Ezra was just about to unlock the door of his jag when his cell phone rang. He debated ignoring it for a moment but finally answered it, afraid that it might be Chris or someone else equally important. The instant that he put the phone to his ear, though, he wished that he had simply smashed it instead.

"What, Mother?" He listened for a moment, then sighed in disgust. "No, Mother. I am not going to leave Denver in order to marry some rich socialite. I don't care how much money she or her father have."

Maude's voice was sharp, uncaring of Ezra's feelings. "Darlin', I'm afraid that this is the only way you're going to ever get anywhere. Other than those looks of yours, who knows what anyone could see in you." She didn't give him a chance to answer but simply hung up with a resounding click.

Ezra stared at the phone in his hand for a moment, ashamed at the burn of tears in his eyes. She was right, there was no getting around it. He had been on Team Seven for two years now, and had fallen in love with Vin Tanner almost from the moment that he had met the man. But in that two years, he had never found the courage to reveal his feelings to the sharpshooter. He had no one to blame but himself for the fact that the man had never even looked twice at him.

"Mother's right. Who knows what anyone could possibly see in me." Ezra's voice was only a whisper, but it still carried to the man standing next to the beat-up jeep in the next parking spot.

Vin walked up behind Ezra and put his hands on the smaller man's shoulders. "Ya really wanna know, Ez?"

Ezra stiffened, trying desperately to retain control of his voice and face. "Do I wish to know what, Mr. Tanner?"

"What somebody could see in ya." Vin leaned closer until he was nearly whispering directly in Ezra's ear. "Somebody might see a handsome, intelligent, brave man. But ya wanna know what I see, Ez?"

Ezra found himself leaning back against the Texan's chest and finally decided to give in to his feelings. "What do you see, Vin?"

"I see someone with a heart of gold that he tries too hard ta hide." Vin leaned even closer, barely brushing Ezra's ear with his lips. "I see the man I love with all my heart. And if your ma can't see what I see, then she needs ta get her eyes checked."

Ezra's green eyes were wide as he turned in Vin's arms to face him. "You love me?" When Vin nodded, Ezra closed his eyes and let the tears that had been threatening finally slide down his cheeks. "I didn't think anyone could."

The admission came in an almost inaudible voice, and Vin tightened his arms. He let Ezra hide his face in his shirt, and pressed a kiss to the undercover agent's bowed head. "I can't not love ya, Ez. And I wouldn't want to, either. And no matter how long it takes, you're gonna believe that, too."