Chance had almost forgotten about his father until the old man snorted. “You wait, Rand Davis. You think you’ve won this time, but I guarantee this thing isn’t over between us.” Then he turned a baleful stare on Chance. “As for you, I’ll deal with you later.”
Davis offered a frosty smile. “Careful what you threaten, Cyrus.”
The old man spun around and stomped off to his chauffeured Lincoln. In a matter of minutes, the stockyard wranglers reappeared, opened the gates to some loading pens, and the herd was moved off the street. A spontaneous celebration erupted behind them, but Chance and Cass remained with Mr. Davis, watching as the cattle were transferred up the chutes and loaded into the waiting trucks.
Chance watched one of the richest oilmen in the world chat with the woman he loved. Three months ago, on that snowy Chicago night, he would never have guessed he’d be standing on a dusty street in Stockyard City watching this scene.
But then, all of a sudden, Davis clamped his mouth shut in the middle of a sentence, and his eyes narrowed in anger. Chance turned around, thinking his father had returned.
To his surprise, Cord stood there like a deer caught in headlights. The two men stared at each other, and Chance couldn’t help but compare the standoff to a scene from a Western movie—the gunfighters on Main Street, fingers flexing over the handles of their six-shooters, each waiting for the other to make a move. He’d never seen his brother look so unnerved.
After a long, tense moment, Davis turned his head and focused his attention on Cassie. “I’ll have the certified check for the rest of the money delivered to you tomorrow, Miss Morgan.”
She offered her hand again, after wiping it down her thigh. As dusty as her jeans appeared, she probably didn’t clean much dirt off, but she made the effort. “Thank you again, Mr. Davis. I...” On impulse, she raised up on her toes and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”
Davis shook his head and glanced toward Chance. “No, honey. I think you had all the help you needed right there at your side.” He offered his hand to Chance. “You take care of this little lady.”
Chance shook hands with Rand. “I will, sir.” He slipped his arm around Cassie’s shoulders and hugged her closer to his side. “You did it, darlin’.”
She smiled up at him. “No. We did it. I’m sorry I ever doubted you.”
He shook his head. “Don’t apologize. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I could stand up to the old man. But you made me want to. Your belief in me, Cass. That’s what gave me the courage.”
He caught movement in the corner of his eye and turned just in time to see Davis stop in front of Cord. The two men exchanged what appeared to be heated words until Chance realized something was off about Cord’s posture. His shoulders drooped a little, and while he hadn’t bowed his head, he wasn’t quite looking Mr. Davis in the eye, either.
“Now what the hell is that all about?”
Cass leaned around him to watch. “I...wow. Cord almost looks cowed. He’s definitely on the defensive.”
Davis walked away but Cord stood rooted to the spot. Chance wrapped his fingers around Cassie’s hand and tugged her with him as he approached his brother. “Cord?”
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what? What’s going on?”