CHAPTER EIGHT
Jace climbed out of the driver’s seat at their destination and inhaled heavenly, sweet oxygen into his parched lungs. One minute near Jessa was enough to drive him wild, so forty minutes breathing in her intoxicating scent, grabbing peeks at her toned legs, and listening to her beautiful singing, had him reeling in need. Wanting her wasn’t in his plan, but it was happening.
The more he got to know her, the more he understood her. For so long he’d believed her to be the Miss Priss she was back in high school, but maybe he’d had too much pride, back in the day and now. He couldn’t blame her that he’d been self-conscious and took everything personal.
She met him at the front of the truck. “Hi.” Her smile dazzled in the sunlight.
“Long time no see.” He laughed.
“I’m wondering, will your friend mind me tagging along?”
“Trust me,” he held out his elbow for her to take. She wrapped her fingers around his arm and his blood zinged. “Freckles loves company, especially of the female nature.”
“Freckles? That’s what his name is?”
“Yes.
“Oh, wow.”
And just as Jace had suspected, Freckles didn’t come up for air once while he and Jessa were sitting on the porch swing discussing everything under the sun. Jace sat in a wicker chair across from the duo. Each time he shifted, the chair would creak as if in warning that his body was too big for its frame. His tight gut creaked in a similar way. It meant a lot to him that she was comfortable around Freckles, making him laugh like the olden days. He told a joke that Jace didn’t quite get, but Jessa bent her head back, laughing. Damn. Jace was a bit jealous, wishing he was the target of that lovely sound and expression. Jace realized she had that effect on him too.
Freckles could tell a story unlike anyone else. At times Jace wasn’t sure which stories were true and which were a figment of his imagination. He could make anyone laugh with his tales. At sixty-one, he was a seasoned man who’d served in the Army and married his high school sweetheart. They were together for forty years till she passed away, leaving the jovial man alone and with no one to occupy his time. That’s where Jace came into play. He’d known Freckles for years, back in the rodeo days, and Jace tried to get out to see him as often as work allowed him.
“I’ve got something to say,” Freckles said.
“Yeah?” Jace wondered if the man realized he had said many things.
“I’m selling the place.” Freckles eased back into the boards of the swing, smoothing his hands down the thighs of his denim overalls.
“This place? Your home?” Jace wasn’t sure he’d heard right.
The older man nodded and scratched his clean-shaven jaw. “Yes, siree. It’s time.”
“Where will you go?”
Shrugging a thick shoulder, Freckles laughed. “I’m moving into one of those assisted living places. I’m signing papers next month to set the ball rolling.”
Jace blinked. “Was this your decision?” He couldn’t seem to wrap his head around a man like Freckles living in a place where he wasn’t surrounded by land.
“It gets lonely out here, my friend. Maybe if Aggie and I had been gifted with a couple of kids, things would be different now, but it is what it is. God had different plans for us, and one day I’ll see my sweet Aggie again.”
There was more to the story and Jace had to be careful not to cross a boundary into the man’s business.
Jessa wasn’t bound by the same concerns. “This is a lot of property for one person to take care of. My mom and dad own a ranch and they could never do it alone. May I ask why it’s not a working property any longer?”
Freckles, a normally modest man, surprised Jace when he opened up easily. Jessa had the key. “When Aggie and I bought the place, we were so proud. Best damn dairy farm in the state, I assure you. Then she passed away and it wasn’t quite the same. She was the heart of us as well as the brains. I tried to keep up with the books and the hands, but I just didn’t have it in me. I love this land enough that I don’t want to see it taken by the bank and end up being one of those indoor malls. So, selling is the best plan.” He looked out toward the edge of the woods. “Aggie loved this place as much as I do. She’d agree.”
“Would there be any way to hire a foreman who can hire hands? Get this place running again?” Jessa persisted. “I noticed the barns and fencing are in good condition.”
He patted her hand. “My dear, my time has passed. I’m afraid this old man doesn’t have it in him anymore. But I was sort of hoping you’d be interested, son.”
Jace sat up straight. “Me?”
“Yes, you.” Freckles laughed. “You’ve said more than once that you’d like to run your own place. Every man needs a place of his own. It’s time you give it a lot of thought.”
He looked from his buddy to Jessa. She was watching him with curious eyes.
“How about a piece of peach pie? I bought it today at the farmers’ market. Doc keeps telling me to watch my sugar intake, but what’s life without the things we love?” Pulling himself up from the swing, he waved for them to follow.
