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"Grounded? Need I remind you I’m twenty, not ten?"

Geal drinkin’ age is twenty-one, and you doin’ a half-nekkid--"

"Fine I’ll shut up now"

"Good Besides, that thing is not one of thee you five bucks to try That one of Colby’s is a nasty piece ofon the back of a real bull It’s dangerous"

"Told ya so," Amy Jo said

"Why don’t you try to stay out of trouble and see if Cash’s daughter needs any help in the kitchen?"

"Her naht?" A" Keely de her as free slave labor just because she’s too young to know better and because Cash is working for you?"

"No She’s a professional cook and she’s older than you, s Macie’s relationship with Carter, but Keely would find out soon enough

"No way How old is she?"

"Twenty-two"

Keely and Arin Then they ran to the house

Geuys booze You ain’t old enough to drink!"

"Well, I a "Macie’s caot beer"

"You’re on"

Once they each had a cold one, Gerees with you, Mrs

McKay"

"Does it ever Colby makes me ecstatically happy I thank my lucky stars every day that we found each other"

"You should How you getting along with the McKays?"

Channing swigged her beer "Great Carolyn is awesome Don’t see much of Cord or Colt You knohat Keely is like Carson would like me nant, and since we’ve beento populate the world witha lot though"

"Sonant…how is it that I never knew Cash had a daughter?"

"No one knew" Gemma shared what she’d learned "So, he’s workin’ for me, but he’s also tryin’ to have a relationship with Macie"

"What’s she like?"

"She’s a good kid Hard worker Sweet, but not a pushover Wise beyond her years"

Ge a sly look "And she’s doin’ some serious practicin’ with your brother-in-law Carter"

"No way"

"Yep Though they prettyto pay for not telling ossip" She paused

"Cash doesn’t have a probleht under his nose?"

"He has a big problem with it Not a lot he can do; they’re both adults"

"True So, tellthe nasty He finally wear you down?"

"Nope I finally sed my pride and tracked him down"

"And?"

Gemma downed her Coors "And I am so in love with that man it’s not funny"

"’Bout damn time you realized that"

"But it didn’t start out that way I’ve always liked him even when that weird connection between us scared reed to take over the Bar 9

foreman duties with certain personal stipulations, I didn’t knohat to expect Cash has always been a loner He’s set in his ways He can be a little ornery A little distant"

"Nohy does that sound so familiar? Hmm Do I know anyone else who fits that description?"

Ge "Smarty pants"

"I couldn’t resist"

"Then he introduced me to Macie and I saw a side of him that broke my heart He feels so much emotion, the only way he can contain it is to fall back on what he knows and act the part of a stoic Indian But again, when he’s with uard down, and I see the true Cash Big Crow The great, hu fro proud and tall He wants to be a better father, a better worker, a better lover, a betterAnd it makes me love him even more"

"Does he kno you feel?"

Gemma shook her head

"Why not? You aren’t still worried about your age difference?"

"No"

"Then why haven’t you told hiuilt about her He works forthat will put a daleaned forward "Dish the details"

"It’s hot and spontaneous and fun" She hesitated and blurted, "And dark"