They argued awhile over who had done what most recently--fights picked and fought, laws broken, or at

least dented. It was agreed, after the argument grew heated, that Rafe had the prize, with his race against Joe Dolin's Chevy on route 34.

They hadn't been caught, but word had gotten around. Especially as Rare had won and Joe had slunk off muttering about revenge.

"The guy's a jerk." Rafe blew out smoke. No one disagreed, but Rafe's gaze shifted to where Cassie was busy serving a booth behind them. "What does a sweet little thing like Cassie see in him?"

"If you ask me, she wants out of the house." Jared pushed his plate aside. "Mother would be enough to send anyone looking for the first escape hatch. The woman's a fanatic."

"Maybe she loves him," Devin said quietly.

Rafe's opinion of that was one crude word. "Kid's barely seventeen," he pointed out. "She'll fall in love a dozen times."

"Not everyone has a flexible heart."

"A flexible heart." Sfiane whooped with laughter at the phrase. "It ain't Rafe's heart that flexible; Dev, it's his"

"Shut up, creep," Rafe said mildly as his elbow jammed hard into Shane's ribs. "You up for a beer, Jare?"

"I'm up for it."

Rare leered nastily. "Too bad you two have to stick with soda pop'. I bet Duff has a whole case of the fizzy stuff for you kids."

That, of course, insulted Shane. As it was meant to. Hot words came first, then the jostling. From her station at the counter, Edwina Crump shouted at them to take it outside.

They did, with Devin lagging he hind to pay the tab, On the other side of the window, his brothers pushed and shoved ~eh other, more out of habit than from any real temper. Ignoring them, he smiled over at Cassie.

"Just blowing off steam," he told her, adding a tip that wouldn't embarrass her.

"The sheriff sometim comes by about this time of night." Her voice was barely a whisper of warning.

And so sweet to Devin's ears, he almost Sighed. "I'll go break it up."

He Slid out of the booth. He thought his mother probably knew his feelings. It was impossible to hide anything from her. God knew, they had all tried and failed. He thought he knew what she would say to him.

That he was young yet, and there would he other girls, other women, other loves. She would mean the best by it.

Devin knew that though he wasn't yet he fully an adult, he had a man's heart. And he'd already given it.

He kept that heart out of his eyes, though, because he would hate Cassie's pity. Casually he walked out of ~he diner to break up his brothers. He caught Shane in a headlock, elbowed Rare in the gut, cocked a brow at Jared and suggested amiably that they go play some pool.

Chapter