Hillbilly Rockstar (Blacktop Cowboys 6)

The front door opened and Tate raced down the stairs, wearing camo shorts, an Iron Man muscle shirt and cowboy boots. The little ball of energy launched himself at her, jumping up so he could squeeze his arms around her neck. “Aunt Liberty!”

She held on and closed her eyes; her love for this kid filled her with joy and chased all the clouds away.

“I thought you’d never get here today!”

If the kid only knew how fast she’d driven. “So whatcha been doing while you were waiting on me?”

“Me’n Jake played outside.” He pressed his palms to her cheeks. “Hey, how come you got a piece of blue hair?”

“From eating too many blue snow cones.”

His eyes, the same soft brown as Harper’s, squinted with disbelief. Liberty kissed his furrowed brow, then brushed a wavy chunk of hair from his forehead. “Don’t tell your mama or she might not let us have any.”

“I won’t.” He squeezed her one more time, yammering a mile a minute.

Harper paused on the porch, a sleepy-looking Jake curled into her. She kissed his blond head and hoisted him higher on her hip. “You must’ve been speeding if you’re already here. I wasn’t expecting you yet.”

Liberty scrutinized her sister. The woman was as beautiful as ever.

Tate wiggled to be let down, and Liberty scaled the porch steps to hug her sister and nephew. “You’d think I’d be used to what a knockout you are, but I swear you look better every time I see you.”

“Oh, pooh.” Harper gave Liberty a head-to-toe inspection. “You’re the one who looks great.” She smirked. “I knew that shirt was perfect for you. Love the hair. It’s so you.”

“Thanks.” She held her arms out, hoping Jake would let her hold him. But the shy, sleepy-eyed two-year-old clung to his mother.

“Come in. It’s cooler inside.”

Tate took her hand and tugged her into the kitchen. “Me’n Mama made dirt cupcakes,” he bragged. “And they have gummy worms on ’em too.”

“Eww. Gross. Dirt and worms?”

“They’re good.” Tate scrambled onto the kitchen stool and plucked a gummy worm from a frosted cupcake. He then dangled it in front of her lips.

She slurped the worm into her mouth and chewed. “These are much tastier than your dad’s fishing worms.”

Tate giggled.

“Coffee with your cupcake?” Harper asked.

“Please. So how’s business at Wild West Clothiers?”

“Great. We’ve become a go-to destination for bargain and Western clothing shoppers. The ads we placed in Cowboys and Indians magazine last year helped propel us to the next level. Now Tierney is pushing me to have a bigger online presence. But adding new merchandise and removing sold merchandise from the Web site would be a full-time job. I’ve been reluctant to hire anyone because I’m happy with how it is now. But Tierney always sees dollar signs first.” She smiled. “How weird is it that for the first time in my life that’s not something I care about?”

“You’re in a good place. I wouldn’t want to upset the balance either.”

“I’m only working about twenty hours a week.”

“Who’s working for you the rest of the time?”

“Zinnia was full-time, but after she had her baby, she wanted to work part-time. Did you ever meet Harlow, Tierney’s sister? She filled in the summer Jake was born?”

“No.”

“She returned to Chicago when I came back from maternity leave. She was visiting here at Christmas and we got to talking . . . Anyway, long story short, she relocated and in the past six months she’s really stepped up her game. Now she’s indispensable to me.” Harper sighed. “While I love the store and it’s been a challenge to grow it, I miss my boys when I’m away from them.”

By “boys,” Liberty knew Harper included Bran.

“Won’t be too long before they’re in school. So I’m in no hurry to expand.” She refocused. “How about you? How’s your latest job?”

Liberty wished she could talk to Harper about Devin, but that’d break every professional rule she’d promised to uphold, regardless of whether she wanted personal advice. So she’d have to figure out the am I really in love with him? question on her own. And why she continued to torture herself with visions of the future with him, when they didn’t have a real future.

“Lib?” Harper prompted.

She managed a smile. “This last assignment has been grueling, as far as the travel.”

“I wish you could stay longer than a couple of days, but I’ll take what I can get.” Harper squeezed her with a one-armed hug. “Now go play with Tate. He’s been waiting to show you his new barnyard-themed Legos.”

Liberty spent the next hour on the floor, horsing around with her nephews. Literally horsing around, as Tate and Jake turned her into their personal bucking bronc. Then, after riling them up, she snuggled down with them on the couch and watched DVDs of Bob the Builder.

When Bran came home, the boys abandoned her.

“Daddy!”

“Hey, guys. You havin’ fun with your aunt?”

Tate shouted, “Yes!” first, followed closely by Jake’s “Yeth!”

Bran grinned at Liberty. “Glad you could make it. You’re lookin’ good.”

“So are you.”