“I can fix the two of you up if you want,” I joked.
She lifted her hands in the air. “He’s your prize, not mine.” Then she winked at me. “It’s going to be a great night.”
“I love your car,” I said when we got in. She had a cherry-red Jeep Wrangler.
“Yeah. It was my mom’s.” She turned up the music, effectively cutting off any chances of me asking her any questions. Especially when she started singing along.
I loved her infectious energy. Mom would have called her good people. I didn’t have to know her for long. I could sense it.
When we pulled up to Pony Up, I stared at the building.
“What’s going on with you?” Shaina asked.
“A bit of nerves, I guess.”
She slung an arm over my shoulder. “It’s going to be fun. Just remember, girl code.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“For tonight, it means I won’t let you do anything stupid, and you do the same for me.” She paused only a second. “And we don’t leave without each other.”
“Girl code,” I said and knocked her awaiting fist.
The place was packed. We lucked out with a table in the corner. A woman with an apron and kind eyes made her way through the crowd to our table.
“Emma,” I said when she reached us.
“Hey, Sunshine, Shaina. I saw you come in. I’m short staffed tonight. Aiden is coming to help. What can I get you both?”
I looked at Shaina, who jumped in. “I’ll have a beer.”
Emma nodded. “I’m glad you two met. What will you have?” she asked me.
“A beer,” I said.
It wasn’t often, if at all, I drank. I didn’t see the need for it. But what could one beer hurt?
After Emma left, Shaina said, “Lot of cute guys here tonight.” I followed her gaze around, and she was right. Only none of them were Mitchell. “Don’t worry, it’s my mission for you to have a good time tonight.”
Two beers later, I was dancing with a tall, dark, and handsome cowboy.
SEVENTEEN
Mitchell
The call with the guy I’d hired to find Haley didn’t go well. He said it would be another few days before he could get a crew to go after the black box. I didn’t know what I could tell Zoe. I was running out of excuses.
I was also on edge waiting for the results of Zoe’s DNA test. The doc had stopped by as promised a few days ago. He’d given Zoe a clean bill of health as well, which had eased my mind.
Things with Dad were getting better. After our talk about Sunshine the other day, I thought I could trust his advice. When I found him downstairs, I went to him. “What am I going to do if I can’t find Haley?” I said softly enough Zoe couldn’t overhear me.
“Continue what you’re doing. And you’re doing a fine job. I never once doubted you’d take to being a father.”
“I know what it’s like to lose a mother. I don’t want that for her.”
Dad patted the spot next to him. I sat. “Haley’s a fighter. That girl’s got fire.”
My phone signaled. I held up a finger. “Gunner.”
“You should get down to the bar.”
That was cryptic. “Why?”
“Just get here.”
The call ended, and I almost texted him back telling him I couldn’t. Then I remembered Sunshine was there. If there was trouble… “Dad, can you watch Zoe?”
It was a big ask. Nate had feared that Dad was suffering from some sort of mental aging issue, but I hadn’t seen any signs since I’d been home. “Can you handle it?” I added.
“Of course I can. I raised two boys.”
“Mom did,” I said and smiled for the first time in years since her death.
“She did and taught me well. I know you boys think I’m losing it, but I’m not. I didn’t deal well with losing your mother, but I don’t need care.”
“But you insist on keeping Sunshine?”
“Damn right. She cooks like a dream and keeps me company. She’s the best thing that’s happened around here in a long time.” He eyed me hard. “So go get your girl.”
He didn’t have to name her. “I thought you warned me off her.”
“Better you than some cowboy taking her away,” he said. I opened my mouth. “Go, boy, before you’re too late.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. I snagged the keys from the bowl and got in the truck. I did my best to drive the speed limit. Pony Up's lot was full, so I had to find a parking spot on the street.
Inside, I immediately spotted Gunner at a highball table on the right. He nodded, and I turned to the left. The area they used for a dance floor at night was crowded. I saw Shaina and moved in her direction.
She couldn’t contain her amusement. I felt like maybe she’d orchestrated this, as she’d winked at me before she left the ranch with Sunshine.