Family knows no boundaries. It was the Braden family creed, and Rex had lived loyally by it forever. He knew how important it was for Jade to have her father walk her down the aisle, but the worried look in Earl’s eyes told Rex that Earl might be worried about his poor health catching up to him in an even worse way than it already had.
“Looks like I’m late to the party.” Jade’s brother walked into the room with a serious look in his eyes.
Jade jumped to her feet and flew into Steve’s arms. “You’re here.”
“You knew I would be.” Steve was tall and broad, with shaggy dark hair that looked out of place with his park ranger uniform. He worked in the mountains of Preston, Colorado, two towns away.
Steve hugged his mother. “You okay, Mom?”
Jane’s frail shoulders rounded forward as if she’d lost all her strength. Even her brown hair had gone limp. She reached down and set a hand on her husband’s arm. “As well as can be expected.”
“He’s a strong man, Mom. He’ll be okay.” Steve embraced Rex next. “Rex, still as big as a bear, I see.”
Rex laughed. “Look who’s talking. You’re looking fit…for a mountain man.”
Steve was a big man, but at six foot three, two hundred fifty pounds, Rex had him beat by at least fifty pounds of solid muscle.
“I hear I’m going to be working with your cousin Shannon on an environmental project,” Steve said.
“Second cousin, and I’ll be watching you, so best keep yourself in line,” Rex warned. Shannon was in her early twenties and pretty as the day was long. She lived in Peaceful Harbor, Maryland, and was staying with Hal for the summer to complete a research assignment.
“Shit.” Steve scoffed. “I haven’t even met her yet. No need to get your panties in a bunch.” He leaned over his father and kissed his balding head. “How you feeling, Pop?”
“I’ve seen better days.” Earl patted his son’s hand. “Looks like the baby doc followed you in. Any news, Benji?”
Dr. Ben Carpenter shook his head as he came to Earl’s side. Ben had taken over his father’s medical practice after his father had retired. Mason Carpenter had been the town cardiologist for longer than Rex had been alive. No matter how successful Ben was, or how old he became, the old-timers still thought of him as little Ben, or as Earl had said, Benji.
“How about we stick to calling me either Ben or Dr. Carpenter,” Ben suggested with an arched brow and a slight smile.
“Dr. Carpenter was your father, but I suppose I can manage Ben,” Earl said.
Rex held a hand out and Ben shook it. “Good to see you, Ben.”
“You too, Rex. How’s Hal?”
“Doing great, thanks. Would you like privacy for this conversation? I can wait out in the hall.” Rex pointed a thumb over his shoulder toward the hall.
Jade reached for him. “No. Please stay.”
“Earl?” Rex asked out of respect for his future father-in-law.
Earl nodded. “My girl wants you here. I think you’ve got your answer.”
“Okay, well, Earl, hopefully this stent will do well for you,” Ben said. “You had one artery that was ninety percent blocked, which was actually lucky. It could have been worse. The stent should keep that open. But as I explained to your wife, your heartbeat was a little irregular, so we put you on an external pacemaker. Hopefully, we’ll be able to remove that in twenty-four hours. We’ll get you up and around once the pacemaker is removed.” Ben crossed his arms and lowered his chin, setting serious eyes on Earl. “We’re going to keep you here for a couple days of monitoring to make sure you don’t run into any other issues, but you should be able to go home Saturday afternoon. And I plan on harping on you each and every day about diet and exercise until you listen.”
Earl grumbled something indiscernible. “Saturday? See that, baby girl? I’ll be able to walk you down the aisle after all.”
“Excuse me, Earl,” Rex said. “What if there are complications and you don’t make it out of the hospital? I still think we should postpone the wedding, just to be safe.” The idea of unforeseen circumstances arising with Earl’s health and Jade being disappointed on Sunday was crushing.
Earl pointed a chubby finger at him. “Rex, you are not postponing this wedding.” He shifted his eyes to Jade. “Darlin’, if you delay your wedding, it will be that man’s head rolling when I’m strong enough to take him down, and don’t you doubt that one day I will most definitely be strong enough to do it.”
