by Lori Foster
She wanted to see him again, damn it.
All morning she’d been waiting, hoping he’d call. She made it until her lunch break and then gave up and called him instead. Screw waiting. She was an accomplished woman with a mind of her own and—
“Hello?”
She froze, then squeaked, “Hi.”
Tension-filled seconds ticked by before he said, “Lexie?”
“Yes.” Rolling her shoulders, she tried again. “How are you?”
“The same as I was yesterday.”
What the heck did that mean? “We got interrupted yesterday.”
“How’s Honor?”
Changing the subject? Lexie held out the phone, stared at it and then put it back to her ear. She loved Honor, but that wasn’t why she called and he knew it. “I haven’t talked to her yet today.”
“Huh. With you two being friends, I just assumed...”
Condescending much? Her back went straight. “She was pretty psyched about going out with Jason, so I’m giving her space this morning. She’ll call me when she’s ready.”
“I hope the break-in didn’t shake her up too much.”
“She’s dealt with a lot worse, believe me.”
“Really? How’s that?”
Knowing she’d just said too much, Lexie clamped her lips together. Honor would kill her if she blabbed about her situation, so she did her own quick shift in topic. “Listen, I had a great time with you. Really great. But the evening definitely got cut short.”
Silence.
“I thought maybe we could get together again.” For once in her life she struggled to sound careless. “My place? I’m free tonight.”
Another long hesitation made her chest tight.
Finally he said, “Thanks, but I’m going to be slammed for a while. Work. This is a busy time.”
Too busy for sex? “Bummer,” she said, knowing it sounded flippant. “Guess I’ll just see you around Honor’s house, then.” Before he could even try to dispute that, she disconnected. “Jerk.”
Refusing to mope, Lexie put all her attention into her work...and by the end of the day she’d come up with a plan.
Sullivan could run, but he couldn’t hide—because she knew where he lived and where he worked. She was relishing the deviousness of her plan when her cell rang.
For one heart-stopping moment she hoped it was Sullivan calling back to apologize and explain.
She wasn’t all that disappointed to see that it was Honor instead. Really. She loved Honor, so she answered with “Hey, girl, tell me all the juicy details.”
“I need you, Lex.”
Hearing that broken voice, Lexie grabbed up her purse and headed for the door. She wouldn’t officially be off work for another twenty minutes, but that didn’t slow her down. “I’m on my way. Home or facility?”
“My house.”
Knowing that could only mean one thing, Lexie’s heart broke. “Hang on, honey. I’ll be there quick as I can.”
* * *
The entire day had slid away and still no sign of Honor. Jason waffled between annoyance, worry, fury and insult.
She’d wrung him out with sex, slept tangled with him...then left him without a word.
He honestly didn’t know what the fuck to feel or think.
In a bear of a mood, he’d plowed through a job in record time, building an entire doghouse from floor to finished roof in just a few hours. With that done, he started on shutters for Honor’s house. He made two sets for the windows at the front of her house, but wouldn’t make the rest until she approved the design. Still with too much pent-up, annoyed energy, he scrubbed out the garage, washed his trucks and then...just stewed.
It was damn near time for dinner when she finally got home.
This time he heard her car and immediately went to the window to look out.
Without once glancing toward his house, she got out of her car with her head down, her arms hugged around herself, her posture...defeated. She made a beeline for her front door, almost as if escaping.
Hogan, who’d been doing the laundry in the basement, paused beside him. “I thought you were past the stage of suffering in silence.”
After Honor went into her house and closed the door, Jason turned to his brother. “I’m trying to give her some room, so shut up.”
“Damn,” Hogan breathed, his mockery changing to concern. “What the hell happened to you? You look like the Grim Reaper, if he got his ass kicked.”
“Yeah, feel like it, too.” Jason eyed his older brother, a man he respected despite the current circumstances, and he gave it up. He needed to talk and he couldn’t think of anyone better to listen. “She walked out on me.”
“Who?”
“Honor.”
Confused, Hogan crossed his arms and frowned. “When was this? You didn’t come home last night, so I assumed—”
“This morning.” Feeling like a jackass, Jason admitted, “I woke up alone.”
“In her bed?”
Jason glared. It sounded even worse coming from his brother’s mouth.
“Whoa.” Hogan dropped his arms. “Okay, so...you said something to piss her off?”
“No.” He shifted his tensed shoulders and, forgoing details, summarized the evening in three short words. “Things were amazing.” And if Hogan didn’t understand that, he’d—
“Since she just got home, have you considered asking her about it?”
“I told you, I’m trying to give her some room.”
Hogan raked him with a disbelieving look. “Who needs the room? Her...or you?”
Discomfort prickled the back of Jason’s neck. “I like her.”
“News flash—everyone already figured that out.”
Right. “The thing is... I more than like her.”
Hogan’s brows went up. “Yeah? How much more?”
“Around her I feel... I don’t know. Territorial. All the damn time. She’s modest and still I want to keep other guys—even Sullivan—away from her.” He didn’t add that much of his tension came from not knowing where she went or why.
