Page 38 of A Cowboy's Claim
“Thanks to Sydney, and thanks to your level-headed response.”
“Didn’t do anything special,” Declan protested.
“You did more than you think. At the time, and after, helping Luke and Tucker.” Caleb held up a hand. “No more. Tamara’s got something lined up as a thank you for Sydney, and those steaks on the grill are my tip of the hat. You want to call it a reward for being a good neighbour and nothing more, that’s fine.”
“Always appreciate having good neighbours,” Declan returned, accepting the beer Luke offered him. He tipped the bottles together with aclink. “To fences that connect instead of separate.”
“Hear, hear,” Luke cheered.
After the stress and sexual frustration of the past days, it was good to simply relax and hang out with his brothers and friends. As he carved into tender ribeye steak and baked potatoes loaded with sour cream and bacon, Declan spoke with each of the Stone brothers, including the youngest. Dustin had to be barely older than Logan but carried himself like a much older man.
Solid people, family to the core. A connection much like the one Declan had with his brothers. After years apart from each other, it was good that they’d ended up being able to work together so well.
That had been the dream, but it was something to be thankful for.
Thinking of Sydney’s comment about telling people the things that were important, he made a note to share his thoughts with his brothers sooner rather than later.
Walker Stone raised his beer bottle in the air. “As a nod to Caleb, who is now learning the hard way that raising sons is far different than raising daughters. To sons!”
A cheer of “To sons!”went up, and Caleb lifted his beer in salute.
“It’s too true,” Zach Sorenson announced sagely. “Girls tell you when they’re about to do stupid shit, boys just do it.”
“Not sure why you’re wearing that wise old man face. Your kid is barely three months old,” Luke complained. “And a girl.”
“Five sisters,” Zach said with a sigh. He tilted his head knowingly. “Five. Sisters.” He turned his attention on Aiden. “And you married one of them. God help you and thank you at the same time. You’re either a saint or a fool.”
“Fucking lucky,” Aiden quipped. “That’s all I know.”
Laughter and witty snark flowed as fast as the beer. Declan found himself damn near grinning when they headed home hours later.
“Smile any harder and you’ll break your face,” Jake warned, but he smiled as well.
“Both of you are far too happy,” Aiden complained.
“Our pockets are full, and yours are empty. That should explain the expressions.” Jake winked at Declan. “Good to get out with you guys like that. The Stones are a great family.”
“They are, but the truth is we’ve got something special, too,” Declan affirmed, glancing into the rearview mirror to include Aiden. “Glad that High Water is working, or at least the parts we can control. Glad I get to do this with you both.”
“Me too,”
“Agreed.”
They poured out of the truck, about to head their separate ways, when a figure stepped into the porch light. Logan summoned them forward.
“Come on,” Declan quietly told his brothers. “If this is what I think…”
“Can I talk to you? All of you at once is damn intimidating, but what the hell.” Logan included them all in his wry examination. “May as well get it over with.”
“Here?” Aiden shrugged and sat on the steps. “What’s this about?”
Jake sat next to him and Declan leaned on the railing.
Logan stared upward for a moment. “When you guys found me, you didn’t ask any questions. I appreciated that for a lot of reasons. Not sure what to say, not sure how much to say.” He met Declan’s gaze. “Still not sure on a bunch of it, but I don’t want anyone hurt accidentally because of me. High Water is the best place I’ve ever lived, and I don’t want to screw this up, not for anyone.”
Declan dipped his chin but waited.
The young man kept rolling. “Just to get this out there—I’ve never done anything wrong. And there’s no reason anyone would come after me, so I didn’t think being here was dangerous to anyone. I mean it. I wouldn’t have stayed otherwise.”