Later, as they were pulling out of Freckles Farm, Jace should have guessed Jessa would have something to say. “Are you considering his suggestion?”
“To buy the farm? It takes money, sweetheart.”
Her thoughts tightened her features. “There are loans. Banks are willing to help more to get farms back up and running, right?”
“If I could prove it’s profitable, but Freckles Farm hasn’t been profitable in a while. We’re not only talking about purchasing the land, but the house needs renovating. Farm equipment. Hands. Cattle. And that’s just the start of the list.”
“But you know your way around a ranch. You taught me a lot while I was working with you.”
He shot her a glace across the seat. “I know a lot about livestock and keeping things running, but there’s a business side to a farm too.”
“I see the potential here.”
“Why does this mean so much to you?”
He practically heard her brain swirling. Her hands were clasped in her lap and her knuckles turned white. “Honestly, I think of my own parents. They’ve been married so long, I don’t know how one would survive without the other. Of course, my brothers are running things on the ranch, but what if my mom and dad were in the same position? I wouldn’t want either of them feeling as if they had no choice but to leave their home, a place that is as much a part of their existence as breathing. I know Freckles doesn’t want anyone’s pity, but you’re his friend. There must be something that can be done.”
“Like invite him to move onto Nirvana?”
“To keep him on his farm.” There was a second’s hesitation. “I could help.”
“Oh, you’re going to ask Freckles to move into a hotel with you? He’d really like being carted around from place to place.” Jace laughed.
“I’m saying that I can help by giving you a loan.”
He gave her a side glance. “Jessa, we’re not talking a few grand. The property alone is worth a lot, even with the friend discount he said he’s willing to offer.”
“I’m not bragging, but I’ve made a lot over the years. This seems like a great investment.”
“This can’t happen.” He shook his head. The last thing he wanted was Jessa’s money, even if she could spare it.
“It can happen. Won’t you just consider it?”
As he was processing her words steam shot out from under the hood followed by a loud spewing sound. He looked at the dashboard and the temperature gauge was jetting back and forth. “Shit!”
“What is it?”
“Looks like we have a problem.” He pulled over and turned off the engine as more steam poured out, fogging the window. He lifted the hood and cringed. He wasn’t much of a mechanic, but it didn’t take a professional to surmise that the radiator was busted.
“Oh no,” Jessa said as she joined him at the front bumper. “This can’t be quickly fixed, right?”
“No, and it’ll be dark soon.”
She reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone. “Uh ohh. I don’t have service.” Waving her phone, she moved it back and forth. “Do you?”
“No clue.”
She lowered her phone and looked at him disbelievingly. “Don’t tell me you didn’t bring your phone.”
“Okay, I won’t. You feel like walking? We’re only about a mile away from the one-light town we passed on our way here.”
“Better than being out here at night.”
They walked as the sun started setting. Neither said a word, until Jessa broke the silence. “So, will you consider my offer?”
He kept his eyes glued on the pavement ahead. “I considered it. The answer’s no.”
“This is ridiculous. Who wouldn’t accept a loan like I’m offering?”
“A man with values and ethics. It wouldn’t be right.”
“And why not?”
It wouldn’t be appropriate to tell her that he was sexually attracted to her. A man never did business with a woman he wanted to sleep with. That move only spelled T-R-O-U-B-L-E. No, he’d rather not step into that boat. “Just because.”
“You’re not going to tell me why?”
He stopped and faced her. “Fine, I’ll answer. I don’t need anyone to give me a loan.”
“Wrong, you need it, but your pride stands in the way. That’s ridiculous.”
“You’ve said that already.” He started walking again. He heard her hurried footsteps as she rushed to catch up to him.
“But it’s true. You’re being stubborn and that’s selfish considering you could help your friend in this deal.”
“Instead of worrying about me, my finances, and my friends, you should worry about yourself.”
She stopped walking and crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Again, she had to hurry to catch up to his pace.
He shrugged. “Come on, it doesn’t take a genius to see that you’re not happy.”
“At the moment, no.”
“You know what I’m saying.”
She groaned. “You mean because I’ve complained a few times? Doesn’t everyone?”
“No, because what country music singer at the height of her career runs away to a ranch in the middle of nowhere? What woman breaks up with her boyfriend because she’s married to her career.”
“Jace, you really have to stop using Google to gain all your knowledge.” She rolled her eyes.
