The guys chuckled, and Red pointed at Jace. “And you, Mr. Stone, have nothing on Diesel. How long did you wait to get together with my daughter? A lifetime is my recollection.”

“Too damn long is right, Red,” Jace agreed.

“Don’t mind them, Diesel. I’ve always known your heart was as big as the sky. I’ve known you since you were a boy, when Biggs and I would head out to Colorado to see Tiny, and you and your mama would come around for Friendsgivings or whatever was going on. You watched out for her even when you were too young to do a darn thing. You love hard, sweetheart, and your mama was so very proud of you. I have no doubt you would’ve given your life to save her if you could have. That’s one reason I chose you to watch over Tracey when she started working for us.”

“Was there another reason?” Diesel asked.

“Yes, there was. When you made your way here after your mama died, you’d changed. You’d lost a big piece of yourself, and rightly so. Every time after that, when you’d ride into town, I’d pray you’d found peace. Then I’d see you, and that emptiness was still there. But when Tracey came into the bar, that spark in your eyes reappeared as big and bright as when you were younger, like magic.”

“It’s called a boner,” Bullet said under his breath.

The guys chuckled, but Diesel was stuck on the things she’d said. He’d had no idea that anyone other than his mother had noticed the things he’d done as a boy.

Red silenced the guys with a stern look. “I raised three boys and a feisty girl. I’m well aware that physical attraction was part of it, but it wasn’t all of it. No sir.” She turned her attention back to Diesel as Bear and Bones joined them. “I thought you and Tracey might need each other. You two aren’t as different as everyone thinks.”

“Has Mom had too much to drink?” Bear asked.

“No, I have not,” Red said, without taking her eyes off Diesel. “You had both suffered devastating losses. They weren’t the same, but they had a similar impact, making you both put up walls to protect yourselves from getting hurt. You were a lone wolf, and she was a bird trying to find her nest.”

“Okay, I take it back,” Bear said. “You’re making sense.”

“Trace is more like an owl,” Diesel said evenly. “She’s much too wise for a bird.”

“Wait a second, Red.” Jed looked between her and Diesel. “Are you saying you were trying to hook them up?”