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“Noah Quinn, it’s been ages since I’ve seen you,” Mrs. Weber said.
“Good to see you, Mrs. Weber. How’s your husband doing?” Gina perked up.
“He’s up walking around, doing fine.”
“What happened?” Gina felt really bad if she was keeping Mrs. Weber from taking care of her husband.
“He took a spill off the ladder, trying to clean out the gutters.” She waved her hands in the air. “But he’s fine. Besides, you learn a few things after thirty-four-years of marriage. It’s good for him to be forced to do for himself once in a while. If I’m home, I have a tendency to take over and spoil him. He’s a better man for learning to do for himself.” Gina couldn’t argue those words. She wished Mrs. Weber had been around to teach her a few tricks in the early days of her marriage.
To be fair to Des, Gina had jumped right into those roles without giving it a second thought. Had she made it a little too easy for Des to let her do all the work? An annoying little voice in the back of her head seemed intent on pointing out that she had.
If she took another trip down the aisle someday far away from today, like long after Everly was grown and gone, she’d do things differently.
“Make sure he keeps it elevated,” Isaac instructed.
“He’s too stubborn to listen to me. If you can get him to follow medical advice you deserve a medal.” Mrs. Weber chuckled, clearly having tickled herself. She loaded into her vehicle after giving over the car seat, and then drove off.
Isaac turned to his brother. Gina was keenly aware of how he kept Everly in his peripheral while keeping watch of everything going on around them, which wasn’t much at this time of day. Her mother lived on a quiet street, so other than Mrs. Weber driving off there wasn’t much activity.
“I mostly wanted to grab you and say hello before I went home today,” Noah said.
“Why? Won’t I see you there?” Isaac’s brows pinched together. She could tell he wasn’t happy hearing the news.
“Not likely. I live in the cabin on the far east side of property. I don’t interact with T.J.”
“How on earth do you accomplish that?”
“Eli does a good job of keeping me and the old man on opposite sides of the property. It’s not hard with a million and a half acres.” Noah chuckled but there was a serious note to his laugh. “I figure whatever his big announcement is can be told to me through the rest of you.”
“He’s not my priority, either. I have a few other more important things on my mind at present.” Isaac glanced around and she could tell he was surveying the area. “Can we go somewhere and talk?”
“I have a little time before I have to be back.” Noah nodded.
“Question first. How’d you know we were here?” Gina had been curious about that, too.
“I just missed you at Griff’s office.”
“Why didn’t you reach out to me on my cell?” Isaac put his hand on Gina’s back and walked with her toward the truck. In the other arm, he carried the car seat.
“Mine’s missing. It’s the darnedest thing. One minute I had it and the next it was gone. Guess I lost it somewhere on the property.”
“When?”
“A week or so ago. Haven’t had time to pick a new one up with spring calve season in full swing. And you already know cell service is hit or miss on the property.” Noah made eyes at his brother before adding, “Mostly miss.”
“Speaking of which, everything going okay at the ranch other than T.J.’s recent change of heart?”
“You know how it is better than anyone. Busy.” Noah opened the door and then lifted up the seat.
Isaac placed the car seat in the back. “I don’t know how to properly strap one of these in and I don’t want to risk doing it wrong.”
He stepped aside to allow Gina access. Baby on her hip, she couldn’t balance holding her daughter and locking in the seat. But Everly was picky about who could hold her.
And then the strangest thing happened. Everly leaned toward Isaac. He took her in his arms and held her against his chest like the most monumental thing hadn’t just happened. Gina had to fight the tears that bubbled up, threatening to give away just how moved she was by what had just happened.
Her daughter was used to going to her babysitter in similar circumstances, so Everly must not have thought anything about the transaction. But, to Gina, the world had just tipped on its axis once again. She secured the car seat and then turned to take her daughter.
The sight of Isaac holding Everly nearly knocked Gina off her feet. More of those inconvenient tears threatened.
She cleared her throat, took her child and buckled her in for the ride.
“Can I grab a ride with you?”
“Hop in.” Isaac took the driver’s seat and Noah piled in the back next to Everly. Nothing prepared Gina for the shock of a moment like this. She hadn’t even allowed herself to go there mentally that Everly could have the hope of a being part of a large family. This was all too surreal. And she needed to slow down to make sure she made the right decisions. Isaac had made it clear he wanted more than a casual fling but for how long? He hadn’t exactly planned to put down roots in Gunner.
“How about coffee at Gina’s family’s place in town?” Noah interrupted her thoughts.
“Can we go anywhere but the café? Somewhere away from downtown.” Gina figured the three of them wouldn’t be able to really talk there. Everyone would want to welcome Isaac back, and probably her, too. If not that then talk about the investigation or make a fuss over Everly.
By now, the murder would be a main topic of conversation. Crime in Gunner generally consisted of a stolen bike that ended up being borrowed not taken. Brittany’s murder would keep folks concerned and talking for a long time to come. She couldn’t deal with more questions right now, well-intentioned or not.
“Sure. Let’s see.” Noah paused for a few seconds. “There’s a decent coffee place heading out towards Canyon Oaks.”
Gina settled into her seat as the hum of quiet conversation filled the cab. Everly continued blowing raspberries in the back seat, chatting in the language only another one-year-old could understand.
The café was a simple brick building that had been painted white and had espresso-colored accents. Inside, pictures of beans lined the walls. Leafy green plants dotted the otherwise brown color scheme.
Baby on her hip, Gina moved to grab one of the high chairs lined against the wall leading toward the restroom. Before she could get far, Isaac stepped in with Noah on his heels. Isaac grabbed hold of the nearest one and followed Gina to a table. Both men doted on Everly but Isaac seemed so natural with her daughter.
“I’ll get your coffee. What does Everly drink?”
“Apple juice if they have it.”
Isaac clapped his hands together. “Juice it is.” He and his brother moved to the ordering counter. Seeing him in this role was a complete shock. He was full of surprises.
After placing drinks on the table she’d picked out in the corner, the two men settled into chairs and leaned in toward each other.
“What’s your take on Bo Stanley?” Isaac wasted no time in asking the question that had been on her mind.
“I don’t like him.”
“Have you had any personal run-ins with him?”
“No. He steers clear of me and Eli.” A bully would know when he was outmatched.
Isaac’s gaze shifted to Gina. “Did you see how much makeup Mrs. Stanley had on today?”
“Yes. She had a smudge on her cheek.”
“What you saw was a bruise.”
Gina snapped her fingers. “Now that I think about it, you’re right.”
“How long have they been married, Noah?”
“About a year, year-and-a-half max. There’s something about the man I never liked. Not long after Mrs. Stanley brought him home I saw him berating her in the parking lot at the feed store. I didn’t hear the details but when I walked over to check on the situation he rushed her into their vehicle. If I’d known he put his hands on her I would’ve shown him what it was like to go up against someone bigger than him.”
The Quinns were too honorable to strike a senior citizen but she knew either Noah or Isaac or both would have no problem putting the fear of God in the man. He’d think twice before he raised a hand toward his wife again.
“He has a rap sheet.” Isaac white-knuckled his coffee mug. “He also seemed to have forgotten to get a divorce from his last wife.”
Noah’s eyes were wide. “Explains
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