by Dylann Crush
“What about Mom and Dad?”
“What did you tell them before?”
“I told them we had a fight. That you said as long as I was here, you wouldn’t set foot in the state of Texas again.”
“And they believed you?” Colin asked.
“Unlike you, I haven’t spent my whole life lying to them, so I guess they figured I meant what I said.”
“I didn’t mean for it to turn out this way.” Colin’s head hung low.
Jasper had no doubt his brother meant it, at least for the moment. But what would he do when Bodie showed up, ready to take a statement? “If you’re serious about me calling Deputy Phillips, I’ll do it.”
Colin glanced up and ran a hand over his face. “Can we do it tomorrow? I haven’t slept in two days. Let me catch some shut-eye, then we’ll call him when I wake up?”
“Give me your boots.”
“What?” Colin squinted at him.
“I can’t take the risk that you’re going to wake up and bolt out of here.” Jasper didn’t know much about how his brother had been spending his time over the past few years. But if he knew anything about him, he knew there was no way Colin would leave his handmade, custom boots behind, no matter what kind of trouble he was in.
“You’re an ass,” Colin said, already pulling a boot from his foot. “Can I crash here for a bit?”
“Sure. But I don’t want Mom or Dad to know you’re back, not until you talk to Bodie and figure out what’s going to happen.”
“That’s fair.” Colin leaned over and set his boots next to Jasper’s chair. “How’s everyone been?”
“All right. Twister took out most of the orchard in August. We’re trying to rebuild. Might focus on turning the barn into an event center while we replant.” It was no use reminding his brother if he’d made different choices, he’d know how things were because he’d be part of making decisions.
“Dad’s heart doing okay?”
“Yep. Mom’s still forcing him to eat more greens and less red meat.”
“I bet that’s going over well.”
For half a second, the brothers shared a laugh. Reminded Jasper of the good ol’ days, when the two of them used to shoot the shit over a beer or two every now and then. But that was before . . . before Colin had torn the whole family apart.
“You can take the bedroom. I’ve got to get up early anyway.” Jasper drained his coffee and set the cup in the sink. Then he reached down and picked up Colin’s boots. “You don’t mind if I keep these close, do you?”
“Suit yourself.” Colin stood, a little unsteady on his feet. Looked like he couldn’t keep his eyes open. “Thanks, bro.”
Jasper took one last look at the older brother he used to idolize as Colin shuffled past him on the way to the bedroom. When they were younger, Jasper didn’t just think Colin hung the moon, he thought he’d hung all the stars in the sky as well. It was hard to watch someone he admired take a bad turn. But here they were. And it was up to Colin to figure out which direction he wanted to take from there.
That’s what would matter.
fourteen
Jasper finished up his early morning chores around the barn and was eager to set eyes on Delilah. After Colin had crashed, Jasper had lain awake for hours, trying to convince himself the time they’d spent stargazing in the back of his truck hadn’t just been a dream.
As he entered his mom’s big country kitchen, he caught sight of Delilah sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter. She cupped her chin in her hand and had a cup of coffee sitting in front of her while she chatted with his mom.
“Good morning.” He wanted to greet her with a hot-blooded kiss. But seeing as how he didn’t know if she had any regrets in the bright light of day, he grabbed a mug of coffee and slid onto the stool next to her.
“If you say so.” She turned to face him, and he realized she hadn’t been resting her chin in her hands but had been holding a bag of frozen sweet peas to her cheek.
“What happened?” He swiveled to face her, his hands reaching for her face.
“I got in a fight with your goat.”
“Tie Dye?” He’d never known the goat to be aggressive. He also had no idea when she would have found the time between when he dropped her off at the house and now to be in the goat’s presence. “When did that happen?”
“Last night. My mother called and I stepped onto the porch, so I didn’t disturb anyone. Tie Dye came up and I figured he got out of his pen, so I thought I’d be helpful and take him back.” She pulled the peas away from her cheek. “He caught me with his foot when the gate clanged shut.”
Jasper felt like someone had run him over with a combine. The shiner Delilah sported on her right eye rivaled several of the ones he’d earned from fistfights over the years. “Are you okay?”
She managed a shaky smile. “As long as you don’t need any photo ops in the near future.”
“I’m so sorry. Mom, isn’t there something we can do? Do you have any rib eyes in the freezer?”
His mother shook her head as she prepped something to toss into the slow cooker for dinner. “Ice is the best thing.”
“I’ll be fine.” Delilah put the peas back on her cheek. “I’ve never had an actual black eye before. I suppose it’s like a rite of passage for some, isn’t it?”
“With seven boys, it’s more like a way of life.” Mom slid a plate of toast in front of Delilah. “Here you go, sugar.”
“Thank you.” Delilah took a sip of coffee. “Please tell me we don’t have any appearances today. I don’t know if they’d take too well to me showing up with a black eye.”
“I’ll move some things around. You sure you’re okay?” He wanted to do something, anything, to help. But she shook her head and took a bite of toast.
“This is fabulous, Mrs. Taylor. Did you make the jelly yourself?”
