Heartbreak's Reward (Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight Book 2) (27 page)

“Doesn’t he work?” Brenna sighed.

“Yeah, plus he helps both of those brothers. Today is Saturday.”

Brenna huffed before speaking, not meaning to. “I guess, but you need to be careful.” In truth, she didn’t see a lot of harm in it, but a part of her wanted to keep her sister, safe…and yes, a little girl. She sat beside Chloe and took her hand. “I’m trusting you with this.”

“I thought of maybe finding a martial arts school.” She stared straight ahead. “Do you think they’d have anything in this little town?”

“We can look it up. Do you still remember your forms and other moves?”

“Yeah, but I need a refresher.” Chloe glanced down to her lap. “I’m not sure I can do it though. It’s the last thing…you know, Bren, with Jordann. I don’t know if I can do it without her.”

Brenna was about to choke up and she held tears back while Chloe’s eyes misted. The girls still had on their uniform when… “I know. Maybe do some practicing on your own and see how it goes. We definitely have enough room until we can fill up this townhouse.”

“Our furniture comes tomorrow, right?” Chloe wiped tears from her cheeks.

“Or the next day. I mean these guys get paid to deliver on time. I’m excited to get our stuff.” Brenna went to the kitchen and poured another cup of coffee. She came back in and stood before her sister. “Want to help get my classroom organized? I can use some help when it’s time.”

“I probably will. Nothing else to do.” Chloe smacked her hands against her thighs. “I hate being the new girl.”

“How about we go over to the other ranch and see about those riding classes. I hear girls your age ride over there and it sounds like they have a lot of fun.”

“Maybe Davy can show me how to ride first.”

Everything was Davy right now. She’d find a way to ease her into the horseback riding. “It was a blast being on the horse yesterday, but Jase was on with me, making it more fun, of course.” She laughed, trying to keep it on the lighter side. “Come on, let’s go up to the rooftop.”

***

Brenna got herself ready while her sister took a shower. She’d go to the office first and get the extra keys and anything else she needed from them. When ready, she made a shopping list, planning on going when Chloe left, but first she wanted to be here when Davy arrived. The sight of her might be enough to threaten or intimidate him. “What time are you leaving?” she asked when her sister entered the room.

“Two o’clock. Are you hanging around to check on us?”

“Yes, I am.” Brenna wondered how her sister was always so good at reading her. She got up from the recliner and went to the kitchen. “I need to see what time we’re going to dinner. I’ll text you when I find out. Cell service seems to be choppy around here. We might have to get a new service provider.”

“Do I have to go to dinner with you?”

Brenna stared into her sister’s blue eyes with maybe a tad too much mascara. “What would you rather do?”

Chloe diverted her gaze. “Not sure yet.”

“You can’t hang out with this boy twelve hours a day.” Brenna didn’t mean to blurt it out so loudly.

“Forget it. I’ll stay right here all by myself if that makes you happy. Just because you’re going out doesn’t mean I have to.”

“What did you want to do? Don’t make it difficult,” said Brenna. She blew out a big breath.

“Davy’s asking Jase if he can take one of his horses out. I’ve never been around horses, Bren.” Chloe lifted her arms out from her side. “I won’t be jumping into bed with him, if that’s what you think. He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Well, I hope not. You just met him.” Brenna almost slapped herself since she didn’t practice her own rules. Yet, she was happy to hear Chloe say that.

“If he was a girl you wouldn’t think anything of the age.”

“You’re probably right,” said Brenna. A text came in from Jase and she took a minute to read it. He asked her permission before giving Davy the okay about the horse. She sent back a message telling him it was being discussed that very moment. Then her phone rang. “Hi, Jase.” She peered at Chloe who pivoted on one heel and left the room, heading to the rooftop.

“No harm can come of it. You want your sister to get used to the horses, right? If she’s willing to do it this way, let her.”

“Yes,” she said, her voice lowered. “But, I don’t see why they have to spend so much time together.”

“Brenna, you sound like a grandmother.”

She laughed. “I’m so bad when it comes to her. I feel like her grandmother sometimes. She reminded me I’m
not
her mother.”

“Let the kids have their fun.”

