Page 74 of The Cowboy’s Reckoning

Yes. So why did her stomach tighten at that stark conclusion?

“You’re right. And I know that Jordan understands this, but I feel like crap about how this all blew up.” She’d thought she could have fun sex with Jordan, along with a strong friendship, but not so strong that losing it would devastate her.

Surprise. That didn’t work.

“Actually, I called about Jordan.”

“You did?” Lil had barely said hello when Maya had demanded to know what was wrong.

And Lil needed to talk, so she had.

“I found out something.”

Lil’s stomach stayed in its tight knot. “What’s that?”

“I know who Libby Weston is.”

Lil had texted the woman’s name to Maya right after Jordan set up his meeting, and apparently her sister had done some bloodhounding.

“Who?”

“You’re not going to believe this … she’s Carl Jordan’s widow.”

Chapter Fifteen

“Holy shit.” Jordan stared at Lil after she dropped her bombshell.

Libby Weston was Elizabeth Jordan? He’d seen the name in his searches for background information on Carl but had no reason to suspect they were one and the same.

“Dropping her maiden name made it harder for Maya to put two and two together.” Lil went on to explain how Maya had done a deep dive on Elizabeth “Libby” Weston and discovered through newspaper archives that the woman had become a Harris after her first marriage in 1988. Widowed less than five years later, she’d married Carl Jordan and was then listed on public documents as Elizabeth Harris Jordan.

“Things make more sense now.” Jordan was surprised at how normal he sounded because inside he was still reeling. He continued to gather the tools he’d been putting into his toolbox when Lil approached him at his truck. “My biological dad was truly a prize.”

According to Lil, Maya had deduced that Carl Jordan had left the ranch his wife wanted to the son he’d never acknowledged for the same reason he’d left the company to his employees. Carl Jordan was sticking it to his wife from the grave. Jordan couldn’t help but agree.

“Must have been a great relationship,” Lil muttered.

“I’m so glad I went into foster care.” Jordan rubbed his forehead.

He was wound like a fucking spring, so much so that he flinched when Lil touched his shoulder in a commiserative gesture.

“Sorry.” She dropped her hand, stepped back and he had to stop himself from reaching for her, pulling back to his side where it felt like she should be.

“No, I’m sorry. I’m tense as hell.”

“Understandable.” Lil smoothed the hair away from her cheek with one hand.

The husky note in her voice belied her matter-of-fact delivery. She was as lost with how to deal with, well, them, as he was.

“We’re in a new place, Lil.”

“We are.”

In his mind, this new place didn’t fit either of them very well but it was where they found themselves. “But you can touch me, you know. I’m not going to try to marry you if you do.”

Finally, a smile, albeit grudging. “I’m bad at this.”

Bad or afraid?