“Sure,” Finn said. “I texted Dawson when we left.” And it took just over an hour and a half to make the drive from Three Rivers Ranch to the Rhinehart Ranch. North to south, across the town of Three Rivers.
“I brought enough of Momma’s potato salad to feed a small army,” Libby said. “So I’m going in.” She opened the door and dropped from the back passenger seat of Finn’s truck.
“I have three dozen chocolate chip cookies,” Henrysaid, grabbing the bag of them and leaving Finn to look at Paul. They didn’t have any food up front with them, and Finn grinned.
“We have to go in too, whether we have food or not.”
“All right,” Paul drawled, and he sounded a lot like Finn’s Uncle Pete. Paul was his son, so that made sense. He lived and worked at Three Rivers with his daddy and Finn’s, in agriculture.
Finn got out of the truck, with Paul following suit. They went up the steps to the cabin, where Libby had already gained entrance. Lincoln Glover had brought his younger brother, Smiles, and they stood near the back of the house, in the kitchen.
Brandon Rhinehart laughed, but Dawson couldn’t be seen. Alex wasn’t here either, and Finn watched as the cowboys at the back of the cabin cheered as Libby put down a big bowl and Henry added the cookies to it.
Finn went into the kitchen too and clapped Brandon on the shoulder. “Hey,” he said. “How are you guys up here? Survived the rain?”
“Better than some where the rivers are lower,” Brandon said. “Dawson said there’s a lot of mud out there, but I’ve been helpin’ my momma this morning.”
He had a long row of bread slices on the counter, with plenty of sliced meat and cheese nearby. Sandwiches. Perfect. Finn loved a good sandwich.
“Nicki made homemade potato chips,” Alex saidfrom behind Finn, and he turned to face his brother-in-law. He loved him like a brother, because he’d taken good care of Finn’s wife before she’d been his wife, before he’d even returned to town.
And he still did, though he was married now and had a pretty woman to take care of as well.
“Yes,” Link said, going to meet him. He took the brown paper bag from him and added, “I love these things.”
“She made some with the barbecue seasoning just for you,” Alex said. “I left them in my truck. Figured you could grab them on your way home.” He grinned at Lincoln. “I know you don’t like to share.”
“Not Nicki’s homemade barbecue potato chips,” he said.
Finn noticed Smiles, who was probably sixteen or seventeen, standing there, almost out of the way, smiling of course. He moved over to him and said, “Hey, bud. When does school start again?”
“Tuesday,” Smiles said. “We’re not muddy at Shiloh Ridge.”
“Yeah, we didn’t get much at Legacy either,” Finn said. “I think Alex is pretty wet, though.”
“I’m what?” Alex asked as he arrived in the kitchen. He looked between Finn and Smiles.
“Wet,” Smiles said. “From the rain.”
“Oh, yeah.” Alex rolled his neck as if stretching it. “Since the flood a couple of summers ago, whenever it rains, it’s like the water doesn’t know where to go but all over the place at Coyote Pass.”
“We’re havin’ sandwiches for lunch?” Dawson seemed to growl the words, and he cocked his eyebrows at Brandon. His younger brother muttered something to him, and then turned to Libby to talk to her, his expression brightening as he continued to spread mayo on what looked like homemade bread.
Something didn’t seem quite right there, and Alex said, “Pretty sure they forgot we were coming.” He flashed a rare smile, and these lunches were about the only time Finn saw Alex show that thing. Well, he sure did have a special smile for Nicki too.
Dawson looked over to Finn, who lifted his chin to him. As his friend came closer, Finn said, “You look tired, Daws.” He wrapped him up in a man-hug and stepped back, grinning.
Dawson didn’t smile, but he did relax. “Been busy the past few days.”
“The owls?” Finn asked.
Dawson sighed as Link turned his attention from his phone to the conversation. “Yeah, the owls, though I guess now that they’re here, we just can’t bother them.”
“It’s not like you have to take feed and water out to them,” Link said.
Dawson cut him a look. “Nope. And the crops keep growing, I guess. We set up the fence. It’s done.”
“And how’s Caroline?” Link asked, and Finn was glad he had so Finn wouldn’t have to. Because Dawson wore a tsunami in his expression. Link possessed some bravery to even ask; Finn thought he’d wait until Dawson had something to eat before he’d ask about Caroline Thompson.