“Look, Jase,” said Brenna, pacing back and forth from the kitchen to the living room. “You know him. I don’t. To me, he’s a nineteen-year-old boy after my sister.”

“You’re right, I do know him. This is why I say what I do. I’ve known him since he was ten for God’s sake.”

“Oh, I’m so confused on what to do with her. I didn’t expect this so soon. You shouldn’t have brought him with you to the airport.” She didn’t mean to put the blame on him. Jase sighed and a door closed. “Are you outside?”

“Just came in. The dentist left. Listen, how about we get some Chinese carry-out and come back to my place tonight for dinner. You can keep an eye on your sister, and I’ll keep an eye on you.”

“Hmm, keep an eye on me?” She tapped her fingernails against the phone.

“Yeah, you heard me right, babe. Maybe I’ll see about getting some furniture so I can invite you to sit in my living room.”

“I can agree to carry-out. She’ll be mad as hell, thinking I’m there because of her, but she’ll have to get over it.”

“Well, I’ll tell her you’re here so I can keep an eye on you. It’s a date then.”

“Tonight, Jase, I’d enjoy a date with you.” She paused, smiling at his boldness. “Oh, do you know if there’s a martial arts school in the area?”

“I think in Mesa, probably AJ, ah, Apache Junction, too. Why, you think you can train to kick my ass?”

“Absolutely. Better watch it. Don’t forget I flipped you…” Brenna smirked, watching Chloe come back downstairs. “Never mind for now, but you know what I mean.” She glanced at her watch. “Well, what time do you want me there?”

“For the record,
honey
, no body flips me unless I let them, except maybe Dane. I’ll pick you up about six o’clock. We’ll get the food on the way back.”

“All right. Thanks.”
Smart ass!
Her sister rolled her eyes and tossed her long hair over her shoulders.

“Okay, sweetheart, I’ll see you later on.” Brenna hung up.

Chloe plopped down on the sofa. “What time is your dinner?”

Here it comes.
“He’s picking me up at six, but it was his idea to take carry-out to his house. He’s allowing Davy to get a horse out.”

Chloe held her head with both hands. “So, you’re babysitting me?”

“It’s more like Jase is babysitting me.” The idea of his eyes all over her kind of turned her on a little.

“That doesn’t make sense but whatever.” She dabbed her face with her t-shirt hem. “It sure is hot out today. I was on the rooftop, but the sun drove me back inside. I admit, other than not knowing anyone except,
Davy
, I might like it here.”

“I hope we can both call it home one day. I mean, really call it home.” Brenna glanced at the scar on Chloe’s wrist. Would she be able to use it in her karate training from this point on? “Are you self-conscious of your scars, Chloe?”

“Not really. Should I be? Does it look bad?” She held up her hand and turned it over and back. “It’s not that bad. Better than if my hand had been cut off. At least I can still use it.”

“No, it’s not bad at all.” She took Chloe’s hand and ran her thumb over the biggest scar.

She shook her hand free. “What about you. Are you still hiding behind your jeans?”

Chloe got to be damn blunt and outspoken. “I have to admit that I still cover them. The ones on my legs, anyway.” She lifted her arm and ran her hand over the big one on the back of her arm. “I don’t like to have questions asked.”

“I just say I was in an accident and it usually stops there. Questions are better than the stares from people who
don’t
ask.” Chloe rubbed her fingers over her wrist.

“So true.” She stood. “Speaking of jeans, I better change so I can get to the store. Any requests?”

“You’re leaving before Davy comes by?”

Sarcasm sounded in Chloe’s words. “I’ve already mentioned my fears. You know where I rest on this. Standing here over you isn’t going to change anything.” She laughed nervously. “Maybe you can show me where the high school is after you find it.”

***

Brenna walked from room to room, patiently waiting for Jase. Peeking at her watch, he was fifteen minutes late, or maybe fifteen minutes wasn’t late for him. When her phone rang, she ran to answer it.

“Brenna, hey, I’m sorry. I can’t do dinner, or anything tonight. I’m on the road. I have another tip about a possible sighting of my kids. This time it’s Yuma, not far from the last one.”

“Yuma? How far is that? Don’t they make movies about that place?”