Ben placed a hand on Earl’s shoulder. “Settle down, Earl. You’re supposed to be healing, not mandating how your daughter and Rex live their lives. I’m sure they can work out their own wedding.”
“Nothing to work out,” Earl grumbled, and shot a narrow-eyed look at Rex.
“Well, we do have the whole wedding planned,” Jade said. “If Ben thinks Dad will be out in time, then I can’t see why we should postpone it.”
Rex had been brought up to respect his elders, but this didn’t feel right to him. He wouldn’t take a chance of getting married if his father were in the hospital, but he knew Jade had been planning the wedding for months, and Jade’s needs had trumped his own since their very first kiss.
“I don’t like this, Jade,” Rex said. “Family has to come first, and you’re under enough stress already. But if this is what you want…”
“Thank you.” Jade rose to her feet and kissed his cheek. “I trust Ben’s judgment.” She leaned in close to Rex and whispered, “I want to get some information about his dietary restrictions.”
“Ben, can I talk to you a minute outside?” Jade grabbed Ben’s arm and dragged him out the door.
“Earl, I’m with Rex on this,” Jane said. “Jade will be devastated if you can’t walk her down that aisle, and who knows what will happen between now and then.”
“Now, sweet pea, we both know that there are no guarantees in this world.” Earl reached for his wife’s hand. “Please do not let our daughter put her life on hold for me. If I’m able, I’ll be at that wedding.” He slid a steely gaze to Rex, leaving no room for negotiation.
Rex knew that there was no arguing with Earl. He had a feeling that pushing the issue would put him on the cusp of another family feud.
Chapter Three
IT WAS DARK by the time Rex headed back to his father’s ranch to check on the animals. He walked into the barn and inhaled the familiar scent of leather and hay. It was a comforting smell, one that Rex had been around his whole life. He found his eldest brother, Treat, in the barn with Hope. Rex had called Treat and asked him to take over the evening chores around the ranch in case he didn’t get back in time. Treat and Rex each owned property adjacent to their father’s ranch. While Rex worked on the ranch full-time, Treat helped out as needed and still ran his resort business from his home office.
“How’s Earl?” Treat stood beside Hope with a concerned look in his dark eyes. He was six foot six, like their father, with thick black hair that he kept cropped short. Treat owned resorts all over the world, and before meeting his wife, Max, he’d traveled more than eighty percent of the year. When he fell in love with Max, he put down roots here in Weston, so she could continue working for the Colorado Indie Film Festival, a job she loved. That was, until they had their two children, Adriana, now five, and their baby, Dylan. Now, while they raised their children, Max worked remotely from home and Treat traveled only six to eight times each year.
“As ornery as ever. They put in a stent, and they’re going to monitor him for a few days. They had to hook up an external pacemaker, so I guess we’ll see.” Rex righted his Stetson and moved in front of Hope. The red mare was getting up in age. Patches of white fur were becoming more evident with each passing year. She’d been moving slower lately, and Rex had made the painful decision to stop riding her two weeks ago. It was the first step in letting go, and not a decision he’d come to lightly.
Hope pressed her nose into Rex’s solar plexus and he planted a kiss on her broad forehead. Rex loved he
r up every morning before daybreak, and she was the last horse he said good night to at the end of each day. Hope was special to all of them. She had been a gift from Hal to their mother the year their mother had fallen ill. Hope had remained strong and agile long after their mother’s life had been stolen by cancer, a villain that none of them had been strong enough to slay.
Rex stroked Hope’s neck and swore her big black eyes looked sad, too. “Jade refuses to delay the wedding.”
“How do you feel about it?” Treat asked.
Rex shrugged. “I’ve waited four years to marry Jade.” He stood back from Hope and leaned against the stall. “Four years, Treat. In those four years I’ve watched you have a beautiful daughter and son. I’ve watched Hugh adopt Layla and bring Christian into the world. Now Savannah’s pregnant, and I’m still waiting to start my family with Jade.” Rex didn’t hold Treat or his younger siblings’ good fortune against them, but hell if he wasn’t jealous. “I want that, Treat. I want kids. I want Jade as my wife, not just my fiancée. You know that.”
