk about that one."
Evelyn lifted a brow. She had no clue what was going on or who they might be referring to. Luckily, word traveled fast in a small town and she would find out soon enough.
And that made her feel a little better about a lot of things. Word of what happened tonight would travel like wildfire. And even if Charlene didn't get into legal trouble for her part in the attempted theft and the mental manipulation of Grady's mother, she would still be faced with the judging eyes of Moss Creek.
And that might have to be enough.
There was still a good chance she might punch Charlene in the face if she ever saw her again, though.
It took a couple more hours to finish giving statements and clear the house out. Once the police were gone and Bernard had taken her grandmother back home, Grady pulled Evelyn close, resting his forehead against hers as they stood in the kitchen where she would be making coffee someday soon. "You're fucking amazing."
Evelyn smiled a little. "I don't know that I would go that far, but I do seem more prone to violence than I realized."
Grady smiled back at her. "That's because for the first time in your life you have something you want to protect."
The truth in his words was sobering.
For so many years, she'd been fighting for the chance to have this. Something real. Something she chose. Something she wanted. It only made sense she would fight just as hard to protect it. "I just don't like knowing someone you cared about hurt you."
"That's because you love me." His smile widened, like her angry sort of love pleased him. "I think Gram-Gram might love me a little too."
Evelyn rolled her eyes up toward the ceiling as she laughed at all the new revelations concerning her grandmother. "I don't know that there are many people she would assault a strange man with an urn for." She looped her arms around Grady's waist, moving in closer. "And she's already making plans to bring her attorney in to ensure your assets are as safe and protected as they can be."
Grady lifted a brow. "Did she not see you try to murder Larry with an iron horse?" He chuckled. "I'd say everything I own is about as safe as it gets. No one will want to cross my wife to try to get it."
Obviously that wasn't true.
She frowned up at him. "Larry did."
Grady groaned, shaking his head. "Fucking Larry." He raked one hand through his hair before scrubbing it down his face. "I always wondered why my dad didn't pass more responsibilities off to him. Toward the end, he was tired a lot. I kept trying to get him to back off, but he wouldn’t do it." He clicked his tongue. "I guess now I know why."
Evelyn studied Grady for a second. "Why didn't you pass more onto Larry when you took over then? You had a whole second job and a house to take care of. Do you think deep down you knew something was off about him?"
Grady's eyes dropped. "I wish I could say I did, but it’s starting to seem like I might have a few blind spots when it comes to the people close to me." His gaze came to hers. "And I didn't pass anything off because I wanted to keep doing things the way my dad did. It was easier to keep doing it than teach someone else. And it made me feel like part of him was still around."
Evelyn smiled. She loved hearing Grady talk about his parents. About the way he loved them and the way they loved him back. It helped provide insight she wouldn't have any other way. Insight she would need if she planned to be a mom.
And it was seeming like she did.
"Part of him is definitely still around." Evelyn lifted her eyes to the second floor. "And speaking of, I don’t think we should take out the safe in the office. Maybe we can just install a second one somewhere else."
She wanted to keep as many memories of Grady's parents around as she could, especially since their future children would never know them in any real capacity. And because the chances of her parents ever meeting them were slim to none, which was probably better anyway.
Grady rested his hand against the side of her face, thumb stroking over her cheek. "I love the fuck out of you, wife."
She looked over his face, taking in the warmth and honesty there. "That's good. Because I was serious about goat yoga."
EPILOGUE
GRADY
Grady
"FEEL THE STRETCH in your back as you sink deeper into the pose." Evelyn’s soft, soothing voice carried him through the discomfort this particular position always brought. Apparently after years of riding horses and wrestling criminals, his back left a lot to be desired.