“Yeah, doll, they do. A little over three hours. A trucker I know was down that way and he said he saw Rebecca in a gas station putting gas in the car. That means she’s still in the state.” Jase paused. “I have to hang around there. When I hear something like this, I need to check it out.”

“Of course you do. I understand. Well, I’d say check with the board of education, or however many there are. Maybe the kids have been registered for school by now.”

“Thanks, but… Well, Davy’s still taking a horse out. My brother will stop by later, and one hired hand is there to keep an eye on the ranch.”

Now her sister was there with three men. She looked around the room for her purse. “Jase…I hope you find them. Be safe.”

“Thanks, but I just don’t know when I’ll be back, honey.”

His voice had sadness to its tone. If only she could hold him, bring him comfort. “Please keep in touch if you can. Good luck, baby.”

“I’ll miss you. I gotta go, girl.” His sigh resonated through the phone. “I’m sorry.”

He might’ve looked like an ass blowing off a date
he
made, but when it came to finding his kids, he couldn’t ignore any lead he received. If Brenna had been alone, he would’ve asked her to go along, but he knew she’d never leave her sister behind and she shouldn’t. He removed his pistol from his holster and stuck it into the console.

He swallowed hard, thinking about how much he missed Jaelle and Joey. The last time he saw them for dinner, he said he’d get them back home. They wanted him and Rebecca to go back together. He slammed his palms against the side of the steering wheel. He didn’t know the asshole…or, two assholes had been living with them until he and Tristan found the house. “Sonofabitch.”

Like he had told his lawyer… He did what he thought was right. Followed the rules in hopes that he’d be bringing them back on the day of the divorce.
What can they be thinking now?
God, he wanted to hold those kids. He’d done all the praying and crying he could do, but when something like this happened, he started all over again. At least while driving no one heard him pleading to God, or saw him mopping tears from his eyes.

Driving through downtown Yuma, he did a slow pass through, not expecting, or at least hoping in a way, that he didn’t see Rebecca out. That would mean the kids weren’t safe at home, or that her so-called boyfriend was with them…with
his
kids. He pulled into a parking lot and sat.
How could she do this to me? To our babies? To herself.

“Here I sit in a come-get-me-red, 4x4 truck.” It wasn’t exactly easy to hide. He should have swapped with Davy, driving his old beater instead. From where he waited, the same gas station she had been spotted in, was in view. The chance of her coming back was possible. He’d have to hang around until Monday before any board of education opened. But, it was a good suggestion from Brenna. Tomorrow he’d get a rental car and be more inconspicuous.

For fifty minutes, he waited. Before it got any later, he went to a hotel, parked in the shadows, and got a room for the night. After eating a chicken sandwich and salad from a local restaurant, he hit the bed. He lay there with his hands behind his head, staring at the smooth, white ceiling above.

The TV was on a news channel but the volume was too low to hear—his choice. “Where are you two?” The ache in his body was one he couldn’t find a cure for. A piece of his heart was gone. The only cure were those little arms wrapped around him.

***

Two packets of coffee in the room weren’t enough to shake the fuzz from his brain. A strange bed and thoughts of what he’d do if he did see Rebecca, kept sleep away. It only got worse when he visualized Brenna pressed against him on the back of a horse. Yeah, he could take her that way. He might one day, too
.

Enough of that. He’d find something to eat downstairs. Wetting down his hair a little, and brushing his teeth was mandatory, but he didn’t even care about the scruff on his face.

Gathering fruit, yogurt, a bagel for later, and more coffee, he took a seat at one of the tables in the dining area, and used his tablet to check email while eating breakfast. He found the closest car rental company within walking distance. He’d leave his truck where it was and drive around in the rental for the next couple days. If he had no more leads, he’d leave Monday night or Tuesday morning.

If he let himself dwell on his reason for being here, his blood pressure would skyrocket and he’d be back to hating the woman. He dumped his trash and went back to his room with an hour to kill before picking up his Dodge Charger. In the meantime, he made a phone call to his ranch hand. “Hey, Max, how’s everything going?”

“Everything is good,
amigo
. Silas is helping with the new palomino. She’s a beaut and will be a good horse for ya.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Any important messages?”

“Nothing to report. Tristan stopped by and brought us breakfast that your mom cooked. A good brother you have there…and Mama.”