Colton Cowboy Jeopardy (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

A chill slid over her skin. So all of those messages were more traps set by Regina.

“As Regina reminded me,” Norton continued, “you should be focused on the baby. Our contract with you expires at the end of next month, anyway. I’ll just relist it with someone who has the time and focus.”

“Dad.” Tears clogged her throat.

“Enough business. We both know things don’t always work out. You’ll land on your feet. Tell me about my grandson.”

She shared the latest milestones, including how Silas was smiling often, enjoying time on his belly, and babbling. “You’ll see it all for yourself soon,” she promised.

“I want to believe—” Another voice interrupted and she heard him give her name. “Mia? Regina just brought over dinner. We’ll have to finish this later.”

“Sure,” she managed. “We love you,” she added only to see her screen flashing that the call ended.

Her nerves rattling, she berated herself for failing. That had been her chance to explain it all and she’d blown it. It was like getting tossed back in time to her teenage self. No authority, no influence with the one adult in her life who mattered.

She sat down at the computer, hoping Jarvis would be here soon. It was time for her to either give up and leave Mustang Valley or call Regina’s bluff. With Silas still sleeping and no sign of Jarvis, she reviewed the notes she’d made since catc

hing Regina at the country house.

She’d carefully documented every threat, direct or implied, against her, her son and her father. She’d downloaded her call and message logs as a precaution, taking screenshots as well. Over the past weeks, she’d spent hours poring over Regina’s social media posts, looking for any pictures of the man she’d been cheating with, the same man Jarvis had seen at the courthouse.

Jarvis had urged her time and again to speak at length with his brother and let the police set up a secret meeting with her dad. It was time to use that connection and create an advantage. With her report complete, she uploaded it to a cloud file until she and Jarvis could decide how to proceed.

They’d been out here, playing an odd version of house and becoming something more than friends and not quite lovers. Eventually, someone else from the Triple R crew would wander out this way, and then where would she go?

She didn’t want to go anywhere. Since leaving Roderick, she’d planned on creating a real home for her and Silas. A home close enough to her friends and father, right here in Mustang Valley. Free to be the mother and professional woman she’d always envisioned. She wanted to zip into town for business meetings or playdates, or even enjoy a butterfly-inducing date with a certain sexy cowboy. Whatever simmered between them should have a chance to grow once she was out from under this mess with her stepmother.

She’d find a way to triumph over Regina’s plans. Silas deserved all the love, family and roots she could give him.

At last she heard the truck. Her heart skipped ahead and her stomach rumbled. She was hungry for dinner, but hungrier for the man delivering it. Pausing just long enough to be sure it was Jarvis, she dashed outside and gave him a hug.

“Did it go well?” he asked, his arms coming around her.

“No.” She pressed her cheek to his solid chest, taking the comfort he offered. “He’s still effectively brainwashed, but hearing his voice helped me. Thank you.”

He smoothed a hand over her hair, then tipped up her chin and gave her a soft kiss. The tears she’d held back escaped now as his tenderness surrounded her. She forced herself to smile before she turned into a watering pot. “You smell like pizza.”

He grinned. “Lucia’s. Sorry I didn’t get it to you hot.”

She released him long enough to take the pizza from the car. “Smells heavenly, hot or cold. Let’s eat.”

“One thing,” he said, following her into the bunkhouse. “Those texts weren’t from your dad, were they?”

She shook her head, temper and sadness battling within her heart. “I knew it and still it’s a gut punch.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

The apology and endearment, though he’d said it before, washed over her like a cool breeze. She tried not to read too much into it but might as well have been trying to hold back a sunrise. There were so few things in recent weeks that made her smile and gave her joy. She wouldn’t ignore a single one of those gifts.

They ate their fill of pizza while she told him about the call and the file she’d compiled and uploaded.

“So the messages were definitely a setup,” he said, clearing the table. He returned to his chair and reached over, covering her hands with his. “That can’t be easy to digest. What if I went to your dad’s office to speak with him? Or asked Spencer to deliver him a message?”

“A policeman walking into an investment-banking firm doesn’t send the right message. And Regina is mean, but not stupid. If you walked in there, she’d storm the ranch just like you were worried about at first.”

“Fair.” He stretched his neck. “If you trust someone else, I’ll go to them.”

“I’ll think about it,” she said. Silas stirred and she opened her laptop. “Go ahead and take a look at the file. Make sure there isn’t something else your brother might need.”