Chapter Twenty

GEMMA STAYED another full day before driving out Thursday morning to catch her flight home. Though Jordan felt guilty about it, he was relieved to see her go. He and Russ hadn’t exactly been falling all over each other in front of everyone before. But Russ had cut way back on those little touches Jordan loved—obviously because they made Gemma uncomfortable—and Jordan missed them terribly.

He and Russ still had their nights together. He wasn’t willing to go that far for his sister’s comfort, but Jordan could admit he was needy enough to resent the loss of any of Russ’s attention. One of these days, he promised his pride that he really would get a grip. He just wasn’t there yet.

Despite having longer conversations than he and his little sister had had in years, Gemma had remained jarringly out of place in her expensive but completely impractical clothes and shoes, a painful reminder of the life he’d left behind. She and Jordan had the love of riding in common, and their childhood, of course, but that was about all. And while she’d laid on the Thorndike charm like a pro with the rest of the ranch, she’d remained an outsider—another reminder that Jordan himself was only passing through, that everything he had now was only temporary, even Russ.

He’d been quite happy living in a paradise of denial, and she’d pricked little holes in his bubble. The tidal wave was harder to push away. The need to make decisions about his life and get on with it prickled more insistently at the edges of his consciousness. And his excuses for not doing so sounded more and more pathetic.

For the first couple of days after she left, everyone continued to treat him like glass. But luckily, once the weekend hit in full force, Russ and Phyllis had their hands too full to tiptoe around him anymore. Russ was as crabby as ever by the end of the day, and Phyllis was too tired to mother him. Every time Russ barked out an order or growled under his breath, Jordan had to hide a smile. Things were getting back to normal, and Jordan couldn’t have been happier about it, even if he felt a few twinges of guilt for grabbing on to the distraction like a lifeline.

BY TUESDAY morning, Jon and Ernie had taken their cues from Russ and went back to ribbing Jordan at the breakfast table. When Russ’s hand slid almost absently onto Jordan’s thigh under the table as he teased Phyllis about something, Jordan closed his eyes, let out a happy sigh, and sipped his coffee.

Normal. That was all he wanted.

Marina was doing better by the day. Missy and Daisy were being picked up by their new family by the end of the week. Three of the goats had found a new home with a family in Waco. Over the weekend, a rancher from Clifton had agreed to donate two hundred bales of extra harvested feed hay after Jordan had given the man’s wife and kids the grand tour—and possibly talked them into taking a horse or pony in the bargain.

Life was pretty good.

Russ squeezed his thigh again, breaking him out of his daydream.

“Jordan, hon, you feelin’ all right?” Phyllis asked as she cleared dishes from the table.

“I’m fine. My mind just wandered a little,” he said, flushing in embarrassment.

Phyllis gave him a gentle smile as she collected his plate. “Well, at least your appetite’s back. You didn’t eat hardly anything when your sister was here. Of course, she barely ate more’n a mouse too. Must be a family thing.”

That worried V appeared between Russ’s eyebrows again, but Jordan took his hand under the table and squeezed it reassuringly. “Really, I’m fine. I was actually just thinking we had a pretty good weekend, all things considered.”

Her smile widened. “Yeah, we did. You were great with that Barton woman from Clifton. I think you might have just made a new regular donor out of her. We’re gonna need that extra feed, which is something I wanted to talk to you two about.”

Russ and Jordan both stopped clearing the last of breakfast from the table. “What’s that?” Russ asked.

“I got an email this morning from Bailey’s Rescue outside of Muskogee. Seems they got a big case from a debunked ‘rescue’ in Arkansas they need help with, and they’re reaching out to every good rescue they know, looking for help. This is a big one, dozens of neglected horses. They’re hoping we can take three or four at the least, maybe more later. Russ, you and I can sit down and decide just how many we can afford, but I figured, while I had the two of you together, I’d see if you were willing to take a little overnight trip north.”

“I think we just might be able to manage that. Don’t you?” Russ said, his smile widening as he cocked an eyebrow at Jordan.

“It’s an eight-hour trek each way, so if you’d rather I asked Jon to go with Russ…,” Phyllis teased.

“No.” Jordan flushed as her grin widened. “No. I’m happy to help any way I can.”

“Good,” she replied, nodding. “You go on ahead out to the barn while Russ and me look at some numbers and talk. Then I’ll call around to find someone to come in for bit Wednesday and Thursday ’til you get back.”

Russ joined him in the barn an hour later. “Phyl got Michelle and another regular to agree to stop by when they can,” he began without preamble. “You sure you want to do this? It hasn’t been that long since your road trip down here.”

Jordan grinned up at him as he tapped a finger to his chin. “Hmmmm. Let me see. Almost two whole days, just the two of us, and a night alone in a hotel with you? I think I can make the sacrifice for the good of the horses.”

Russ tugged him close and gave him a deep, slow kiss. “Told you you had a generous heart.” He chuckled. “It’s still gonna be sixteen hours in a truck, so it won’t all be fun and games.”

