“Wow! Congratulations!” he said with genuine pleasure. “Then, how about telling us how to get to where you are? Because we’ve got some new tales to share!”

“That’s a deal!” she replied.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

VIC CAME DOWNSTAIRS rubbing his hands and grinning.

Mina’s face lit up. “Don’t tell me. It worked!”

“It worked,” he laughed. “You little doll, it worked! She said she’d do anything to meet you. Including discussing a second chance for our marriage.”

“Oh, I’m so glad,” she said on a sigh.

“So am I. Thanks,” he added warmly.

“You’re very welcome. Now I need a favor.” She grimaced. “You may not like it.”

His eyebrows arched. “Ask me.”

“You know the commando group I hang out with, the ones I was just in Nicaragua with?”

He nodded.

“Well, obviously, I can’t go crawling through jungles pregnant, but I need some insight into drug smuggling for the book I’m working on, and the guys have done interdiction in other countries…”

“And they want to come talk to you,” he guessed. He laughed at her expression. “Tell them to come on. But wait until Sandra gets here.” He rolled his eyes. “She’ll go crazy when she knows they’ll be here. She used to hang out with narcs and mercenaries and former mob members…”

“You’re kidding!” Mina exclaimed gleefully.

“I’m not. You’ll understand when you meet her.”

“When is she coming?” Mina asked.

“Day after tomorrow.”

“So I’ll text Ry and tell him to come with the guys day after tomorrow,” she promised. “It’s going to be so much fun!”

He shook his head. “What a change you’ve made here already.”

She smiled. “Thanks. I love Latigo. I’m going to be very happy here.”

TWO DAYS LATER, Vic walked in the door with his wife, Sandra, fresh from the airport in El Paso. She wasn’t at all what Mina expected. Sandra was little and wiry with amber eyes and brown hair and a smile that would stop traffic.

“Willow Shane, and I actually get to talk to you,” she exclaimed as she hugged Mina. “I couldn’t believe it when Vic told me! And you have a commando group for research. I thought I’d die of happiness!”

“I’m so happy to meet you. He—” she indicated Vic “—was very sad without you.”

She turned her eyes on her husband and pursed her lips. “Yes, well, we have a few things to work out.”

“A couple back home had those issues and they went to a psychologist,” Mina said gently.

Vic sighed. “I’d go to a psychologist today if Sandra would give me another chance.”

“You would?” Sandra exclaimed. “Honest?”

He nodded. He shrugged. “I guess I have more issues than I realized.” He glanced at Mina and smiled. “I seem to have lucked out on daughters-in-law however. She’s a wonder.”

“She’s my favorite author,” Sandra replied. She took off her denim jacket. “I have about a thousand questions…oh dear…” Her voice trailed off when she saw Mina’s face.

“Sorry!” Mina jumped up and ran to the bathroom in time to lose her lunch. She cleaned herself up and came back out with a wet washcloth, bathing her face on the way.