“You’re a civilized guy, Jason. You know how to behave.”
Of course he did. And he respected women too much to ever get pushy. But that wasn’t the point. “I don’t like feeling this way.”
Grinning, Hogan clapped him on the shoulder. “I really don’t see the problem. So you’re falling for her? That’s terrific. God knows she’s close enough for convenience.”
“Don’t be an ass.”
“She’s also cute, has a great attitude and sweet personality.”
All true. And if that wasn’t enough, she was also scorching hot in bed.
At least with him.
He paced away two short steps, then stomped back. “I haven’t known her long enough to feel like this.”
“How long is long enough?”
“No idea.” Jason stared out the window toward Honor’s house. He saw nothing. A day of tormented thoughts made his voice shallow. “What does it take to really know a woman?”
Hogan hesitated before asking, “What does that mean?”
Jason didn’t want to say it aloud, and in the end, he didn’t have to.
“You’re talking about Meg.”
Of course he was. Hogan’s wife had always seemed one way—and turned out to be entirely different. Jason kept his focus on Honor’s porch.
That’s why he didn’t see the shove coming.
He staggered, then glared at his brother. “What the hell!”
Hogan pointed at him. “Do not let my example scare you away.”
“Why not? It’s one hell of an example.”
Usually Hogan went out of his way to deny his pain. This time, he let Jason see it.
“Shit.” Feeling like a complete bastard, Jason said, “I didn’t mean—”
“You did, and it’s okay.” Hogan dropped back to rest against the wall with a weary sigh. “Truth is, I never, not once, doubted her.”
�
�We all thought we knew Meg.”
Hogan just nodded. “Having her affairs thrown in my face demolished me. And before I could even begin to forgive her for that...” His mouth flattened.
Jason doubted his brother ever could have truly forgiven her—but that didn’t mean he’d wanted her dead. Taking up space on the wall next to his brother, Jason let their shoulders touch.
“Short of something happening with Colt, I can’t imagine a situation more devastating.”
Jason had no idea what to say.
“You know, one reason it hit so hard is because I loved the whole home-and-hearth gig. Honestly? Being a bachelor sucks.” Hogan slanted him a look. “Relying on you sucks even more.”
Guilt burned through Jason. Had his brother felt his impatience with the whole situation? “Hogan...”
He smiled. “No, Jason, it’s not you. It’s me, one hundred percent. But eventually I’ll work it out, I swear.”
“I don’t have a doubt.” Willing Hogan to believe it, he said, “Until then, know that I’m glad to have you and Colt here.”
“Thanks.” For a moment they both stayed silent, and then Hogan turned, leaning on one shoulder now so he could face Jason. “This is odd, but nice.”
“What’s that?”
“The old familiar dynamic. Me getting to be the big brother again. I figured I’d lost that along with everything else.”
“Not a chance.”
After a fleeting smile, Hogan said, “The thing is, I knew Meg for a hell of a long time, and in the end it didn’t matter. But remember Mom telling us how she fell in love with Dad overnight?”
“Yeah.” Their mom had been a true romantic. “She always said it only took one date for her to know Dad was the one.”
“They were together until the day she died, and I think one reason Dad moved is that he still loves her. Being here, where everything is so familiar, is just unbearable for him.”
Maybe Hogan better understood all that, because he’d felt the same in his old hometown. Had it been a blessing for him, leaving behind the memories he and Meg had built together?
If so, Jason was doubly grateful he could help out.
Hogan clasped his shoulder. “As your big brother, I’m telling you not to blow it. If you think she could be the one, you need to work it out.”
When Lexie pulled into Honor’s driveway in a rush, they both turned to watch.
She jumped out of her car and jogged up the walk to the front door, which had already opened.
Jason gave up being circumspect.
He wanted Honor. He wanted to care for her.
She needed to know that.
“Go,” Hogan told him.
But Jason was already on his way.
8
LEXIE HUGGED HER FIRST, then pressed her back to search her face. “What’s happened?”
Choking on her hurt, Honor dragged Lexie in and to the sofa so they could both sit. She’d been up for too many hours now, hadn’t eaten and honestly didn’t know what to do. “Grandpa took a turn for the worse. He’s fading right before my eyes and I know this is it.”
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.” Lexie rightfully looked confused as she tried to understand. “You could have called me while you were at the facility.”
Honor shook her head, twisted the tissue in her hand and admitted in a rasp, “They threw me out.”
Going stiff, Lexie growled, “Who did? Those creeps you call family? Did someone leave the zoo cages open?”
For once, Honor didn’t have the energy to chastise her on the insult. “Yes. They...questioned my motives.”
Fuming, Lexie shot to her feet. “Those bitches. You,” she raged, her finger jabbing toward Honor, “are the only one who has cared for him. Sometimes day and night. You’ve been his caretaker since the dementia got bad. They’ve relegated everything to you, and now they want to accuse you of being a user? The nerve!”
Disregarding the defensive anger, Honor shoved her hair back and sighed. “I need to be with him, Lex.” More tears blinded her, and her heart felt literally crushed. “I’m the only one he recognizes and they won’t let me in!”
