Page 12 of The Cowgirl's Secret Love
Finn thought it over. Still made no sense. “Why do we need to go to a bank for that?”
“BecauseI’mbuying it. You’re my backup collateral to organize the loan.”
“Well, that’s a waste of time. There’s more than enough money in the corporation. Buy it out of there,” Finn said distractedly.
“Nope. I’m buying this one with my own money.”
“I’m with Zach on this one,” Josiah offered.
Okay, that was weird. “Since when did you start to develop opinions about how we spend our money?” Finn demanded of the veterinarian.
Josiah shrugged. “Since we got drunk the other night and had a deep heart-to-heart about how having all the money in the world doesn’t mean a thing without the women we love. And since Zach is still looking for his one and only, we should at least let him enjoy the daily struggles of paying a mortgage without the backing of a fat bankroll.”
This conversation got weirder and weirder. Finn gave Josiah a dirty look. “Number one, we did not get drunk the other night, and we didn’t have a deep heart-to-heart. Fairly certain I’ve never used the words ‘woman I love’ in any recent conversation. But if Zach wants to offer up his classic cruiser as collateral for that rotting eyesore in the middle of town, I’m okay with it.”
“Hey. I never said a word about Delilah being involved in this deal,” Zach protested.
“The 1955, powder-blue corvette convertible he rebuilt,” Finn told a curious Josiah. “Zero to sixty in eleven point two, and I’ve only been allowed to drive her once.”
“And you tricked me into that time,” Zach informed him staunchly. “She isnotmy collateral.”
This might actually be fun. Zach had provided the perfect distraction for Finn in the way only best friends who’d been together forever could. “Good luck at the bank without me.”
A furl creased between Zach’s brows. “You’re a bastard, and you don’t actually get to drive her unless I fail on my loan.”
“I’m a one-woman man,” Finn said in all seriousness. “Delilah is safe unless you screw up. Although, if you do screw up, I’ll let Josiah have her.”
Shock raced across Josiah’s face. “What? Don’t get me involved in this.”
“I couldn’t take his car and then drive it. That would be too much like gloating. This way, like a true best friend, I will sit with him and feed him whiskey while he curses your name.”
A burst of laughter broke free from Zach, followed quickly by one from Josiah.
The vet shook his head. “You two are impossible. You’re also both invited to dinner on Saturday night. Lisa wants to do something with a bunch of her friends and needs guys to balance the numbers. Show up. Six o’clock. And dear Lord—I can’t believe I’m saying this—you are instructed to wear sandals.”
After a day filled with interesting twists, Finn wasn’t sure where that one came from. “Thank God it’s June. I would guess we’re having a pool party, but you don’t have a pool.”
“We’re having a spa day?” Zach guessed. “I don’t think that’s gonna fly.”
“I have no idea, and that’s the truth.” Josiah made a horrified face. “I never should’ve introduced her to drama and my acting past, because Lisa gets these ideas in her head that are pretty banana cakes.”
It was entertaining, but Finn could reassure his friend on this one. “Trust me, it wasn’t you who led her astray. She’s always been creative. The summer we lived at Whiskey Creek, she and my youngest brother got up to all sorts of wild shit.”
A solid thump echoed—Zach’s fist meeting Finn’s chest. “Dude. Do not talk about the young lady’s past to her current squeeze.”
Shit. “Nothing like that. The two of them were like twelve-year-olds overdosed on orange crush and Twizzlers. We caught them painting a mural on the side of the barn with paintball guns once. That girl has got more imagination than is healthy.”
“She’s got just the right amount of imagination, and she’s all mine.” Josiah looked decidedly content after sharing that definitive statement. “I’ll see you two on Saturday. Give me a shout if you need anything sooner.”
Zach managed to restrain himself until the door closed before turning to Finn, his concern written on his expression. “Are you okay? Are you sure you know what you’re doing with Karen? Do we really have to wear sandals to a party, and is that even legal on a ranch in Alberta?”
“I’m fine. Karen is fine. And I have no idea what the hell Lisa’s up to, but it will be entertaining to find out.”
With beautiful Juneweather pouring through the open window of her truck, Karen had herself in a far better mood than she’d expected by the time she arrived at her sister Tamara’s house.
The yard outside the Silver Stone ranch house held a collection of vehicles, as usual. Some from the coming and going of the active ranch, but the three she was particularly interested in sat side by side, wildly different.
Tamara was now driving the mom mobile. With two adopted daughters, one nine and one eleven, and her newborn son who was all of two months old, the sister closest in age to Karen had given up her truck and chosen convenience for hauling her family around.