“I do know all those things, Rex.”
“But now…It’s just not right. Earl’s family, and Jade’s one dream is to have her father walk her down the aisle. You know that anything can go wrong. I just feel like shit about waiting so long to get married in the first place, but Jade wanted to plan the wedding, and she was so busy with her veterinary practice, and now…” Rex took off his hat and ran his hand through his long black hair.
“Am I a prick for wanting to postpone the wedding? I feel like a prick. Something in Earl’s eyes told me that he was worried about waiting, like he wasn’t sure he’d make it much longer—though Ben thinks he will get out of the hospital on Saturday. We’re three days from our wedding, and both Jade and Earl want this wedding to take place, but I look at Earl and he’s hooked up to a pacemaker and all these monitors and machines.”
“Talk to Jade. Maybe she’ll come to see it your way.” Treat petted Hope again.
Rex arched a brow. “You do remember my fiancée, right? Hot little number with a big heart and a bigger stubborn streak.”
“I don’t envy you. I wouldn’t want to go up against Earl, much less Jade. Remember, she’s waited years to marry you, too. I’m sure she’s overwhelmed and clutching to Ben’s prognosis for her sanity. Give it a day.”
“She is overwhelmed. Which is another reason I think we should postpone the wedding. What would you do?”
“That depends on which is the lesser of two evils: pissing off Jade and her father or possibly watching your fiancée’s dream of having her father walk her down the aisle fall apart on her wedding day.” Treat paused, looking intently at Hope as that truth settled in. “You think Hope looks okay?”
“She looks a little off to me, but it may be my slant on things at the moment. Where’s Dad?” Their father swore by the very ground he walked on that their mother watched over Hope from beyond the grave. If anyone could tell if Hope was okay or not, it would be Hal.
“He went to bed early after visiting Earl.” Treat smiled. “Funny how far they’ve come. I never thought I’d see the day when Dad visited Earl anywhere.”
As they walked up the hill toward Rex’s truck, Rex remembered the necklace Jade had lost. They had breakfast most mornings with Treat’s family and Hal at Hal’s house, and he wondered if it had fallen off there.
“You haven’t seen Jade’s necklace, have you?” Everyone in the family knew about the special connection Rex and Jade had to the necklace. It was the only necklace either of them ever wore.
Treat slowed his pace. “No, but I’ll keep an eye out. She lost it?”
“Apparently.” Rex’s chest constricted at the thought that the necklace might be lost forever.
“I’m sorry, Rex. I’ll ask Max to look around, too.”
“Thanks. I’m going to scour our place, then retrace her steps since the last time she remembers having it on.” Rex headed for his truck, then turned back. “Hey, Treat, you know I’m happy for you and Max, and Hugh and Bree, and Savannah and Jack, right? I was just venting my frustrations, but—”
“Rex, I get it. And don’t worry. You guys will figure this out.”
He was sure they would, but standing on the opposite side of Earl and Jade was not someplace Rex wanted to spend a single second, much less the next few days.
JADE CALLED RILEY Banks, her best friend—and fiancée to Rex’s brother Josh—while she searched the house for her necklace. It was after eleven, and Rex was checking on the animals at his father’s ranch. She knew Riley wouldn’t care if she called at three o’clock in the morning, much less one o’clock in the morning, as it was now in New York. As her maid of honor, she practically expected late-night freak-outs.
“Hey, future bride. Are you overwhelmingly nervous about Sunday?” Riley and Josh were world-renowned fashion designers and lived in New York City. They had a fashion show this weekend, but they were flying back to Colorado late Saturday afternoon for Sunday’s wedding.
“Ri, I’m not sure there’s going to be a wedding.”
“What? Jade, what’s going on? Do you want me to come home right now? I’ll blow off the show if you’re desperate for me to smack you upside your head.”
She heard the smile in Riley’s voice. “Dad’s in the hospital. He had a heart attack.”
“Oh, no. I’m so sorry.” And just like that, a warm hug came through the phone. “I’ll come home.”