“I’ll manage.”

With a swat to Jordan’s ass, Russ strode away. “Well then, get back to work so we have time to get the trailer ready and pack. We’re leaving before first light,” he threw over his shoulder.

“I love it when you’re bossy,” he called after him with a grin.

DESPITE BEING on the ranch for weeks now, Jordan still shuffled down the stairs like the undead come morning. Russ pretty much dragged him to the truck and shoved a travel mug into his hand. Russ would have to do all the driving, since Jordan had never hauled a trailer in his life, but that was probably the safest bet for all concerned.

“Damn morning people,” Jordan grumbled into his mug as Phyllis waved them a cheery goodbye.

“Gotta be up with the animals,” Russ replied with a smile. “Don’t worry, baby. I know you’re not used to it yet. I can keep quiet for a while if you want to go back to sleep.”

“Wouldn’t be much of a copilot if I left you all alone,” Jordan mumbled around a yawn.

“This time of day I’m fine. Now when the sun goes down, that’s a different story.”

“You’re more than fine when the sun goes down too. I speak from experience.”

Russ threw him a grin and batted his eyelashes. “Why, thank you, kind sir.”

Jordan nearly snorted his coffee. Teasing, playful Russ might just be worth rolling out of bed at the ass-crack of dawn.

When Jordan was finished coughing and wiping his mouth, Russ picked up his phone, unlocked it, and handed it over. “There’s a few books on Audible on there, plus a couple I still have from the library on Overdrive, if you want to pick one for us to listen to.” His grin turned a little sheepish. “I figured that might be better than us trying to find common ground with music.”

“What? You don’t want me to entertain you with my witty repartee for the next eight hours? I’m hurt.”

“If you got something you want to talk about, you know I’ll listen,” Russ replied, his voice and his gaze entirely too serious.

“Nope. I’m good,” Jordan rushed to reply.

They hadn’t had another heart-to-heart since the one in the barn, and Jordan was perfectly happy with that for the time being. He was still cringing in embarrassment from the last time.

“Didn’t think so,” Russ murmured, shooting Jordan the side-eye and a wry grin.

Keeping his head down, Jordan scrolled through the titles on Russ’s phone, surprised at the sheer size of his library. “I didn’t know you read so much. I mean, I saw the ones on the bookshelf in your bedroom, but this is impressive.”

Russ shrugged. “I discovered e-books and audiobooks about the time I started at the B STAR, so I only lugged my favorite hard copies when I moved and donated the rest. You have lots of time to listen to a book when you’re mucking stalls and doing the busy work, and I read a lot before bed, but most of it’s digital.”

“I’ve only seen you pick up a book a couple of times at night. I didn’t even know you had an e-reader.”

“That’s because I had my hands full with something else.”

Jordan returned his grin and rolled his eyes. “Sorry. I didn’t realize I was keeping you away from your favorite hobby.”

Russ reached across the bench seat and squeezed Jordan’s thigh. “It was worth it.”

Hiding a pleased shiver, Jordan scrolled until he found a John Grisham that sounded interesting. With all the reading he’d had to do for school, Jordan hadn’t done much for pleasure, but maybe he’d follow Russ’s lead from now on and look into some audiobooks, especially if the library had them for free.

Look at me, being all frugal and fiscally responsible.

By lunchtime, Jordan was convinced audiobooks were the best road-trip idea ever. His family had never been one for road trips. His father’s bank had a private jet, so they mostly used that and commercial flights in first class to go where they wanted. After four hours in the truck, with another four to go, Jordan could understand why.

“My ass is numb,” he whined.

“That’s why we’re stopping, that and I’m starving. Don’t worry. I’ll massage it tonight when we get to the hotel.”

“Promise?”

“I’m a man of my word, ain’t I?”

Outside the restaurant, Russ eyed Jordan’s salad dubiously as they headed to one of the tables, but he didn’t say anything, and far too soon they were climbing back into the truck.

Just before they took the last turn to the rescue, according to GPS, Russ asked Jordan to pause the book. “We’ll be there soon, so I figured I should warn you now. We don’t know what kind of shape these horses are going to be in. Some of them might not make it. This won’t be as bad as visiting the actual place where the neglect happened. Bailey’s a good man and runs a great rescue. But I thought I should give you a heads-up before we roll in. The sight of that many animals in such bad shape breaks my heart every time, even after ten years at the B STAR.”

Russ eyed him soberly until Jordan nodded. After drawing in a deep breath and letting it out, he said, “I understand. Thanks for reminding me.”

Bailey’s had a cute painted wood sign at the entrance to the ranch, nestled among tall yellow and white wildflowers. Halfway up the dirt drive, they had to stop to wait for a mama goose and her goslings to cross. A long-haired highland cow munched lazily in a field to the right, eyeing them curiously through his russet bangs as they pulled into the gravel circle by the house.

