That explained a lot. “How big is this ranch of yours?”
“A thousand acres, which includes the main house where I plan to live with the kids, a lodge for dining and recreation, a bunkhouse, and several cabins. It used to be a dude ranch, so it’s already set up for a lot of people to live there comfortably. I’m calling it Safe Haven.”
“Where is this place, exactly?”
“A little east of my dad’s ranch. My land actually borders the Lucky 7 in a couple of places.”
“I wonder what Molly would have thought about what you’re doing,” Eve murmured.
“Frankly, she wasn’t in favor of the idea. But it doesn’t really matter now, does it?”
Eve wondered why Molly hadn’t discussed this plan of Connor’s with her. More likely she’d kept it to herself because she’d known Eve would be on Connor’s side. Molly had talked endlessly about moving away from Jackson Hole—a tiny town that swelled up like a bloodthirsty tick with tourists on their way to or from Yellowstone National Park in the summer—to some metropolitan area like Denver, once Connor left the army.
Eve thought the ranch was a fantastic idea. But she could see where it wouldn’t have appealed to Molly, who was sick and tired of Jackson Hole, where the peace and quiet was often far too peaceful and quiet. Molly didn’t ski, so she’d itched for something more exciting to do through the long winter months than watch the feathery snow fall or listen to bull elks bugle during mating season.
“You’re not even a little worried about being alone with Brooke and Sawyer?” Eve asked. “About them fearing the dark, or missing Molly, or not wanting to leave their grandparents?”
“Just give me my kids,” Connor said fiercely. “I’ll worry about the small stuff later.”
Chapter 3
“T HEREFORE , I’ M AWARDING full custody of the children, Brooke and Sawyer Flynn, to their father, Connor Flynn.”
Dead silence reigned in the courtroom at the judge’s pronouncement. Connor was stunned. He’d won. He rose and found his three brothers, Aiden, Brian, and Devon, jostling to their feet behind him, smiling from ear to ear. Aiden reached out first to hug him across the courtroom rail. Connor held on, afraid that if he let go, the tears that were threatening would fall. His chin began to quiver, and he gritted his teeth to still it.
He felt Brian slap him on the back and saw Devon’s reassuring thumbs-up through eyes blurred with tears of joy. One escaped, and he let go of Aiden to roughly brush it away. He turned to shake hands with his father, who put a comforting hand on his shoulder as he shot a nasty look in the direction of King Grayhawk, who was sitting directly behind Molly’s parents.
“A hundred to one that son of a bitch had something to do with the Robertsons trying to steal my grandkids away,” Angus said.
Connor wasn’t so sure, especially since it was Eve Grayhawk’s testimony about Molly’s wishes that seemed to swing the judge in his favor. Surely King’s daughter wouldn’t have defied her father’s wishes when he was sitting right there in the courtroom.
Then he remembered what Eve had told him last night. How she and her sisters had been given one year to find somewhere else to live. How she would soon have no land on which she could graze the wild mustangs she’d saved from slaughter. Most likely he had King Grayhawk’s bad behavior to thank for Eve being so determined to testify on his behalf.
Connor couldn’t believe he’d kissed her. Or how much he’d enjoyed it. He’d wanted to hold her in his arms and keep on kissing her, but he’d been stabbed with thorns of guilt. He’d loved his wife, but he’d been attracted to Eve Grayhawk ever since he’d seen her standing by her locker, which happened to be directly across from his locker, the year she started high school.
Connor had been stunned by the change in Eve’s appearance over the summer. The gangly girl was gone. In her place was a
“A thousand acres, which includes the main house where I plan to live with the kids, a lodge for dining and recreation, a bunkhouse, and several cabins. It used to be a dude ranch, so it’s already set up for a lot of people to live there comfortably. I’m calling it Safe Haven.”
“Where is this place, exactly?”
“A little east of my dad’s ranch. My land actually borders the Lucky 7 in a couple of places.”
“I wonder what Molly would have thought about what you’re doing,” Eve murmured.
“Frankly, she wasn’t in favor of the idea. But it doesn’t really matter now, does it?”
Eve wondered why Molly hadn’t discussed this plan of Connor’s with her. More likely she’d kept it to herself because she’d known Eve would be on Connor’s side. Molly had talked endlessly about moving away from Jackson Hole—a tiny town that swelled up like a bloodthirsty tick with tourists on their way to or from Yellowstone National Park in the summer—to some metropolitan area like Denver, once Connor left the army.
Eve thought the ranch was a fantastic idea. But she could see where it wouldn’t have appealed to Molly, who was sick and tired of Jackson Hole, where the peace and quiet was often far too peaceful and quiet. Molly didn’t ski, so she’d itched for something more exciting to do through the long winter months than watch the feathery snow fall or listen to bull elks bugle during mating season.
“You’re not even a little worried about being alone with Brooke and Sawyer?” Eve asked. “About them fearing the dark, or missing Molly, or not wanting to leave their grandparents?”
“Just give me my kids,” Connor said fiercely. “I’ll worry about the small stuff later.”
Chapter 3
“T HEREFORE , I’ M AWARDING full custody of the children, Brooke and Sawyer Flynn, to their father, Connor Flynn.”
Dead silence reigned in the courtroom at the judge’s pronouncement. Connor was stunned. He’d won. He rose and found his three brothers, Aiden, Brian, and Devon, jostling to their feet behind him, smiling from ear to ear. Aiden reached out first to hug him across the courtroom rail. Connor held on, afraid that if he let go, the tears that were threatening would fall. His chin began to quiver, and he gritted his teeth to still it.
He felt Brian slap him on the back and saw Devon’s reassuring thumbs-up through eyes blurred with tears of joy. One escaped, and he let go of Aiden to roughly brush it away. He turned to shake hands with his father, who put a comforting hand on his shoulder as he shot a nasty look in the direction of King Grayhawk, who was sitting directly behind Molly’s parents.
“A hundred to one that son of a bitch had something to do with the Robertsons trying to steal my grandkids away,” Angus said.
Connor wasn’t so sure, especially since it was Eve Grayhawk’s testimony about Molly’s wishes that seemed to swing the judge in his favor. Surely King’s daughter wouldn’t have defied her father’s wishes when he was sitting right there in the courtroom.
Then he remembered what Eve had told him last night. How she and her sisters had been given one year to find somewhere else to live. How she would soon have no land on which she could graze the wild mustangs she’d saved from slaughter. Most likely he had King Grayhawk’s bad behavior to thank for Eve being so determined to testify on his behalf.
Connor couldn’t believe he’d kissed her. Or how much he’d enjoyed it. He’d wanted to hold her in his arms and keep on kissing her, but he’d been stabbed with thorns of guilt. He’d loved his wife, but he’d been attracted to Eve Grayhawk ever since he’d seen her standing by her locker, which happened to be directly across from his locker, the year she started high school.
Connor had been stunned by the change in Eve’s appearance over the summer. The gangly girl was gone. In her place was a
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