property, Shadow Hill, is on the verge of foreclosure and there isn’t enough money in her estate to cover the debt. It just figures the boys would—”
“We’ve established they’re grown men, even potentially available ones.”
“—show up right when I’m on the verge of getting the property back.”
Mallory’s chest lifted on a heavy breath. She reached both hands across the table and put her palms over Leah’s. “Listen to me. I love you like a sister. You know I only want what’s best for you, right?”
“This is going to be a scary pep talk, isn’t it?”
“But lovingly delivered.”
Leah tried to pull back, but Mallory held on with the sudden strength of a pro wrestler. “Is this how I sound when I talk to you about your weight?” Leah asked.
“You’re worse, but do me a favor. Let this go. Charlie, this obsessive thing with the whole Hanover clan, I’m begging you to drop it and move on. Nanette Hanover got the house and property years ago. Your father tried to fight it, argued it was fraud and lost. She’s dead, and with Charlie dead before her, the house goes to his sons. It’s annoying but tidy and perfectly legal.”
The mantra Leah repeated every morning in her head spilled out before she could edit it. “I can’t let another generation of Hanover males ruin this town.”
Mallory let her fingers drop against the table and slumped back in the booth. “Just a thought but maybe we should meet them before we judge them.”
She was right. Every word made sense. But caution and common sense went in Leah’s brain and right back out again. She’d waited so long to get Shadow Hill back, to give her father a tiny piece of the respect Charlie and her mom had stolen away all those years ago. Deep down Leah knew this wasn’t her fight, but she kept swinging. Just as she’d been trained to do.
“Maybe this will all go away and they’ll put up a sign and list the property for sale then leave town,” Leah said, knowing it would never be that simple.
“And if they don’t?”
Leah wasn’t ready to share those plans with Mallory or anyone else. “I’ll deal with that in the future. Until then I think . . .”
The man behind Mallory got up and turned around. The muscular build and close-cropped dark hair suggested military. The faded blue jeans and broad shoulders straining against the seams of a navy T-shirt said he was good at whatever he did—lifting cars, wrestling tigers . . . something that required the impressive biceps peeking out from under those short sleeves.
Maybe Mallory was right. Sweetwater did need more men.
Leah tried to force air into her lungs but her breathing came out as a wheeze. When he stopped at the edge of their table with a smile kicking at the corner of his mouth and amusement dancing in his pale blue eyes, she forgot most of the alphabet.
He nodded, treating them both to a smile. “Ladies.”
When the ability to form sentences returned, Leah went with a question. “Do we know you?”
“You think you do.”
“I don’t—” Leah jumped when the hard toe of Mallory’s motorcycle boot slammed into her shin. “What are you doing?”
Mallory’s eyes bulged. “Think about it.”
“Your friend is trying to tip you off.” He leaned over and the edge of his T-shirt pushed up to show a jagged vine tattoo that looked like barbed wire around his upper arm.
Leah was too busy staring at the muscle bulge to see the twenty hit the table until he slipped his wallet into his back pocket. She glanced at the bill then up to his face. “What’s with the cash?”
“I’m Declan Hanover, and since you kept me entertained while I drank my coffee, what with my supposed family history and criminal tendencies and all, the least I can do is buy your lunch.”
Heat washed over her skin. This was different from the smack of warmth that hit her when she first saw that strong jawline. She didn’t like either sensation.
She tried to force out a word or two but nothing happened.
“Enjoy the rest of your meal, ladies.” He nodded, looking like he’d tip his cowboy hat if he’d worn one, then he was off.
He didn’t strut but didn’t walk either. Shoulders back and head held high, the determined stride took him to the door without looking back. He shoved it open and the bell at the top rang. She swore she heard him whistle.