“I didn’t use Google. This is my thought. You could go anywhere you like and you chose Nirvana. Your people choose to vacation on yachts, luxurious locations, places where you can rub elbows with the rich and famous.”
She snorted. “My people? First time I’ve heard that.”
“Come on. Admit the truth. When you decided to take vacation, you were thinking busy cities and hot spots.”
“I told you why I came.” Her breathing was growing heavy so he slowed his pace.
“You didn’t come for me, not really. You came to make yourself feel better, probably because you’re not happy with how things are in your life. I’m the first man who didn’t kiss you just to kiss a star. That must be real lonely.”
“How would you like your payment, Mr. Therapist? By mail or PayPal?” she snapped.
He cast her a look over his shoulder. “Oh, I hit a soft spot, did I?”
“No!”
He popped his brow up. “Liar!”
“So, while we’re airing our attic, allow me to ask, what grown man holds a grudge against someone over something that happened when he was fifteen? It was prom, not a kidney.”
“I remember telling you that I forgive you.”
“Yeah, I heard that, but it’s not true.”
“Now who’s grasping at straws?”
“You know it’s true. Any man who has forgiven he wouldn’t still walk around with a sour expression. He would follow through.”
He stopped and she ran into his back. She rubbed her nose.
“Follow through with what?”
“Making a move, on me, in some way. We both know there’s a connection. We’re adults, not kids anymore.”
He blew out a long breath. “I don’t move that quick, sweetheart.”
“Really? You moved pretty fast behind the stables at the rodeo.”
Damn. He walked himself straight into that trap. “That was different.” He started walking, needing to ease some of the tension growing in his gut.
“Different how?”
“I didn’t know you.”
“That makes about as much sense as you on a road trip without your phone.”
He gritted his teeth. “What are you wanting from me?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a reality check.”
“I get the feeling you’re not going to give me any peace until this is hashed out. Fine. Sure, it’s no fun getting turned down, but what’s harder is the fact that you made me feel inferior to make yourself look better in front of your friends. If you weren’t interested in me then you shouldn’t have pretended that you were.”
“Wait,” she grabbed his arm and he stopped, but didn’t look at her. “How do you think I was sending you signals that I was interested?”
“Smiling at me. Looking straight at me during the football games while doing your cheers, flipping your pony tail over your shoulder.”
She laughed and it ripped through him. He gave her a narrowed gaze before stomping on his way. “I wasn’t sending any secret messages. Could it be that I was just being nice?”
“You? Nice?” he grumbled. Damn. How did this woman reach in and grab his heart so easily? He should be cool headed, immune to her sweet expression and beautiful body.
“That hurt.” There was a sliver of sadness to her tone.
“And you laughing at me again shouldn’t?”
“I wasn’t laughing at you, Jace.” He chuckled. “Okay, I was laughing and I shouldn’t.”
“No worries, sweetheart. What prom queen wants to be seen with an overweight, pimply faced, awkward teen. I get it.”
There was a long moment of silence and he was hoping she’d let it drop, but he should have known better. “Wait, let’s clear the air, shall we? I didn’t turn your invitation down because of the way you looked.”
“Sure.”
“For your information, I was asked by several boys to the prom and I turned all of them down too.”
This was a bit of information that he didn’t know. “Were they also from the geek squad?”
“Feel sorry for yourself much?”
“Can we just stop talking about this?”
She hurried around him and blocked his path. He had no choice but to stop walking. “No, we can’t. Stop running from me, Jace.”
“I’m not running. I’m right here.”
With one tiny step, she was so close he could breathe her in. It triggered his every desire. He shoved his hands into his pockets to keep from dragging her in and kissing her.
“Physically, yes. Mentally, I want to find you…”
“I-I’m not good at this.”
“At what? Connecting?” she whispered. “You seem pretty good to me.” She walked her fingers down his chest.
“Jessa…don’t…”
“Don’t what? I’m tired of ignoring this tug of war between us.” The sun’s rays caught her lovely eyes, making them blue orbs of emotion.
There was no longer any way he could resist her. He reached out, snagged her waist with his arm, and with one small tug she was against him. He could feel each soft line and delicate curve of her beautiful body. Her breath mingled with his as her mouth opened slightly. “You’re going to be the death of me,” he muttered.
“Only if that means the death of history and the birth of a new beginning.”
