And Then You Kiss (Crested Butte Cowboys Series Book 3) (25 page)

“Yes. So you understand now why I never want to hear my brother’s name again. Ever.”

“Oh Tucker. I’m so sorry.”

“Me too.”

“You didn’t have any idea?”

“None whatsoever. I was blindsided.”

“He told you? Outright?”

“No, not exactly. We were talking about how I felt then. I told him I wasn’t sure whether I ever loved Rosa. I was try
ing to sort through my feelings. I buried them for so long, when they came to the surface I wondered if I’d made more of it back then than it was.”

“What did Jace say?”

“He said he couldn’t tell. When I asked him if he remembered, he said he couldn’t tell whether I loved her or not, because he couldn’t differentiate his feelings from mine. That’s when I figured it out. It all came together. It was him. That’s why Rosa’s brother said we looked alike. He was playing with me, trying to bait me. Because we did look alike, exactly alike.”

“Why didn’t he tell you?”

“Because he’s a bastard, that’s why. You accused me once of playing games with you. In fact, I think you accused me of that more than once. It was never me darlin’. You were getting ol’ Jace and me confused. He’s the game player, not me. And he always has been.”

Blythe wanted to tell Tucker she didn’t believe it. She’d never believe that it was that simple. Jace had been willing to do anything for her and the baby, and that included giving up his own chance at love. She couldn’t believe the man Tucker was talking about, saying these things about, was the same man she knew.

Tucker was hurt, and had every right to be. But he was oversimplifying what happened. If Rosa told Tucker she was in love with this other person, there had to be more to it.

“Had she told you she loved you?”

Tucker closed his eyes tightly. She wasn’t sure he was going to answer her. “Yes. Of course she did.”

“And were you, you know, intimate?”

“Yeah, we were.”

“Do you think she and Jace—”

“I can’t think about that. As it is, I never want to see him again. If I start to think about him and Rosa together, I don’t think I’ll be able to handle it.”

Blythe gathered him close and held on tight. “I love you Tucker.”

“I know you do. And I love you. Those are the only two things I’m absolutely certain of right now. Everything else seems like a
clusterfuck
to me.”

***

“They’re downstairs. The last time I checked they were both sleeping,” said Paige.

“I don’t want to disturb them, but I want to ask Blythe a couple things. I’ll hang out for a while, if we hear movement, I’ll go down, otherwise, I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”

“What’s this about?”

“Did she or Tucker say anything about Jace?”

“Now that you mention it, they didn’t. Nothing at all.”

“Something happened today. Tucker and Jace got into a big fight. Jace told me the story of what happened, you know the accident.”

“The accident? You mean with Blythe?”

“No. The other accident. Tucker was in an accident seven years ago. There was a woman with him and she was killed.”

“Oh. That explains a lot.”

“Yes it does, but there’s more.”

“More?”

“Yes. It seems that Tucker and Jace were both in love with this woman at the time. Except Tucker didn’t know anything about her relationship with Jace.”

“Oh dear.”

“And to make matters worse, Jace came to the house tonight to tell me his side of the story and I handled it very badly.”

“Where’s Jace now?”

“I don’t know. He left, and something tells me he doesn’t intend to come back.”

“Where do you think he’s headed?”

“No idea. Although he could be on his way to Crested Butte. Back to train with Billy, back to the rodeo circuit.”

“Call Renie.”

“I will, but I’ll wait until tomorrow. And listen, I’m going to go back home now. I’m pretty tired. I’ll come see Blythe tomorrow.”

“Okay, drive safe.”

“Night Mom, love you.”

“Love you too baby.”

Bree loved that her mom called all of them baby. It was one of her favorite things about her mom.

***

When Bree called Renie the next morning, she told her they hadn’t heard a word from Jace. She promised to let her know when they did.

“I don’t understand,” said Lyric.

“He left. He told Bree what happened, and then he left.”

“And nobody’s seen him?”

“Renie says not to worry. She’s sure Billy’s talked to him. They’re scheduled to ride in Kansas City next weekend. Maybe he’s taking a few days to get his head out of what’s going on here, and back into rodeo.”