His mom’s face shone with pride. “Homemade preserves. They won first place at the Fall Festival last year. You’re going to enjoy all of the festivities. Don’t you think so, Jasper?”
“Yeah, you sure will.” The Fall Festival. That reminded him, he needed to call Lacey and see what she thought about the ideas he’d talked about with his brothers. But first, maybe he could switch up Delilah’s schedule and send her out to Zina’s for the day.
“I can’t wait,” Delilah said.
“Do you mind if I step out and make a few calls?”
Delilah waved a hand, her mouth full of another bite of his mom’s homemade preserves.
He slid his phone out of his back pocket and pulled up Zina’s number. If Delilah went out to tour the dog rescue, it would give him some time to help his dad work on the orchard. Seemed like they’d never get all of the trees cleaned up from the storm.
When he returned to the kitchen, his mom had gone upstairs. “It’s all set. Zina’s expecting you after lunch.”
“Great. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of place she has out there.”
He sat down next to her. “I’m really sorry about your eye.”
“It’s fine.”
“I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better.”
She tilted her head. “There might be one thing I can think of.”
“What’s that?” He took her hands.
“Maybe if you kissed it . . .”
He didn’t need any more encouragement than that. After a quick glance around to make sure they wouldn’t get caught, he pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. “Is that better?”
“Mmm. Not quite yet.”
“Let me try again.” He kissed her lips next, a perfectly polite peck that quickly turned into more.
The front door opened, and they broke apart. “Jasper, are you coming?”
“Be there in a minute,” he yelled. “That’s Mitchell. They’re waiting on me to come
help in the orchard.”
“You should go then.” She nodded but the look in her eyes made him think she didn’t mean it.
“Will you be okay until lunchtime?” He didn’t want to leave her there, but he also didn’t want her tramping around in the orchard with him and the guys.
“I’ll be fine. I offered to help your mom with some stuff in the kitchen.” She put her hands on his shoulders and gave him one more kiss. “I’m a big girl. You know I can take care of myself.”
“Yeah. I get that. But I’d much rather you let me do it.” He left before he gave in to temptation, already looking forward to the next time he’d see her.
* * *
* * *
Finally, as Jasper was about to take a break to satisfy the rumbling of his empty stomach, Dad called for a rest. Mom was headed down the path from the house to the orchard, her arms full of whatever she’d made for lunch. Buster raced ahead of her, his tail wagging, his head bounding above the long grass that framed the path on either side. Jasper reached down to pet him, causing Buster’s tail to wag at a frenzied pace. Then he looked up, his gaze catching on Delilah.
She had her hair piled on top of her head and wore a curve-hugging T-shirt and a pair of jeans that could have been painted on. His stomach clenched, then rolled, then gave way to a warmth that radiated out from his core.
“We brought lunch.” Mom held the big picnic basket in her hands.
His brothers abandoned their tasks, drawn by the smell of barbecued chicken and fresh-baked biscuits. Delilah held a bowl of salad. He walked over, hyperaware of the smile on her face, feeling pretty damn proud of himself for being the one who’d put it there.
“Hey.” He sidled up next to her, not trusting himself not to touch her.
“Hey, yourself.” She set the bowl down on a table his dad had set up. “Hungry for some lunch?”
“More like hungry for you,” he mumbled close to her ear, low enough that only she could hear him.
“Looks like y’all made some good progress.” Mom finished setting out the lunch spread.
“We sure did.” Dad went to stand next to her. “I think we might finish up this week or next.”
While his family filled their plates and talked about all of the things still left to do, Jasper grabbed Delilah’s hand. “Come with me?”
She nodded, taking his hand and letting him lead her down the path and closer to the creek. He needed to get her alone, away from the prying eyes of his brothers. He needed to get a taste of her, pull her against him, and let her kiss away the worries he couldn’t talk about yet.
Not even to her.
* * *
* * *
“You’d better get back up there and eat something if you want to keep your strength up for this afternoon.” Delilah pressed another kiss against Jasper’s lips. They’d been making out down by the creek for the past twenty minutes. Surely his dad would send one of his brothers to look for them if they didn’t join the others soon.
“I don’t need food. All I need is fresh air, sunshine, and you.” He gave her another smile before capturing her mouth with his again.
She wasn’t ready to admit it, but she felt the exact same way. Last night had been amazing. Something in her had shifted, like he’d connected with a part of herself she hadn’t known about. With Jasper’s encouragement, she felt like she could do anything, be everything she dreamed about. He made her a better person. And they’d only spent one night together. The best was yet to come.
“I don’t think you’ll be able to survive on only air, sunshine, and me.” She smiled against his mouth.
It didn’t stop him from continuing to kiss her, his lips landing on her cheek, her nose, her forehead. “You’re such a downer.”
“Me? I’m the downer?” She laughed as she pushed to her feet. “Come on, you’ve got work to do and I’m supposed to tour the dog rescue.”
“You’ll have a good time with Zina.” He stood, then stepping in front of her, he lowered his nose to lightly tap against hers. “You want to have dinner together tonight?”