“No. Stay for your show. It’s fine. He’s supposed to get out of the hospital Saturday. He doesn’t want us to delay the wedding, but of course Rex thinks we should. He can’t fathom the idea of having the wedding with Dad in the hospital. I just don’t know what to do.” Tears welled in her eyes. She felt like she’d done nothing but cry lately.
“How bad is he? What did Ben say?” One of the most comforting things about living in a small town was also one of the most annoying—everyone knew everyone else. In this case, it was a good thing, because Riley knew and trusted Ben. He’d been a few years ahead of them in school.
“They put in a stent and an external pacemaker to regulate his heartbeat. Ben thinks Dad will get out on Saturday and he should recover fine. There was only blockage in one artery, which is surprising given how he eats. Of course he needs lifestyle changes. He’s needed them forever.” Jade sighed. “You know Dad. He’s never going to stop eating Mom’s corn bread loaded with butter, or spare ribs, or pie...”
“Well, it’s good news that he’ll recover. Your mom must be a mess. Are you sure you don’t want me to come home and help you? The show means nothing to me compared to your family.”
“No. We’re okay. Mom spent half the day like a zombie, but you know her. She’ll be stronger once the initial shock wears off. I am worried about how we’re going to convince Dad to eat healthier and exercise.”
“Maybe it’s time for your mom to modify her cooking habits without telling him. Why don’t you talk to Max and see if she can give her some tips. She knows all about swapping butter for applesauce and other heart-friendly tips. When we were down at Christmas, she was telling me all about the substitutions she makes for Hal because Treat worries about his heart.”
“That man is stronger than a bull.” Jade made a mental note to ask Max tomorrow.
“Yeah, but he’s almost seventy, and according to Max, Ben told Treat that big men—heavy or tall—tend to have more trouble as they age. Jade, I’m happy to come home. I don’t want you to go through this alone.”
“I’m fine. Rexy is here, and even if he’s upset about not canceling the wedding, he’s still my rock.” She thought about the necklace, and more tears sprang to her eyes. “Ri?”
“Yeah?”
“There’s something else.” Jade nibbled on her lower lip.
“More than your dad’s heart attack?”
Jade heard Riley cover the mouthpiece and say, “Josh, I might have to go home tomorrow.”
“Stop. You are not missing your show,” Jade said. Ril
ey and Josh had been preparing for the fashion show for the past eight months.
“I’ll be the judge of that. What else?”
“His mom’s necklace.” She couldn’t bring herself to say it.
“Oh God, Jade. What?”
“I lost it,” she whispered.
“No. No way. Did you look everywhere?”
“Yeah.” She looked around the messy bedroom. She’d torn through every drawer, her entire closet, the bathroom, and she’d left everything upended. “You should see our bedroom. It looks like we’ve been robbed. I turned the house upside down.”
“Okay. I’m sure we’ll find it. If you haven’t found it by the time I arrive, I’ll retrace your steps, too. For now just breathe.” Riley paused, and Jade imagined her brows knitted and her eyes darting around the room as if she might conjure up the necklace from afar. “Did you check your car? The barn? Hal’s barn? Your clients’ barns?”
“Not yet, but I will tomorrow. It’s been a crazy day with Dad landing in the hospital.” Jade heard the door open and Rex’s heavy footsteps crossing the hardwood floor, and the air immediately felt lighter. She listened to his footfalls on the stairs. “Rexy’s home. I want to see him. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come home?”
Rex’s broad shoulders filled the bedroom doorway as his dark eyes skirted over the upended room. The right side of his mouth quirked up in a sexy smile that made Jade’s heart flutter. He closed the distance between them, every step full of stealth and virility that she was sure only Rex Braden could pull off. His eyes narrowed, darkened, as they shifted to the phone.
“Ri?” Rex whispered when he reached the edge of the bed.
Jade nodded. “Ri, I’ve…” Her mouth went dry when he tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it aside, revealing the peaks and valleys of his ripped abs and muscular chest. “Ri?” Her body tingled with anticipation as she watched him tug off his boots and unhook his belt.
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