Stone Cold Surrender (57 page)

table
to
Stone.
She
was
glad
he
didn’t
lift
his
head
to
look
at
her
because
if
he’d
done
so,
it
would
definitely
have

given
something
away.
After
making
love
in
the
truck
a

second
time,
they
had
continued
on
to
Cedar
Canyon.
They
spread
a
blanket
next
to
the
lake
and
ate
the
delicious

snack
her
mother
had
packed
for
them.
Then
they
had

undressed
and
made
love
again
on
the
blanket
before

going
swimming.
Then
they
had
made
love
several
more

times
before
coming
back
to
the
ranch.
To
say
the
picnic

had
been
nice
was
putting
it
mildly.

After
dinner
the
four
of
them
were
sitting
on
the
porch

listening
to
Corey
talk
about
the
progress
he
and
Stone

were
making
on
the
barn,
when
one
of
the
dogs
barked.

Corey
glanced
in
the
distance
and
saw
riders
approaching.

“Looks
like
we
have
visitors,”
he
said,
standing.
He
used
his
hand
as
a
shield
as
he
squinted
the
brilliance
of
the
evening
sun
from
his
eyes.
A
smile
touched
his
lips
when
he
said,
“It
looks
like
Quade
and
Durango,
and
they
have
two
other
men
with
them.”

Everyone
watched
the
riders
approach.
Madison
blinked

when
she
saw
the
men,
surprised
that
Corey
didn’t

recognize
the
other
two
since
it
was
crystal
clear
all
of
them
were
Westmorelands.
The
four
could
pass
for
brothers.

She
glanced
over
at
Stone,
but
he
was
looking
at
the
other
two
men
intently,
as
well.
The
four
riders
dismounted
and

walked
toward
the
porch.

“Durango,
Quade,
good
seeing
you,”
Corey
said,
grabbing
his
nephews
in
bear
hugs.
He
then
turned
to
the
other
two
men.
“I’m
Corey
Westmoreland
and
welcome
to
Corey’s

Mountain.”
He
then
frowned,
as
if
seeing
them
had
him

confused.
He
stared
at
them
for
a
second.
“Do
I
know
you
two?
Damn,
I
hate
staring,
but
the
two
of
you
look
a
hell
of
a
lot
like
my
nephews
here.”

Quade
Westmoreland
cleared
his
throat.
“There’s
a
reason
for
that
Uncle
Corey.”

Corey
glanced
over
at
Quade
and
lifted
a
brow.
“There
is?”

“Yes,”
Durango
said
quietly.
“I’m
sure
Stone
told
you
that
someone
was
looking
for
you.”

Corey
nodded.
“Yeah,
that’s
what
I
heard.
So
what
has
that
to
do
with
these
two?”

When
everyone
went
silent,
Corey
crossed
his
arms
over
his
chest.
“Okay,
what
the
hell
is
going
on?’’

One
of
the
men,
the
taller
of
the
two,
spoke
up.
“Do
you
remember
a
Carolyn
Roberts?”

Corey’s
arms
dropped
to
his
side.
“Yes,
I
remember
Carolyn.
Why?
What
is
she
to
you?”

The
other
man,
who
was
just
as
tall
as
Corey,
then
spoke.
“She
was
our
mother.”

“Was?”
Corey
asked
softly.

“Yes,
she
died
six
months
ago.”

Corey
shook
his
head
sadly
as
he
remembered
the
woman
he’d
dated
a
full
year
before
they’d
gone
their
separate

ways,
never
to
see
each
other
again.
“I’m
sorry
to
hear
that
and
you
have
my
condolences.
Your
mother
was
a
good

woman.”

“And
she
told
us
just
moments
before
she
died
that
you
were
a
good
man,”
the
taller
of
the
two
said.

Corey
sighed
deeply.
“I
appreciate
her
thinking
that
way.”

“That’s
not
all
Mrs.
Roberts
told
them,
Uncle
Corey.
I
think
you
need
to
hear
the
rest
of
it,”
Quade
Westmoreland
said.

After
glancing
over
at
his
nephew,
Corey
turned
to
the
men.
“All
right.
What
else
did
she
tell
you?”

The
two
men
looked
from
one
to
the
other
before
the
taller
answered.
“She
also
told
us
that
we
were
your
sons.”

It
was
evident
that
the
two
men’s
statement
had
shaken
Corey,
Madison
thought.
But
then
all
you
had
to
do
was
to
look
at
the
other
three
Westmoreland
nephews
to
know

their
claim
was
true.
Quade
was
a
good-looking
man
and
reminded
her
a
lot
of
Stone.
He
was
quiet
and
didn’t
say

much,
but
when
he
spoke
people
listened.
And
there
was
a
dangerous
look
about
him
like
he
enjoyed
living
on
the

edge
and
wouldn’t
hesitate
to
take
anything
into
his
own

hands
if
the
need
arose.
Then
there
were
the
other
two

men,
who
until
a
few
minutes
ago
were
virtual
strangers.

The
only
names
they’d
given
were
their
first
ones,
Clint
and
Cole.
They
said
they
would
explain
everything
once
they

were
seated
at
the
table
where
they
could
talk.

Now
it
seemed
everyone
was
ready.
Her
mother,
being
the
ever-gracious
and
proper
hostess,
had
made
coffee
and
served
Danishes
when
the
men
declined
dinner.
Abby
was
now
seated
beside
Corey
and,
understanding
her
mother’s
presence
but
thinking
this
was
a
family
matter
and
her

presence
wasn’t
warranted,
Madison
was
about
to
leave
to
go
to
her
room
when
Stone
grabbed
her
arm
and
almost

tugged
her
down
in
his
lap.
“Stay,”
he
said
so
close
to
her
lips
she
thought
he
was
going
to
kiss
her.

She
glanced
over
at
his
cousin
Quade
who
smiled

mysteriously.
She
looked
at
Stone
and
nodded,
“All
right,”
and
sat
down
in
the
chair
beside
him.

“Now,
will
the
two
of
you
start
from
the
beginning?”
Corey
Westmoreland
asked
Clint
and
Cole.

Clint,
the
taller
of
the
two
men
began
speaking.
“Twenty-