“What about his parents?”

“No idea Lyric. I’m telling you what I know.”

Blythe thought it was odd that Lyric was reacting the way she was. If anyone was a free spirit who traveled whichever way the wind blew, it was Lyric. Jace needed some time, that’s all. Blythe wasn’t worried about him as much as she was worried about his relationship with Tucker.

“So how are you feeling anyway? Ready to work?”

“You know it. I’ll go crazy doing nothing for the next four months.”

“Where’s Tucker?”

“Looking at houses.”

“That was quick.”

“I guess when you know, you know. And we know.”

“Ha! Yeah, that sounds ’bout right.”

“What’s crazy is, my dad is with him.”

“What’s he lookin’ for?”

“I have no idea to tell you the truth. But Tucker is an artist, so it’ll be interesting to see what appeals to him.”

“I’m gonna have to go out of town again soon, like tomorrow.”

“Business?”

“No, but I sure wish it was.”

“What then?”

“It’s my brother. I’ve told you about him, right? Bullet?”

“You’ve mentioned him a couple of times. What’s goin’ on?”

“He’s a hot mess. In a huge custody fight with his daughter’s mama, got another one on the way.”

“Why is she in a custody fight with him if they’re having another baby?”

“Oh the other baby isn’t with her. It’s with a different woman, which is what’s behind the custody fight. I think.”

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes. You think things are complicated in your lives, wait ’til you hear more about mine, or my brother’s. I don’t have time for my life to be complicated.”

“Your brother would probably think our lives are more complicated than his. More people involved anyway.”

“Yeah, ’bout I guess. Anyway, I’m sorry to be leavin’ again, but I got everything mapped out for you.”

Lyric went over a list of upcoming rodeos with Blythe and they researched websites to see who would be posting scores in real time and who wouldn’t. Lyric also gave Blythe a list of contacts she could text for results for the smaller rodeos.

“You can keep your eye on Jace too this way, without him knowing about it. You’ll at least know if he bucks off or gets a score.”

***

It took Tucker three weeks of looking at houses daily before he found one he wanted Blythe to see. It was out Hodgen Road, which wasn’t far from where Billy and Renie’s ranch was, and even closer to Dottie and Bill’s house. In fact, their property bordered one another’s, although you couldn’t see either house from the other’s.

Tucker carried her to his truck, where he had pillows waiting for her to prop around her.

“I think you’ve gone overboard,” she said to him.

He glared at her.

“Never mind. This is perfect. I’ll be well-padded on every side. Will I be required to be wrapped in bunting whenever we go for a ride in your truck? Or do you think bubble wrap would work better?”

“You’re on bed rest. Do you remember that part? I’m sure if we asked the doc, he wouldn’t have approved a twenty minute ride in a truck, on a dirt road.”

She smiled and winked at him. “I love you Tucker Rice.”

“And I love you Blythe…Cochran.”

The house was spectacular. Construction was almost finished on it.

“I don’t understand, did the people building it decide they didn’t want to live in it?”

“Financial issues I think. Anyway, it’s surrounded by a little over one hundred acres, mostly forested. Isn’t it great?”

“One hundred acres? I don’t even know what that means.”

“Well, your parents place sits on about five acres. So we’ll have twenty times more than that.”

“For what? And don’t tell me you want to have horses Tucker. I’m not as into horses as Renie is.”

He laughed. “We don’t have to have horses Blythe, but I need space. I may add a barn at some point, but it would be more of a workshop and art studio for me than it would be to board horses.”

He walked around and opened her door. “Are you ready to go inside?”

“Uh, sure. You, um, aren’t going to carry me are you?”

“Of course I am.”

Tucker carried her up the steps and nudged the front door open with his knee.

“I think this counts as carrying you over the threshold, doesn’t it?”

She held up her left hand and looked at it. “I don’t see a ring on this hand Mr. Rice. It doesn’t count until we’re officially husband and wife.”

“Okay, then.”

“Okay, then, what?”

“Let’s look at the rest of the house.”

