robe, Lauren felt the warm stirrings of desire. It would be tempting to coax him back to bed and make him late for work. But Sky wasn’t a man to be coaxed into shirking his duties, not even by a warm and willing woman. Maybe that was one of the reasons she loved him so much.
“I’ll call you when I know about the inquest,” he said.
“Thanks. I’ll be waiting to hear.”
She kissed him at the door; then she walked to the window to watch his truck drive away. She was far luckier than she deserved to be, Lauren thought. She had her health, her career as an accountant, all the money she needed, and the love of a wonderful man. It didn’t seem right that someone as fair, honest, and good as Will Tyler should be surrounded by problems—a ranch that was sinking into a financial quagmire, a possible prison sentence, and a failed marriage to a woman he clearly still loved.
What had happened to drive Will and Tori apart? Will had never talked about it in Lauren’s hearing. Tori, although she was Lauren’s friend, had never shared the story of her marriage and how it had ended. Lauren told herself that it was a private matter—as such things should be.
Still, she couldn’t help wanting to know—in part because she wanted to avoid similar mistakes, but mostly because she cared deeply about these two people and their lovely young daughter. They’d become part of her life—her future family. She wanted to understand them.
Lauren turned away from the window and began clearing away the breakfast dishes. She would give anything to help Sky’s half brother and his loved ones through their troubles. But for now, there was nothing she could do but hope and wait.
* * *
Beau found Will in the stallion barn, cleaning out stalls with a shovel and a broom. He was going at it with a fury that Beau understood all too well. Last spring, Beau had been the one facing trial. Things had turned out all right, but he knew how his brother must be feeling.
“Hey.” Beau leaned against a partition, trying to look casual. “We pay teenage boys to do that job. You’re the boss, not a stable hand.”
Will gave him a glance, then went back to shoveling. “What am I supposed to do, sit on the porch with Jasper and wait for the call? Hell, I might as well make myself useful.”
“You’ll get through this, Will,” Beau said. “I know that sounds like a stupid thing to say, but I’ve been in your shoes. You’re a tough man—even tougher than you think you are.”
“Don’t be so sure of that.” Will straightened, bracing the point of the shovel blade on the floor of the barn. “Wait till you have your own child. Then you’ll understand. I’m not afraid of prison. I could survive a few years if it came to that. And I know you’d take care of the ranch. But the idea of leaving Erin, having her grow up without me, with the shame of a father behind bars—that’s the worst. And if her mother marries that prissy school principal, knowing he’d be raising Erin in my place . . . Lord, that’s what I can’t even stand to think about.”
“But that’s not going to happen,” Beau said. “You’re innocent. The bastard had a knife up to throw at you. You killed him in self-defense.”
Will muttered a curse. “Didn’t you learn anything in the DEA? It’s not about guilt or innocence, damn it, it’s about politics! Both Abner and Clay Drummond are counting on a lot of press from this case. Throw Stella into the mix, and anything could happen. They’d see me hang if they could get away with it!”
The jangle of a cell phone startled both men into silence. Mouth tightening, Will reached for the phone in his vest pocket.
“Relax, it’s not yours. It’s mine.” Beau pulled out his phone and took the call. Will tensed, like a man about to receive a blow, as his brother answered, then turned away.
“Yes,” Beau was saying. “He’s right here, Tori. Yes, I’ll tell him.” He ended the call.
“She called you?” Will faced him, bristling.
“She thought it might be easier for me to tell you face-to-face,” Beau said. “The case is going to trial. Abner’s on his way out here to arrest you.”
“Call Abner.” Will was stone-faced. “Tell him I’ll be driving into town. I won’t have my daughter seeing me led away in handcuffs.”
“I’ll call