Chase slapped his hand on Hunt’s shoulder. “We know that. But we can still poke at you while we do it.”
Hunt wanted to thump his brother in the head, but refrained because it had been too long since things felt like old times between them. And he appreciated that Max and Chase had both dropped everything to come out here to help him today.
“We’ve got serious things to do right now. The fourth team just headed out. We need to get on the move. We’re burning daylight.” He turned to Cyn as she and Shelby approached them.
Cyn had changed clothes since he saw her this morning. She wore a pair of worn denim jeans, a black T-shirt that made him laugh and a pair of hiking boots. She’d tied a fleece jacket around her waist for when thetemps dropped later. She carried her backpack in her hand.
“What’s so funny, Wilde?”
“Is that your search and rescue shirt?”
“Yep.” She gave him his first real smile.
He chuckled again at the picture of a bottle of wine being poured into a glass with the wordsI just rescued some wineover the picture andIt was trapped in a bottlebeneath it.
“It’s so you,” he said, then closed the distance between them and softly asked, “Everything okay with your mom?”
“As expected, she took the news hard. Ed was with her when I left. Maybe he’ll prove he’s useful for something and keep her from going off the deep end. If not, you’ll arrest her for Rad’s murder and we’ll all be happy.” She did something completely unexpected and dropped her forehead onto his chest. “I can’t bear to go back and see her until I find Angela.”
Hunt rubbed his hands over her shoulders and slid his fingers into her hair and held her against his chest just like that. “Then let’s find her together.”
Cyn looked up at him, her eyes filled with sadness. “What if she’s not out here?”
“What did I tell you?”
“That you’d never stop until you found her.”
He held her gaze. “Do you believe me?”
“Yes.”
He kissed her forehead, then looked down at her again. “Good. Let’s go.” He took her hand and led her to the trailer where Shelby and his brothers waited.
“Uh, when did things change between you two?”Shelby pointed from him to Cyn and to their joined hands. “And how come no one told me.”
“Last night,” Hunt admitted.
“It could have happened sooner, but instead of asking me on a date he kept writing me tickets and acting like every jealous girlfriend dumping drinks on me was my fault.”
Hunt stared down at her, shocked. “You’d have actually said yes to a date?”
“You’re a walking sex dream in a uniform.” She gave him a duh look and glanced at Shelby for confirmation that he was stupid for not knowing this.
Chase stepped in, but was no help. “He’s a little slow. Hi. I’m Chase. I’ve heard a lot about you. Sorry about your sister, but Max and I are here to help.”
“Hey, Max,” Cyn said, like they knew each other.
“Hey. We need a rematch soon.”
Cyn smiled. “Any time you want me to beat your ass, I’m in.”
“What?” Hunt looked from one to the other.
Cyn eyed him. “Do you have something you want to ask me before your head explodes with whatever you’re thinking?”
“Did you... with my brother?”
She nodded. “Yes. I played pool with him at the bar and won a hundred and twenty bucks off him over the last year and a half. But I didn’t sleep with him.”