“What can I do?” In proactive mode, Lexie grabbed her hands. “Can we go and talk to the administrator?”
“I don’t know.” She fought from sniffling. “I tried to say that, I really did. But it surprised me when they showed up, they so rarely visit him. I guess the facility called them, too.”
“Dumb move.”
“Lex.” She couldn’t let that one pass. “They’ve been so good to him there.”
“Sure, but they know how the relatives are.”
“If they didn’t, they do now.” Remembering left Honor crushed. “Things got so ugly so fast I didn’t know what to do except leave. I needed to think.”
“You needed me,” Lexie said. “Your real family. And believe me, hon, I will happily battle all of them for you.”
God love her. Honor laughed around fresh tears. For so long now, Lexie had been there for her. And luckily the burden of it hadn’t chased her away. “I want to go back. I guess...” It was a terrible admission, but she gave it anyway. “I just needed someone to reassure me.”
A new voice intruded. “I wouldn’t mind helping with that.”
Appalled, Honor jerked back and found Jason standing in the open doorway. Panic tried to blossom from deep inside her. Things were bad enough, hurtful enough. She couldn’t take having him see like her this. She wanted, needed, for Jason to know she was a self-sufficient person, that he’d never have to take care of her because she could take care of herself.
Allowing Lexie to know her weaknesses was not at all the same. Lexie had known the real her for a very long time.
Quickly swiping the tears off her blotchy cheeks and hoping to swallow the lump of heartache, Honor struggled to get herself together.
Didn’t work. As Jason stood there, watching her with an inscrutable familiarity, more tears welled up and that damn heartache wasn’t budging. Oh God. She curled in on herself, disgusted with her own pathetic weakness.
“You need to leave,” Lexie ordered him.
Very simply, without animus, Jason said, “No.” And stepped farther into the room.
Understanding Honor’s embarrassment better than anyone else could, Lexie jumped into his path. “This isn’t the time, Jason. Honor detests pity and—”
“I don’t pity her.” Jason pressed forward despite Lexie’s attempts to block him. “I respect and admire her.”
What? Honor blinked fast and bit her bottom lip to still the trembling.
“Good or bad,” Jason said softly, “family is family. You deal with it, always.”
“How long were you listening?” Honor asked.
“Long enough to understand.”
“Hmm,” Lexie said, looking back and forth between them as if to gauge each reaction. “Yeah, I think I’ll just...” She sidled out of the way.
Honor gulped down her emotions and she, too, stood. “I was going to call you later.”
Jason said nothing; he only watched her.
Humiliation tried to level her. “I’m such a mess.”
An indulgent smile touched his mouth while his dark eyes held her captive. “I keep telling you, honey, our descriptions on that don’t match.” Cupping her face, he used his thumbs to remove the tracks of tears, then kissed her forehead. “You’re always beautiful.”
Lexie sighed. “This is a regular Hallmark moment. I’m positively melting.”
Honor laughed again, albeit shakily. Her crazy friend.
“Better,” Lexie said. “Now, how about you freshen up and we’ll all go tackle the angry mob?”
No, no, no. She couldn’t let this happen. The last thing she wanted was to impose on Jason. He and his brother and nephew had already done so much for her. Too much. Involving him in this would completely cross the line. “I’m fine now, I promise.” Somehow she’d make it true. “Neither of you needs to go with me.”
Honor didn’t know what to say or do. In her battered heart, a bubble of hope floated. But fear tamped it down because, damn it, she knew better than to lean on anyone. “We talked about this,” she said. “My independence is important to me.”
“Everything between us is different now.”
Lexie whispered, “Whoa. Does that mean what I think it means?”
“It’s a long story,” Honor said.
“No,” Jason corrected. “It’s a short story. We’re involved.” Cutting off her chance for denial, he added, “I’m not trying to take over. I understand why you want to do things on your own.”
She was pretty sure he didn’t.
“But not this, Honor. Not now. You can’t go from being with me last night to telling me to back off today.”
No, she probably shouldn’t.
“Last night mattered,” he insisted.
“Yes.” To her, it mattered a whole lot more than he realized. “But it doesn’t mean you have to take over my life for me.”
An unreadable emotion darkened his eyes. “Caring isn’t the same as taking over. You want to continue struggling on your own, fine. I’ll respect that. But this is different.”
“This,” she agreed, “is a very personal problem.” It was the kind of problem people hated the most. Superficial stuff could be easily dealt with. But the personal baggage was more bothersome.
Jason said, “We now have a personal relationship.”
That stymied her, but only for a moment. “I could be at the facility all night. Maybe longer.” Needing him to understand, hopeful of salvaging what they’d started, she said, “This isn’t something you want to be dragged into.”
“Pretty sure you don’t have a clue what I want.”
Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. Desperate, she looked at Lexie and whispered, “I don’t know how to do this.”
Lexie stepped forward with encouragement. “I know, honey. But we’ve been working on that, right?”
She knew Jason didn’t understand. He stood there, the epitome of patience while also ready to impose his will. Honor closed her eyes and tried to make sense of it all.