Celia held the door open and warned, “Boots off.”

“Like that ain’t already been drilled into my head at my house,” Hank grumbled.

After shedding outerwear, they followed her into the kitchen and sat at the table.

“Coffee? Beer?” she offered.

“Nothin’ for me,” Abe said.

“Me neither,” Hank said. “We can’t stay long.”

This was freaking her out. They both wore their serious faces. “What’s on your mind that can’t be said over the phone?” Or in front of Kyle?

“After our blowup or whatever it was with you, me’n Abe got to talkin’ about some stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?”

They exchanged a look, then Abe focused on her. “The kind of money stuff that can tear families apart. You never brought it up.”

“You’re surprised? That’s not our way. You guys raised me. You oughta know that.”

“We do. Which is why this is important, sis, so listen up,” Abe said.

“First off, you are aware that all our friends gave us what for after what we said to you and Kyle. But no one came down on us harder than Bran,” Hank said. “It didn’t have anything to do with your friendship with Harper. He said we were idiots. That we should’ve expected you’d want a stake in the Lawson ranch. It’s just as much your heritage as ours.”

Abe sighed. “I know I’m gonna come across sounding like a dick, but I’ve always considered the ranch mine since I was the oldest and to some extent it was on my shoulders to keep it going. Those years Hank was gone off and on bullfighting, when you helped me with the work? I thought of you more as a hired hand and a bookkeeper. Then when Hank came back home full-time, and you were chasing your dream on the circuit, the ranch felt like mine and Hank’s.”

For once, Celia was glad to keep her mouth shut.

“I wasn’t any better,” Hank said. “I built my new house on Lawson land. With Abe’s blessing. I don’t know what the devil has been wrong with us, sis. We cut you out. Completely. Not only being ignorant as to why you stayed away from home, but being clueless that your decision didn’t have a damn thing to do with loving barrel racing and constantly being on the road. You haven’t asked for a penny from us in the last four years. And we didn’t offer.”

“So what we’re tryin’ to say…is better late than never.”

Her gaze snapped to Abe’s. “What do you mean?”

“You do know you could sue us, right? Demand your third of the value of the ranch.”

“But that means you’d have to sell it,” she pointed out. “I’d never demand that—you know that, don’t you?”

Hank nodded. “Obviously we ain’t keen on doin’ that. The best way we’ve come up with to make it fair to you is to offer you a cash settlement.”

Celia looked between her brothers as if they’d lost their minds. “A cash settlement?”

“For your third of the Lawson ranch. We can’t pay you it all at once. But we arranged with our banker to put the first payment in an account for you.”

“What’s the catch?”

They exchanged another look and Abe nodded to Hank. “No catch. Except we wish you’d keep it and the money to yourself for a little while yet.”

“You mean keep it from Kyle.” Why did that annoy her?

Abe reached for her hand. “Don’t give us that surly look. Kyle just had a life-changing windfall. And we’re not suggesting your marriage ain’t gonna last. This money isn’t a windfall for you, Cele; it’s your heritage. If you want to share it with Kyle down the road apiece, feel free. But we’re asking you to wait a bit.”

“Have you told your wives about this?”

Hank shook his head. “Lainie has her own money from her father’s foundation and her job at the hospital. We have a joint household fund we both contribute to, but she doesn’t have nothin’ to do with the ranch income or expenses. So this is our business. Lawson business.”

“Same with Janie. She’s got her own money, a stake in the Split Rock and her job there. We decided to keep some separation between our finances and our relationship this time.” Abe locked his gaze to hers. “Our reason for doin’ this, little sis, is to give you some financial security. You deserve it.”

Her belly fluttered with panic. Had her brothers somehow guessed that she and Kyle were a temporary couple? That she was only sticking with him long enough to get the money he promised her so she could go to school?

Keep telling yourself that, Celia. Convince yourself you’re not in love with your husband.

“Talk to us,” Hank said, startling her.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Maybe you could start by askin’ how much money it is.”

She looked at Abe. “How much?”

“One hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.”

Celia’s jaw dropped. “Are you f**king kidding me?”

Hank laughed. “Pay up, bro.”

Abe dug in the front pocket of his jeans and flicked a crumpled twenty at Hank. “I bet him you’d say, ‘Are you f**king serious?’ He argued you’d say…exactly what you did. Anyway. It’s your money now.”

“You guys aren’t like, hurting yourselves financially by doing this?”

Tags: Lorelei James Blacktop Cowboys Western
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