He growled under his breath. This woman, this breath of fresh air, had a hold on him so profound that it made everything else irrelevant. He started to lower his head, ready to taste her succulent lips…
Honk!
They both jerked at the sound of the beeping horn, which led them into laughter.
He took a step back, looking up into the darkening sky. “It’ll be dark soon and I don’t want you out here at night.”
One corner of her mouth quivered into a smile. “Are you protecting me, Mr. Jackson?”
“Possibly so, Miss Garvey.”
“I’m going to need a road map of the layers of Jace Jackson. Full of hills and bends and curves. Lush with scenery over cliffs and flatlands.”
He took her hand, once again realizing how small it was compared to his. “We’re close to town. We can make it in ten minutes if we walk fast.”
*****
“Is this what I think it is?”
“Sorry, Jessa. It’s bumfucked and nothing else is open past sundown. If you want you can wait here and I’ll go in and use the phone,” Jace offered.
“And miss out on a strip joint?”
“I think the politically correct term is gentleman’s club, sweetheart.”
“Oh, excuse me.” She grabbed his hand and together they pushed through the warped outer door and were met by a beefy bouncer who held his hand out, palm up.
“How much?” Jace asked.
“Twenty. Each.”
After digging into his pocket, he took out a few bills and handed it over as Jessa leaned in closer to him. “Cost of living must be pretty high here in bumfucked.”
He winked. “Pretty expensive for a phone call.”
“Oh, look, the entertainment has already started.” She pointed to a young blonde swirling around the pole clad only in a teeny lace bra and matching thong.
Jace chuckled. “For what we paid, it should go on all evening.”
“That’s what I’m hoping.” She knew he understood because his hand clasped her fingers tighter and his jaw followed suit. Her inner thighs quivered, imagining Jace between her legs, putting out the flame that had been ignited the second he kissed her at the rodeo. She was hostage to a need that she’d never known before, and if her plans panned out, she’d extinguish them very soon with Blue-eyes.
The place was filled with people as they mazed their way to the bar and Jace asked to use their phone. The muscular bartender handed over a dirty cordless and Jessa stepped away to admire the dancer on stage. Maybe she could learn some dance moves for her ‘stage’.
“I managed to get ahold of the towing company and they will pick up the truck in the morning, but I didn’t have any luck with calling Chase to pick us up,” Jace said next to her ear.
“So, what do we do then?”
“Should we get out of here before someone recognizes you?”
“It’s dark in here and I don’t think I could tear their attention away from the stage. She’s pretty good.”
“I think you’re highly underestimating yourself.” His warm breath tickled her cheek, swarming her senses in a pleasurable grasp.
“I need to run to the little girl’s room. Okay?” She swung around, their noses almost brushing. “Can you behave yourself?” Reaching up, she touched his chest, then lightly moved her fingers down the front of his shirt, pausing at the large belt buckle.
He cleared his throat. “If you’re not in the room, there’s no misbehaving.”
Tapping the metal with her fingernail, she smiled as she slid one finger in the space between his waist and the band of his jeans, pulling him closer. “I’ll be back.”
“Hurry.”
Inside the restroom, she splashed her face with cool water, finger combed her hair and smiled widely. She had a plan…
Stepping back into the outer room, she stopped dead still. Jace was sitting at a table, but he wasn’t alone. The dancer was no longer on stage. Instead, she was standing in front of Blue-eyes, gyrating her scantily clad hips seductively, her arms high above her head, pushing her breasts upward in the sequined top. Jace brought his gaze to Jessa and he shook his head. She sashayed her way across the room, keeping her gaze connected with his as she brushed past the pretty dancer who was working hard to earn a buck.
“I can’t leave you alone for one second, can I?” Jessa teased.
“I didn’t have anything to do with this.”
“She hasn’t asked you to sign her breasts yet, has she?” Because the room was dimly lit, she couldn’t see if his cheeks were red, but by the way he shifted uncomfortably, she guessed he was feeling the heat. “Do you have any cash?”
He hesitated, then reached into his pocket, dragged out his wallet, and brought out a ten. Jessa took it and turned to the dancer who looked as if she’d sucked on a lemon wedge. With a laugh, Jessa slipped the bill in her thong and waved the woman away. The dancer smiled and shimmied toward the unexpected man a few tables down.
Back to the cowboy, Jessa bent over and whispered in his ear, “I have an idea. Interested? Only say yes if you’re willing to take a plunge.”
“Lead the way.”