Chapter Eight

"Go."

"What do you mean go?"

"I mean drive right now."

My mother had pulled past us and parked before she got out of her car and headed straight for the truck.

"I can't leave now. She's almost here."

"Do you want to explain to her what she just saw, because I won't, Jase. I can't."

He put the keys I had dropped on the seat back into the ignition, but there was no time to turn it over. My mom was knocking on his window, and if I wasn't scared to death, I would have been dying laughing at the fact that he refused to turn his head to look at her. We were caught. 

"Jase, roll down the window."

Her voice was clear from inside the truck. I couldn't believe how embarrassed I was. It was as if she caught me doing the worst thing ever and I was a child all over again. Knowing we had no choice in the matter, Jase followed instructions, and the window slowly lowered, even if neither of us were willing to make eye contact with her. She leaned into the car, not saying a word. If I knew any better, I would have sworn she was prolonging our pain intentionally.

Noticing an unopened bottle of water in the cup holder, I decided to fill the awkward time by taking my medicine. The taste of the pill was disgusting, so after I swallowed it, I continued to drink.

"I see you're obviously feeling better, Shelby."

Water sprayed out of my mouth all over the windshield and dashboard of the truck. At the same time, she tapped her hands on the door before she moved back, laughing at me.

"Have fun, kids." 

Both Jase and I looked at each other for reassurance that we heard her correctly but she wasn't done. She was almost back to her car when she added, "It's about time," while she shook her head, still laughing. 

The two of us burst out with a laugh of our own before Jase started the truck and backed out onto the road.

"That was just awful."

"You're telling me. I never want to have to face your mother again."

"It's not like she caught us having sex, Jase. We're adults. You don't have to avoid her forever."

"Fine, just the next few years will do."

The awkwardness we both should have felt over that kiss wasn't able to happen. Instead, it was replaced by a story we would hold onto forever. My mother had truly saved the day.

When we got back to my sister's, Jase helped me out of the truck but let me use my crutches for the first time and walked away to the barn. I didn't mind, in fact, space was a good thing to have. I needed to process everything that had happened in the last five minutes. 

I made it to the bottom of the steps, but after staring at them, I realized taking a chance and hopping up them could end in disaster. Looking around I didn’t see anyone so I called out, "Arianna?"

A few seconds later, I heard, "She ran to the grocery store a few minutes ago," Canyon was yelling back from the hay loft in the barn. "What do you need, darlin’?"

I looked back at the steps, trying to decide if it was worth a try when Jase came out of the barn with his commanding tone as he said to me, "Don't even think about it, Red."

The idea that I was helpless didn't sit well with me at all. I was way too independent for what Jase was seeing from me, and it bothered me considerably.

"Jase, leave me alone. I can do this."

I tossed the crutches one at a time to the top step and then grabbed ahold of the rail with my left arm and hopped, only my foot never landed. Instead, I was mid-air before I landed in Jase's arms.

"You don't listen for crap, Red."

He proceeded to carry me up the four steps required to enter the screened-in porch, and the entire time, I wanted to scream at the fact that I couldn't do it myself.

"Look, I know you're Miss Independent and this is pissing you off but you have no choice in the matter right now. You just had surgery less than twenty-four hours ago, so stop being so stubborn and let people help you."

He set me down not so gently and then walked out without giving me a chance to say anything, which in a way went in my favor because my choice of words wouldn't have been to his liking. 

I came to the conclusion an hour later that without the kids, being there was about as boring as watching TV. The guys had taken several horses out for training which left me alone with nothing to do but think. Was I really making out with Jase? What was the world coming to if the thought of his lips wouldn't leave my head? As much as I hated him all those years, were we really in a place to leave it all behind us in our past? So much damage was there. And then it hit me: I wasn't going to be sticking around long enough to have to worry about any of it. It was a stupid kiss. That was it.

The soft wind continued to blow through the screens, and it was just warm enough to make for the perfect nap situation. As my eyes closed, I thought about his eyes, his mouth, his— And then I told myself to shut up and let sleep take me over.

I stirred awake from the sound of the kids running through the yard. Gabe was chasing Amelia and her giggle put the biggest smile on my face. Being back in Montana definitely had its positives. I sat up and noticed someone had taken the time to cover me up with a blanket since the sun was going down and a chill had taken to the air. Arianna came up the steps and glanced over at me, clearly surprised I was awake.

"Have a good nap?"

I yawned and then laughed. Who yawns after they sleep? 

"Yeah, it felt good. How long have I been out?"

She sat down in the chair next to me and rested her hands on her belly as she leaned back comfortably. 

"We got back from the store a little while ago, so I'm not really sure. Are you staying for dinner, or do you want me to take you back to Mom's?"

"She isn't eating with you guys?"

Her expression changed, but I wasn't sure what it meant until she explained, "She tends to keep more to herself lately. I was concerned maybe her meds might be off, but she was adamant she was just trying to allow us time to be a family. She somehow feels we can't truly be one if she eats with us every night. It's stupid, and I tried explaining that to her, but she won't budge."

