The Wyoming Kid. Debbie Macomber

According to Letty, the entire community thought the sun rose and set on Miss Fuller. Not him, though. He’d seen the woman behind those deceptive smiles.

      “What did Joy have to say to that?” Chase asked, and his mouth twitched in a smile he couldn’t quite hide.

      Lonny resisted the urge to ask his brother-in-law what he found so darned amusing. “She made me an insulting offer of fifty dollars. The woman’s nuts if she thinks I’ll accept that.”

      Letty uttered a rather unfeminine-sounding snort. “I can’t say I blame her.”

      His own sister had sided with Joy and against him. Lonny was sad to see it. “What about my truck? What about me? That woman’s carelessness nearly gave me a heart attack!”

      “She said she apologized.”

      Obviously Joy had gone directly to his sister telling tales. Granted, after the accident, Joy had been all sweet and apologetic. However, it didn’t take long for her dark side to show, just like it had two years ago.

      Since everyone was taking sides with Joy, Lonny considered dropping the entire matter. For a moment, anyway…When he presented Joy with the bill, he’d hoped she’d take all the blame and tell him how sorry she was…and sound as if she meant it. At that point, he would’ve felt good about absolving her and being magnanimous. He’d figured they could talk like adults, maybe meet for a friendly drink—see what happened from there.

      That, however, wasn’t how things had gone. Joy had exploded. His impetuous little fantasy shriveled up even more quickly than it had appeared, to be replaced by an anger that matched hers.

      “What are you planning to do now?” Letty asked, checking her watch.

      Lonny looked to his brother-in-law and best friend for help, but Chase was staying out of this one. There was a time Chase would’ve leaped to Lonny’s defense. Not now; marriage had changed him. “I don’t know yet. I was thinking I should file a claim with her insurance company.” He didn’t really plan to do that, but the threat sounded real and he’d let Letty believe he just might.

      “You wouldn’t dare,” his sister snapped.

      He shrugged, afraid now that he was digging himself into a hole. But pride demanded he not back down.

      “One look at your truck and I’m afraid the adjustor would laugh,” Chase told him.

      That hole was getting deeper by the minute.

      Shaking her head, Letty sighed. “I’d better call Joy and see if she’s okay.”

      Lonny stared at her. “Why wouldn’t she be okay?”

      Letty patted his shoulder. “Sometimes you don’t know how intimidating you can be, big brother. Chase and I know you’re a pussycat, but Joy doesn’t.”

      As Lonny stood there scratching his head, wondering how everything had gotten so confused, Letty walked out of the barn.

      Utterly baffled, Lonny muttered, “Did I hear her right? Is she actually going to phone Joy? Isn’t that like consorting with the enemy? What about family loyalty, one for all and all for one, that kind of stuff?”

      Chase seemed about to answer when Letty turned back. “Do you want to stay for dinner?” she asked.

      Invitations on days other than Sunday were rare, and Lonny had no intention of turning one down. He might be upset with his sister but he wasn’t stupid. Letty was a mighty fine cook. “Sure.”

      A half hour or so later, Lonny accompanied his brother-in-law to the house. After washing up, Chase brought out two cans of cold beer. Then, just as they had on so many other evenings, the two of them sat on the porch, enjoying the cool breeze.

      “The doc said Letty’s going to be all right?” Lonny asked his friend.

      Chase took a deep swallow of beer. “According to him, Letty’s as fit as a fiddle.”

      That was what Lonny had guessed. His sister had come home after ten years without telling him why—that her heart was in bad shape. She’d needed an expensive surgery, one she couldn’t afford, and she’d trusted Lonny to raise Cricket for her when she died. Cricket’s father had abandoned Letty before the little girl was even born. Letty hadn’t told Lonny any more than that, and he’d never asked. Thankfully she’d had the surgery and it’d been successful. She was married to Chase now; even for a guy as cynical about marriage as Lonny, it was easy to see how much she and Chase loved each other. Cricket had settled down, too. For the first time in her life, the little girl had a father and a family. Lonny was delighted with the way everything had turned out for his sister and his best friend.

      “You like married life, don’t you?” he asked. Although he knew the answer, he asked the question anyway. Lonny couldn’t think of another man who’d be completely honest with him.

      Chase looked into the distance and nodded.

      “Why?”

      Chase smiled. “Well, marriage definitely has its good points.”

      “Sex?”

      “I’m not about to discount that,” his friend assured him, his smile widening. “But there’s more to marriage than crawling into bed with a warm body.”

      “Such as?”

      Chase didn’t take offense at the question, the way another guy might have. “I hadn’t realized how lonely it was around this place since my dad died,” Chase said. His expression was sober and thoughtful as he stared out at the ranch that had been in his family for four generations. “Letty and Cricket have given me purpose. I have a reason to get out of bed in the morning—a reason other than chores. That’s the best I can explain it.”

      Lonny leaned back and rested his elbows on the step. He considered what his friend had said and, frankly, he didn’t see it. “I like my life the way it is.”

      Chase nodded. “Before Letty returned, I thought the same thing.”

      At least one person understood his feelings.

      “Is it okay if I join you?” Letty asked from behind the screen door before moving on to the porch. She held a tall glass of lemonade.

      “Sure, go ahead,” Lonny said agreeably.

      His sister sat on the step beside Chase, who slid his arm around her shoulder. She pressed her head against him, then glanced at Lonny.

      “Did you phone her?” It probably wasn’t a good idea to even ask, but he had to admit he was curious.

      “I will later,” Letty said. “I was afraid if I called her now, she might be too distressed to talk.”

      “I’m the one who’s distressed,” he muttered, not that anyone had asked about his feelings.

      Letty ignored the comment. “You’ve really got a thing for her, don’t you?”

      “No, I don’t.” Dammit, he wished his sister would stop saying that. Even his niece was parroting her words. Lonny didn’t want to argue with Letty, but the fact was, he knew his own feelings. “I can guess what you’re thinking and I’m here to tell you, you’re wrong.”

      “You seem to talk about her quite a bit,” she said archly.

      No argument there. “Now, listen, I want you to give me your solemn word that you won’t do anything stupid.”

      “Like what?” Letty asked.

      “Like try to get me and Joy together again. I told you before, I’m not interested and I mean it.”

      “You know, big brother, I might’ve believed you earlier, but I don’t anymore.”

      Not knowing what to say, Lonny just shook his head. “I want your word, Letty. I’m serious about this.”

      “Your brother doesn’t need