Page 17 of A Cowboy's Claim
“I’m still drinking,” Sydney said. “But only on the nights I don’t plan to work the next day, and then no more than a couple. No more tying one on for the hell of it.”
“Good to know.” Petra raised her glass in the air. “In the interest of true confessions, I had kind of come to the same conclusion. In fact…”
She shifted in her seat, the mischievous glint in her eyes all too familiar. She rose from the table and went to the bag resting on the counter and pulled out two wrapped objects.
Tansy clasped her hands together and muttered in a low, reverent tone. “The infamous moment has arrived.”
Petra shoved the tissue-wrapped object at her. “I love you. Now shut up.”
“I’ll treasure it forever,” Tansy said, hand pressed to her heart. “Or until it’s burnt down to its final nub, and then I’ll recycle the glass container like a good little Canadian.”
Which meant Sydney was laughing as she ripped the paper from her gift.
The vanilla-scented candle had a shiny gold label on the glass with the wordsThe Badass in Me Honours the Badass in You.“Aww, I love it.”
“Ha! Mine is nearly perfect.” Tansy held her candle toward Sydney so she could readThanks for Being My Rock. If This Was the 80s, I’d Make You a Mix Tape.
“Nearly perfect?” Petra demanded.
Tansy flashed a wide Cheshire Cat grin. “Now you need to make me a mix tape.”
“Oh God.” Petra took a deep breath. “I’m making changes, too. Declan is Jinx’s official guardian, but she’s gotten attached to me and Aiden. So we’re considering making it official and adopting her.”
Holy shit. Sydney’s heart pounded at the idea. “Really?”
“We still have to ask her, but we’re pretty sure she’ll say yes.” Petra wore a slightly guilty expression. “It’s not as if the system will have anything to do with approving this.”
“Since you plan to hack the system and make the paperwork magically appear?” Tansy asked.
“Hackedis such a harsh word,” Petra complained before meeting their eyes in turn. “So, since you’re the people I trust the most in the world, tell me honestly. Do you think being adopted is the best thing for Jinx? Or do we leave things the way they are?”
Sydney shook her head. “You don’t keep doing a thing just to do a thing.”
“Agreed.” Tansy smiled wide. “Sometimes arrangements change.”
The echo of Declan’s words from the previous night caught Sydney off guard.
Petra’s eyes held so much hope, and that was the important thing to focus on. “So you both would give your blessing to that arrangement?” she asked quietly.
“Absolutely.” Tansy and Sydney’s responses were instant and perfectly synchronized.
The three of them abandoned the table, and hugs were shared all around. Sydney soaked in the joy etched into Petra’s face, all because she’d been brave enough to chase what she wanted.
At the end of the evening, when the girls were gone and Sydney was crawling into bed alone, one lingering thought kept sneaking through the euphoria of the night…
Too bad I’m not as brave.
Not yet anyway.
Two daysafter dealing with Russ, Declan went to pick up the horses from Nora Yemen.
He examined the woman carefully as she helped load the beasts into the horse trailer. “Everything okay?” he asked. “Your children get on board with your plans?”
“Yes,” she answered decisively. “I gave them what for and told them to support me, or if all they were worried about was money, they could receive their inheritance right now.”
He tilted his head toward the other car in the yard. “Looks as if someone is here.”
Nora smiled. “It didn’t take long before they all rang, apologizing profusely for the big misunderstanding. They’re good people at heart. They just get their brains tangled around things that aren’t important.”
