Beau: Cowboy Protector. Marin Thomas

generous, but…” She twirled a button on her coat then noticed her action and shoved her hand into a pocket. “How do you feel about your dad and my aunt dating?” she asked.

      Amused by the delay tactic, he chuckled. Heck, no one was more surprised than Beau that his father was goo-goo eyes over Jordan Peterson.

      “I’m serious, Beau. Are you okay with their relationship? Because I believe my aunt really cares for your father.”

      He’d be a lot happier about the matchup if Jordan didn’t distract his father from his ranch chores, but Beau didn’t want to discuss the older couple. “They’re both adults. They don’t need anyone’s permission to date.” He opened his mouth to change the subject when a shout down the block drew his attention.

      “Z-Zorro!” Duke’s stepson, Luke, chased Duke’s German shepherd. The dog sprinted, the leash flying in the air behind him. The seven-year-old was no match for Zorro and Beau made a dash for the sidewalk.

      “Zorro, heel!” Beau extended his arm and the dog skidded to a stop, his legs becoming entangled with his leash. Luke caught up, his little chest heaving.

      “Th-thanks, Uncle Beau.” Luke took the leash. “B-bad dog, Zorro.”

      “Where’s your mom?” Normally Angie didn’t let her son out of her sight.

      “T-talking with Dad in the jail. I was t-taking Zorro for a w-walk but—” Luke sucked in several breaths.

      Pitying the kid’s miniature lungs Beau said, “Come with me. There’s someone who’d like to meet Zorro.” Beau steered Luke and the dog toward the park bench.

      “Hi, Luke,” Sierra said. “I guess Zorro wanted a run, not a walk.”

      Luke smiled. “He went after M-Molly.”

      Sierra spoke to Beau. “My aunt takes her seeing-eye dog for a stroll around town in the afternoons.” She switched her attention to Luke. “Is Molly still with my aunt?”

      “Yeah. M-Molly never runs off.”

      Sierra rubbed Zorro’s head. “Poor boy…chasing after a lady who doesn’t want you.”

      Beau cringed. He hoped Sierra’s comment hadn’t been meant for him.

      “Luke! Luke, where are you?”

      “Here!” Beau waved at his brother and Duke jogged toward the group.

      “What happened?” Duke asked.

      “Z-Zorro s-saw—”

      “Slow down.” Duke laid a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

      “Zorro saw Molly and ran away.” Duke had a calming effect on his stepson and Luke stopped stuttering.

      “Good thing Uncle Beau was here.” Duke glanced at Sierra and switched the subject. “Did you have car trouble yesterday?”

      Face flushing Sierra mumbled, “Ahh…”

      “Clive Benson thought he saw your car parked on the shoulder of the road outside town around eleven.”

      “No,” Sierra answered, casting a quick glance at Beau.

      He wasn’t spilling the beans about last night.

      “Clive must have been seeing things, or had one too many beers at the Open Range Saloon,” Duke said.

      The dog tugged on his leash. “Zorro wants to walk, Dad.”

      Beau had yet to wrap his mind around his twin becoming a father and got a kick out of watching the father-son duo.

      “See you later.” Duke walked off holding Luke’s hand and the dog leash.

      “About last night—”

      “Forget last night.” Suddenly Beau didn’t want to know the truth. “Will you have dinner with me tonight?”

      “I have to close the diner.”

      “We can eat a late meal. I’ll take you to Maria’s Mexican Café.”

      Sierra wrinkled her nose. “Maria’s isn’t even authentic Mexican food.” She stood and Beau scrambled to his feet. “Come to the diner around eight-thirty. The least I can do is feed you a meal for the trouble I caused.”

      “It’s not much of a date if only one person eats.”

      “I’ll have dinner, too.”

      “Okay, then, I’ll be there at eight-thirty.”

      “If you run late—”

      “I won’t.”

      Sierra spun and walked briskly down the block. When she reached the corner she looked both ways then stepped onto the street. Car brakes squealed and for a split second Beau’s heart jumped into his throat. The driver lowered his window and shouted at Sierra before driving off, then she hurried across the street and disappeared into the diner.

      Beau’s heart slid back into his chest. Dang, that woman had better pay attention to where she was going or she’d find herself in a world of hurt.

      Maybe you distract Sierra.

      Wouldn’t that be something.