Cowgirls Don't Cry(76)
Sixteen
“Stop right there!” The voice echoed through the bullhorn.
“Keep riding.”
She didn’t need Chance’s urging. “Let’s get this over with.” She touched her spurs to Red’s sides, and the big horse surged to a canter. Chance’s horse stayed right beside her. The next thing she knew, Cord had galloped up on her other side. “Gee, we’re one horseman short of the Apocalypse.” She couldn’t resist the quip.
Cord blew out a snort of laughter. “We’ll just have to try harder.”
She glanced to her left and studied Chance’s brother for a long moment. Of similar build, with the same dark hair and brown eyes, they shared some amazing genetics. He rode with a reckless ease even though his expression looked grim and determined. She was suddenly glad these two men rode at her side.
Peeking at Chance, she noticed he was scanning the crowd gathered in the intersection behind the barricade of sheriff’s office vehicles. His face lit up, and she followed his gaze to find a petite brunette waving madly. Jealousy twisted in her stomach.
“There’s Heidi.” Chance stood up in his stirrups to see better. The woman waved again and held up a manila folder. “She got the filing done. We’re good to go. I know it’s not your style, Cass, but let me do the talking this time?”
The corner of her mouth quirked in a little grin. He hadn’t made that an order but a request. He was learning. “Who’s Heidi?” She wanted to bite off her tongue as the question slipped off its tip.
“My paralegal. She filed the injunction and delivered copies first thing this morning.”
The constriction in her chest lessened. His paralegal. Just his paralegal. Nobody special. Well, she amended, nobody special to his heart. “Tell her thanks?”
“You can tell her yourself when I introduce you. In the meantime...” He paused and blew out a breath. “I’ve probably been presumptuous but I’m on file with the court as your attorney. Let me deal with the deputies. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Chance rode past Heidi, grabbed the envelope but didn’t dismount when they stopped in front of the roadblock. He delivered the signed, if slightly crumpled, order to the deputy with the bullhorn. Words were exchanged, followed by radio transmissions between the deputies and the sheriff’s office. Cass sat stiffly, pressing her lips together.
“Easy, Cass. Chance knows what he’s doing.”
She cut her eyes to Cord. “I sure hope so.”
His knee bumped hers as his bay sidled closer to her horse. “You did something to him, Cass. Something good. Don’t let pride mess this up for either of you.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s easy for you to say.”
Chance reined his horse around and rejoined them. “It’s done. They’re moving their cars. We’ll still need to deal with OCPD when we hit the city limits. The good news is, Bethany PD is shutting down traffic and giving us an escort through town. That’ll help. I doubt we’ll get the same consideration from the OKC cops.”
Cass wanted to kiss him again but didn’t. Cameras of every sort were aimed in their direction and had been recording every moment of the confrontation. She turned and raised her hand. “Move ’em out!”