“Did you buy groceries? Can I cook at your place?”
He took a step back. “No, I haven’t had a chance to do that yet. How about I take you out for those amazing cheese enchiladas instead?”
“Or”—she turned around and pulled his arms around her—“we can go to the store, then head back to your place. Dinner and dessert?”
“I don’t think I’ll be done in time tonight. But we can grab whatever you need from the store tomorrow. Sound good?” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, then slid his arms away from her grasp. “We’d better get back before they come looking for us.”
“Okay.” She brushed off the bottom of her jeans, a little confused by his reaction. Last night he seemed like he’d been into her. Like totally into her. Had she misread the signals? Was she trying too hard? Things had been so easy between them. Maybe they’d been too easy. She followed him back to where the others had finished lunch and had already begun working again.
“There you are.” Mrs. Taylor gestured toward the empty bowl of salad. “I don’t know what you put in that salad, but I’m going to need the recipe for the dressing. I’ve never seen my boys eat so many vegetables so quickly.”
Delilah summoned a smile. “I’ll be happy to jot it down for you when we get back to the house.”
She helped Mrs. Taylor clear the dishes and repack the basket. Before she turned to head back, she scanned the area for Jasper. He must have moved to a different section of the orchard. Disappointed she wasn’t going to get a chance to say good-bye, she filled her arms with dishes and set off for the house.
After she’d helped Mrs. Taylor clean up the kitchen, she grabbed the directions Jasper had drawn out for her and headed for the bright pink truck. She’d spent so much time with Jasper since she’d been in town. Getting out on her own for a bit would be good for her. At least that’s what she told herself the whole way to For Pitties’ Sake.
Zina must have heard her coming up the drive. Several dogs occupied the outdoor kennel runs and they greeted her as she climbed down from the truck.
“Hi, I’m glad you could make it this afternoon.” Zina held her arms open. “What happened to your eye?”
“Just a late-night run-in with a crazy goat.” Delilah gave her a hug, then stepped back to check out the building and surrounding area. A single-story house sat a few hundred yards away. But the shelter occupied its own building. Dozens of chain-link dog kennels protruded from the side of the building. “Thanks for the invitation. This is a great space.”
“Thanks to Alex and his dad. Let me show you inside first. Maybe these dogs will quiet down a bit if we head inside.” Zina opened the door and held it while Delilah stepped into the space. “It’s not much, but it’s everything we need, and at least it’s not falling apart around me.”
Delilah lifted her brows. “Does that happen a lot around here? Buildings falling down?”
“No.” Zina let out a laugh. “But that’s kind of how Alex and I met. He tried to check a leak on the roof of my old building and ended up falling through. The whole building was condemned, but it all worked out.”
“How?”
“What’s that?” Zina tilted her head.
“How did it work out after he had your building condemned?” Didn’t sound like the start to a perfect relationship.
“Oh, well, it’s a long story. We ended up having to move the dog rescue into the wedding warehouse for a bit. But then Alex was training penguins for that winter wonderland wedding, and—”
“Penguins? Real penguins?”
“That’s right. Lacey will go to any and all lengths to make sure the brides who book their weddings in Ido get the wedding of their dreams.” Zina rolled her eyes. “It can get to be a bit much. I’m assuming you’ve heard about the upcoming
butterfly wedding?”
Delilah smiled. “Yes, Lacey mentioned it’s coming up soon.”
“She’s good at what she does though, and she’s single-handedly saving the town.” Zina clucked her tongue. “Don’t tell her what I said. She told me to be nice today.”
“The two of you seem like you’re pretty close.” Delilah wondered what it would be like to have a close female friend. The closest thing she had was Stella, who didn’t really count. Monique had been a good friend, although she was more of a mentor. Not the kind of friend Delilah would call if she wanted to whine about her love life.
“We’ve been friends since junior high. No matter how crazy things get around here, I’ve got her back and she’s got mine.” Zina pointed to a door. “You want to tour the offices before we go back to meet the dogs?”
“That would be great.”
“We’ve got a training session going on, but we can peek in on them.” Zina led the way and Delilah followed. “Since we moved the rescue out here, we’ve been able to add some additional services. Alex’s grandpa’s been volunteering with a program that works with veterans to pair them with service dogs.”
“That’s fabulous.” Delilah peered through the window into a large area with a concrete floor. A half dozen dogs worked one-on-one with their handlers.
“It really is. It’s a win-win. So many of our dogs are abandoned or surrendered. We’ve found a lot of our service members feel the same way. Seeing them build a bond with each other is an amazing thing.” Zina motioned for Delilah to move on. “We’ve even done some work with kids from the community.”
“Oh? What kind of work?” Delilah was always looking for ideas on how to further her platform.
Zina peeked through the window of the door to their right. “Good. One of our trainers is here. I’ll introduce you.”
Delilah followed her into a medium-sized room where a man sat at a desk, his pen flying over the page in front of him.
“Hey, Zeb, got a sec?” A dog lying at the man’s feet lifted his head.