relationships that started out fun but washed out quickly.
He played with Liz’s copper red hair, knowing their relationship was different. This would last. How he knew that, he didn’t know, but it was the first time he felt all in and ready to do anything to make Liz happy and want to be with him. He wanted to hold on to this feeling inside him that glowed whenever he thought about or saw her. It had always been there in the background. Another thing he’d ignored. But now that he knew it was there, he felt it all the more.
Declan slapped the back of his hand across Tate’s shoulder. “You took your sweet time with Liz. It’s a wonder she waited for you.”
“She knows a good thing when she sees it.”
Declan leaned forward and pinned Liz in his gaze. “Really? You couldn’t do better than him?”
Liz laughed. “Well, he always shared his lunch with me in school and he held my hair back once in high school when I got really drunk on Jӓgermeister.”
Declan fell back in his chair, chuckling and shaking his head. “No. Never drink that stuff.”
Liz laughed with him. “My date was as drunk as me when he tried to pick me up off the bathroom floor to take me home. Tate wouldn’t let him.”
Tate remembered this. “I got to the party late because Dad asked me to stay in case one of the mares had trouble birthing a foal. I’d had like half a beer when I found Liz.”
“Confession?” Liz asked.
“Oh please,” Declan said leaning forward again.
“I only drank so much because I was upset Tate didn’t show for the party and I thought maybe I’d make Tate jealous and I’d finally get him to kiss me that night. Instead, I puked and looked ridiculous drunk.”
“You were kind of cute. As far as rag dolls go. I had to carry you out to my truck.”
Liz put her elbow on the table, her chin in her hand, and gave him a mischievous look. “I may have exaggerated how uncoordinated I was that night.”
Tate laughed. “Seriously?”
“She got her big strong man to carry her to his car.” Declan saluted Liz with his beer.
“Yeah, but I didn’t dare kiss him after I’d puked. He’d never kiss me again if I did that.”
Tate hooked his arm around her neck and pulled her close. “You probably wouldn’t have remembered it anyway.”
She gave him a sideways glance. “You were pissed when you got me into the truck.”
“All I could think about was what could have happened to you. The guy you were with was so drunk he probably would have killed you both driving you home. I knew he’d sleep it off there, so I took you home to your folks to be sure you were safe.”
“He found me after school that Monday and said it was better that we didn’t see each other anymore. I’m pretty sure it’s because you said something to him.”
Tate shrugged that away, neither confirming nor denying.
Liz stared at him for a long moment, then leaned in and kissed him. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Looking out for me. Taking care of me.”
“I always did.” He hugged her close to his side and kissed her on the temple. “I always will.”
Declan grabbed his plate and beer and stood, looking down at them. “I’m glad you two finally got together.” He headed into the kitchen.
“You cooked,” Liz called. “We’ll do the dishes.”
“We will?” Tate teased.
She elbowed him in the gut. “Yes. We will.”
“Fine.”
She didn’t buy the long-suffering sigh he put into that acquiescence.
They gathered the dishes and took them into the kitchen. Declan had already retreated to the family room to watch TV or back down to the office to work. Either way, he made himself scarce, but Tate enjoyed having dinner, the three of them.
Liz made quick work of the dishes while he put away the leftovers in the fridge. He turned to her and found her watching him with her back to the counter, hands clasped in front of her. She shifted from one foot to the other, fatigue and discomfort in her eyes.
“You okay? Sore after our ride?”
“A little. And being on my feet all day at the farmers market made my feet and knees ache. I’m getting old.”
He chuckled at that. “My back agrees with you. I used to be able to do all the ranch work and then some and feel fine. Now I groan when I get out of bed.” He took her by the