Page 92 of Risking it for the Cowboy

But when they arrived at Hilltop and walked through the barn doors of the dairy farm turned ice cream parlor, the sweet smell, and Tyler Dixon, greeted her. He stood from a table, his boys at the next one over with their homeschool books open, a notepad in his hand.

“Not that I don’t want to see him, but why’s he here looking like he was expecting us?” Charlie whispered as they got into line and worked their way to the front to order.

“Because I asked him to come.” Thad grabbed a stack of napkins and wiggled them in Daisy’s face before Charlie could ask why. “That’s right, wing girl, I remember the choco disaster yesterday. I’m armed, now.”

Daisy giggled. They placed their orders, Thad gesturing for her to go first, but when she did and then opened her purse, he stepped between her and the register, ordered, and pulled his wallet from his rear pocket, swiping his card.

“Nice lookin’ family, son,” the old man behind the counter said, his nametag saying OWNER.

Thad turned to look at Charlie and Daisy, his eyes unreadable, and muttered, “Yup, can’t complain.”

Warmth, uncertainty, yearning … they wove beneath the surface.

They took their ice creams to the picnic tables lined up in rows, when Stevie jumped up.

“Dad, can me and Daisy go up to the loft?” A refurbished hayloft with more picnic tables and a kids’ area.

Tyler nodded. “Seth, go with ’em.”

Seth huffed like the annoyed older brother that he was and shoved to his feet, pushing aside his homework to saunter away as the kids scampered off.

Tyler looked at her. “Charlie. Tyler Dixon Family Law at your service.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Charlie’s eyes flashed to Thad with alarm. “Uh … Thaddeus?”

He shrugged indifferently, which for him, was anything but.

Yet a satisfied twinkle flashed in his blues. “I knew you’d find a reason to argue that it was too much.”

She glanced to Tyler now who hitched his chin at Thaddeus in approval, even if, strangely, Thad didn’t acknowledge it. In fact, he wasn’t making much eye contact with his cousin.

“I, uh, first, I need to know your rate,” she recovered. “And what you need on retainer. I’m so sorry, but before I waste your time, I have to be upfront that I don’t have much to spend—”

“Before you start that old song and dance, know that I’m insisting.” A subtle smile quirked Tyler’s mouth as he folded his arms like the hardened dad of boys that he was, and vanished as quickly, though he exchanged a cryptic look with Thad. “You’re practically family. And before you say you already got an attorney, also know that he’s shit at his job.”

Thaddeus leveled a knowing smirk at her. Okay, he’d told her so.

Tyler grunted. “Now that that’s outta the way, sit.”

She slipped onto the bench as Thaddeus, waiting for her to sit, joined her and tossed his Stetson on the table, straddling the bench sideways, thighs splayed around her and his thumb wedging in her waistband at her back to hang there.

“I need to know why Judge Mitchell has a pattern of favoritism regarding my ex and keeps requiring me to put my daughter in harm’s way.” She set the file from the courthouse on the table and opened it. “Thad found these today. He has a history of cracking down on child support—except on my ex-husband. He has a history of taking, uh, domestic violence seriously—” She looked away, pushing through the shame that always assailed her, and lifted her chin.

Don’t let him win, rallied Thaddeus in her mind as she felt him tug gently on her waist.

“Except with my ex-husband.”

Tyler reached out and picked up the stack, reading tight jawed. “He put his hands on you, Charlie?” He kept reading, not looking at her, but her nape prickled, because his attention seemed rapt on her.

Her throat knotted, to talk about something so private. But she glanced at Daisy in the rafters, playing tic-tac-toe on the gunny sacks printed with boards with Stevie, Seth ruffling her hair as if he were trying to annoy her, even though she stared adoringly up at him instead. Chatter and machinery echoed off beams.

Why did she still cow down at mere mentions of Jason? Thad’s hand tightened on her waistband. He notched his chin toward his cousin for her to keep talking to him. I got you.

“Yes.”

Tyler’s dark eyes flicked to Thad’s, then hers. Testosterone palpitated protectively.