"It kind of makes sense. I mean, just because she lives next door doesn't mean you guys still need to be inseparable. It was different when I was little, you know? I mean, you practically raised me half my life so I wasn't willing to let you go. She understood that, and therefore, you guys kind of shared me. Looking back, it was probably pretty selfish but I was a little kid. Now it's your time, and she's trying to give that to you. You can't really fault her for that."

"I don't fault her; I just wish she understood she was welcome anytime."

"I'm sure she knows that. She probably just likes her time alone too."

"You're probably right. So, what happened with Jase last night, and don't tell me it's nothing. You two were looking at each other funny."

I wasn't prepared to explain what I didn't understand myself.

"I don't really know."

"Don't lie to me. You two have hated each other forever. Something happened."

"Well, it really is hard to say. He found me, but you already know that. Then at the hospital, I said something about him hating me, and then it got all weird. Did you know he showed up the night of junior prom to pick me up?"

I was prepared to see guilt fall over her from keeping it from me or shock over the fact I found out, but what I got was neither. 

"No. He didn't, or I would have known for sure. Mom would have told me."

"I would have told you what?"

We were both surprised to see our mother walking up the stairs and onto the screened-in porch.

"Did you know Jase went to pick up Shelby the night of junior prom?"

That was when she would confirm if he was really telling the truth or not. What she did was stop in her tracks and look at me inquisitively, for what, I wasn't certain. 

"What makes you think he did?"

"He told me he showed up that night thinking I would be waiting. Is that true, Mom?"

Arianna and I both watched her sit down in a chair and adjust herself until she was comfortable before she looked at me and began to speak.

"You were so upset that night when you called me to come get you. No mother ever wants to hear her child cry, but to hear what caused it broke my heart. I was so focused on you that I completely forgot about Jase until I saw him in town weeks later. I couldn't even look at him after what he did to you, but when I finally did, all I saw was the same hurt in his eyes that he showed the night I answered the door and saw him dressed and ready to escort you. He was suffering, and no, that doesn't mean I forgave him for what he did to you, but I felt he was suffering enough from self-defeat."

"No way."

I looked at my sister and then back to my mother. 

"I wish I would have known. Maybe it would have made some kind of sense as to why he would be so cruel and humiliate me in front of everyone. I hated him for that, Mom."

As she began to speak, my heart beat quickened from fear she would mention what happened earlier. 

"Honey, you would have hated him regardless. The two of you were never on the same page until now. You have the time. Figure out what it was that always drew you together all these years, and you might find you can have something else. People get over things for those they want nothing to do with. You two have always been connected or this crap would have been over years ago. Heaven knows you've found some of that out earlier today already."

"What? What happened earlier?"

Ari's head bobbed back and forth between the two of us as we sat quiet. My mother knew by the look on my face if anything more was added I would have been mortified. 

"Both of you are going to hell for keeping secrets from me. You know that, right?" Her eyes landed on me, and, man, did they make me want to crawl under the chair and hide. "Start talking, Shelby."

"It was nothing, okay? He took me back to the house for my medicine and we talked."

My mother cleared her throat causing me to want to shoot daggers at her.

"What else clearly happened?"

Just when my inner strength began to crumble, I was saved by Canyon stepping out of the house.

"Dinner’s ready if you guys want to come in and eat."

My mom stood abruptly, brushed her shirt down, and replied, "No, thank you. But you all enjoy, okay?"

The way she practically ran out the door and down the steps had me taking back my earlier comments.

"What the hell was that?"

"See. I told you. It's weird."

"Leave her alone, you two, and come in and eat."

Even though he made it sound as if he wanted me to get there on my own, he still picked me up to carry me.

"I can walk, you know. You guys are treating me like I am crippled."

"You guys? What other man might I ask has been carrying you, Shelby? Would it be the one Mom was talking about?"

Ari was behind us as we entered the house, so I couldn't be mad that she hadn't noticed Jase was in her kitchen, but she wouldn't shut up. Looking back over Canyon's shoulder, I mouthed those very words. 

"What? You are so going to tell me what is going on with you two or I will ask him … my—"

As she crossed the threshold into the house, what I had been trying to tell her was standing against the counter staring right back at her.

"What are you two taking about?" Canyon hadn't noticed anything going on around him all day, and there was absolutely no way I was willing to tell him. Arianna wasn't helping the situation by acting guilty as hell. 

"Oh, nothing, let's eat. This baby has got me starving."

She hurried to her chair and sat down, grabbing a burger from the plate and placing it on a bun as if nothing had happened to make the room go silent.  Jase's eyes left her as Canyon set me down in a chair opposite of the room where Jase was, leaving me a perfect target for him.

"How are you getting to your appointment tomorrow?"

Canyon looked at Jase like he sprouted a third eye.

"You offering?"

"No, I was just asking since I know she has to follow up with a doctor."

"I think we've got it covered. You can take her can't you, darlin’?"

A mischievous look took over my sister's face as she practically sang, "Unfortunately, we have to take the kids to the water park tomorrow. Remember, we promised them?"

Canyon sat down in a chair next to Arianna and rubbed her baby belly.

"I sure do. Do you think your mom can?"

"No, she has to work.  Looks like, Jase, we might need you after all."

When I looked over at him, he looked as scared as I was to be alone together again. Lord only knew what was coming