They walked from room to room. The house was two stories, like Billy and Renie’s house. And it was huge.

“How big is it?”

“About six thousand square feet.”

“Oh. Again, I don’t know what that means.”

“It’s about the same size as your parents’ house.”

“But their house is
ginormous.
What do we need with all this space Tucker?”

He patted her stomach. “For this little one and his or her brothers and sisters.”

“How often do you plan to impregnate me?”

“As often as you’ll let me.”

Tucker took her hand and walked over to the fireplace. The hearth was built up, so she could sit on it.

“What do you think?” he asked.

“I like it. But it’s up to you. If you like it, that’s what matters. And um…you know, can we, uh…afford it? I don’t make very much money you know.”

Tucker laughed and kissed her forehead. “Yes Blythe, we can afford it.”

“Tucker?”

“Yes?”

“What about your house in Spain? And your condo in Aspen, the one you share with Jace?”

Tucker didn’t want to talk about the condo, but he was going to have to get used to talking to Blythe about everything. Not only the easy stuff, the hard stuff too.

“I signed the condo over to Jace. He owns it outright now.”

“Does that mean you’ve talked to him?”

No, it didn’t, he told her. He’d asked his father to handle it through their family attorney. Since they were brothers, a simple quitclaim deed took care of it. As far as the place in Spain, they didn’t need to worry about it for now. He wanted to take her, and the baby, there when they could travel. After that, they’d decide together what to do about it.

“Tucker?”

“Yes Blythe? You’re full of questions today, aren’t you?”

“Well, we’re making a lot of assumptions. Just because we’re having a baby together doesn’t mean we automatically have to start making all these decisions. Maybe we should figure out, you know, if we’re going to be together or not first.”

He knelt down in front of her and pulled her in close to him. “I thought you liked it when I made decisions for you.”

“I do, when you’re picking restaurants, or what we’re going to eat, but when it’s about the rest of our lives, maybe you should let me give you my opinion.”

“Oh? Okay then,” he reached into his pocket. “What is your opinion of this ring? It’s the one I picked out in order to ask you to marry me.”

Blythe stared down at the ring he had in his hand. It was a emerald-cut diamond flanked by two similar-sized emeralds. “It’s magnificent,” she said.

“Since you think so,” he slipped it on her finger. “Would you like to give me your opinion about marrying me?”

“I would love to marry you.” She kissed him. “I love you Tucker.”

“I love you Blythe. What do you think of the house?”

“Also magnificent, even if it is a bit big.”

“So it’s a yes to the ring, a yes to marriage, and a yes to the house?”

“Yes, to all of the above.”

She and Tucker walked through the house a couple more times, and talked about which room they would use as a nursery, and what they might do with the others until the time came that it became a child’s bedroom. When Blythe yawned Tucker told her it was time for him to get her back to her parents’ house. “Your dad is preparing a celebration feast.”

“He is? For who?”

“Bree is coming over, and I heard a rumor that Liv and Ben are in town with little Caden, which means we are expecting Billy, Renie and Willow too. Oh, and Dottie and Bill. And Lyric. I think that about covers it.”

Someone was missing. They both knew it, it didn’t need to be said. It had been over a month since anyone, other than their mother, had heard from him. Tucker told her his mother said Jace was okay, he was taking time for himself. When she asked Tucker if he wanted to know where he was, or how to get in touch with him, he declined.

“He’s your brother,” she reminded him.

It wasn’t a reminder he needed.

***

On October 3, Cochran Henry Rice was born at two in the morning. Bree was in the delivery room with Blythe and her husband, for moral support.

She pulled out her phone and took photos of the baby boy as he was weighed and measured, then wrapped in a blanket and handed to his mother. She took another picture of Tucker kissing first Cochran, then Blythe.

She texted every one of them to the same number she’d texted periodically over the last few months. She never got a response, so she didn’t know whether it was still Jace’s number. If it was, she wanted him to see the first photos of their nephew—Aunt Bree and Uncle Jace. He’d said once they better figure out how to get along because he knew they both planned to be a part of this baby’s life.