The ranch itself was considerably smaller than the B STAR. When Jordan mentioned it, Russ said, “Bailey does mainly horses. I think he might have a donkey or two and a few other farm animals around, but the rescue is for horses.”

“Hey there!” a balding man in overalls pulled tight over an impressive belly and barrel chest descended the stairs of the ranch house when they pulled in. Sunlight gleamed off his dark brown scalp as he wiped a rag over it. “You made good time. Russ, right?”

Russ smiled, tipped his tan felt Stetson—which he reserved for “dressing up” when he was out in public off the ranch—and shook the man’s hand. “Yes, and this is Jordan.”

“Nice to meet you, Jordan, I’m Jedediah, but everyone just calls me Bailey. It’s hotter’n hades out here. You boys come inside, and Naomi’ll help get us something cold to drink.”

Naomi turned out to be Bailey’s seventeen-year-old daughter. She took time away from poring over papers in a makeshift office that was probably meant to be a dining room to say hi and help her dad serve iced tea.

The house was small, the furniture, wood floors, and rugs old and worn. Only a few weeks ago, Jordan might’ve internally turned up his nose at sitting on the ragged couch while they all exchanged small talk—just like his sister had. But now all he could think was how kind these people had to be to give every extra penny they had to something greater than themselves. His parents had always given a lot to charity, and his mother could be quite passionate about some of her causes, but they’d never actually sacrificed for it. They’d never felt the pinch of going without to help someone else. There was nobility in giving when you had little.

Russ got paid for his work, but he probably could have made more somewhere else, and he definitely put in more hours than a normal job would require. He did it for love, just like the Baileys must.

Jordan turned doe eyes and a sappy smile on Russ, and Russ frowned back. “Are you okay?” he mouthed when Bailey went to get refills for their drinks.

Jordan refrained from sighing and fluttering his eyelashes. “I’m fine.”

“Ooookay.”

Russ probably thought he was crazy, but Jordan didn’t mind. He had a whole night in a hotel bed—without Phyllis within hearing distance—to convince Russ otherwise and show just how much he admired him.

After they’d talked for a while, Bailey showed them to the pasture where the newest rescues were being kept. Jordan’s stomach twisted as he got a good look at the emaciated and ragged animals.

“We’ve got ’em all on a high-calorie diet and antibiotics for the sickest. We could only take about a dozen, even on a temporary basis. The rest have been scattered around at any rescue that had space. Phyllis said you could take four with you now?”

Russ nodded. “Yeah. We can fit four in the trailer. After we get ’em settled and figure out everything they’re gonna need, we might be able to come back for a few more. It depends on how the adoptions go this week and the next.”

“We’re grateful for any help you can give,” Bailey said with a smile. “Naomi’s got paperwork on four pulled out and ready for you. We can get ’em separated tonight so it’s easier to load ’em tomorrow morning.”

“That would be a big help, thanks.”

Between the three of them, they found the horses that corresponded to the numbered files and moved them to a pen. After checking them over, Russ decided they were gentle enough that he could trim their badly overgrown and thrush-infected hooves so they’d be a little more comfortable for the trip. Seriously, Jordan had never seen hooves grow that long in his life. Some of them even curled up like elf shoes. It was horrible, and they stank to high heaven once Russ started cutting into the infected areas.

By the time Russ finished a cursory clipping of the four they were taking, the sun was getting low and Jordan was way more tired than he should have been after sitting on his ass all day. But Russ still offered to work on some of the other horses while they had the light. Thankfully, Bailey shook his head. “I got a guy coming day after tomorrow. You drove a long way today, and you got a long way back tomorrow. Go get some rest, and we’ll see you in the morning.”

They unhooked the trailer from the pickup and left it in Bailey’s yard. After hopping in the truck, they headed back toward the highway. Jordan insisted on driving this time, since Russ looked dead on his feet.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Russ murmured as Jordan pulled out onto the main drag that led to the small town of Summit outside Muskogee.

“For what?”

With a yawn, Russ laid his head back against the seat. “I had big plans of taking you out to a nice dinner, like a real date, before we headed to the hotel, but I’m beat. I’d probably fall asleep on you before we got through the appetizer.”

Jordan’s smile was just a tad besotted as he cast Russ a sideways glance. “Yeah? You wanted to ask me on a date, huh?”

“Should’ve done it sooner, but pickings are kind of slim around the ranch, if you don’t want chain food—not much for the refined palate, if you know what I mean. Thought maybe I’d find someplace near here that was quaint and homey, if not five-star cuisine.”

“I don’t care where we go, Russ, really. And don’t worry about tonight. You were sawing and clipping and sanding for hours, even after an eight-hour drive up here. Of course you’re tired. I’m tired, and I barely did anything today…. Let’s just find a hotel, I’ll drop you off to shower and relax, and I’ll go looking for something to bring back for dinner.”

Russ’s smile was a tad sappy too. He was utterly adorable when he was sleepy, damned precious really, but Jordan would never say that out loud.

“My hero,” Russ murmured sleepily.