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

by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

  He glanced upstairs again when he hit END, wondering if Brenna was getting lectured. And if Brenna told her sister that cowboy Carlson took her virginity. He smirked, and the thought of her stabbed him in the gut like an arrow. His brother was right. Maybe something like this did happen only once in a lifetime.

  When his phone rang he wondered if Brenna might be calling for help, but it was his brother again. “Forget something?”

  “Mom wanted me to invite you and Brenna for dinner. Bring her little sis. She thinks Wednesday is good.”

  “She would think any day was good,” said Jase before giving a subtle laugh. He stood and paced to the window. “I’ll get back to you about it. I have an auction coming up here soon, an overnighter.” Jase pressed one palm against the wall and glanced down, wetting his parched lips before answering. “I’ll have to ask Brenna.”

  “I’ll tell Mom.”

  Jase hung up and watched Brenna come downstairs. Chloe walked beside her with her laptop held against the front of her body. They spoke low with each other. Brenna smiled.

  ***

  After dinner Chloe went upstairs to her room, and Brenna said to Jase, “My sister thinks we should talk about our accident.”

  “Whenever you’re ready. I know it can’t be easy.” He glanced over his shoulder when Chloe came back downstairs. At the bottom, she turned and went up again. Once at the top, she pivoted and came right back down stairs. She waited at the bottom a moment, and did it all over again before settling. Chill, girl.

  “I’ll be right in, Bren.” She got a bottle of water out of the fridge and returned to the living room. Chloe sat beside Brenna and set the bottle on the floor in front of the sofa. Sitting back, she cuddled close to her sister and Brenna put her arm around Chloe’s shoulder.

  Jase sat back in his chair, both feet planted on the floor. He looked back and forth at the two of them. Brenna’s hair was a little darker, longer. He braced himself for what they were about to say.

  “Well, as you know I have scars,” began Brenna, glancing at her sister afterward with a confident air about her. “I guess you should know the story. As Chloe said, she nearly lost her hand. I nearly lost my leg. Two compound fractures. Thank God there was a miracle team of surgeons that saved us both.” She took hold of Chloe’s hand. “Our sister wasn’t as lucky.” Her voice cracked. She gulped and reached for Chloe’s water bottle.

  Jase stood and squeezed between them and put his arm around their shoulders. He held them close. “It’s not necessary to go on if it’s too difficult. The terror you’ve been through must’ve been awful.” He turned to Chloe and in a warm and caring voice, he said, “To lose your twin sister…I can’t imagine the horror.”

  Brenna continued. “Our dad lived for two weeks before he died. His injuries were too bad, and his body had been burned.” She took a breath and peered straight ahead. “Mom died on the scene.” She stopped and looked down at her lap. Sniffling, she said, “I saw she had already died before I passed out from loss of blood. I didn’t know the extent of the accident until I woke days later.” She peered around Jase at her sister and settled back into the crook of his arm. “They kept Chloe and me in the same room, so we at least had each other.” She reached for Jase’s hand around her shoulder. “We both had a very long recovery.”

  He was almost overcome by her words. Thinking of his own family and how close they all were, he couldn’t imagine the heartache…or how a person went on afterward. Then his cousin Caulder and his tragedy came to mind. He re-lived that hell for an instant. “I’m glad you’re both here…with me. You know I’m here if you ever need to talk…or need to be held.” He squeezed them. “Both of you.”

  “Thanks, Jase,” said Chloe. She removed his arm from around her, got up and went upstairs.

  Jase followed her all the way up with his gaze. “Will she be okay?” he asked. “Do you want to go to her?”

  “It’s always the worse when we start talking about it, reliving the moment that it happened. Sometimes when I look at Chloe, I long for Jordann so badly.” Her voice went higher. “I can only imagine what she goes through to lose a part of her, so to speak.” Brenna turned into his shoulder.

  “Oh, baby, go ahead and let it all go. I’m here.” He wrapped her in both of his arms and held tight as her tears dampened his shirt. “I want to always be here…with you.” He leaned his cheek against the top of her head.

  After a few minutes, Brenna sat up straight and dried her eyes. “I don’t like being weak in front of someone.”

  “I’m not any someone, baby. I love you.” It’s weird saying that. But, dammit he was in love with her and happy about it. “I should open up a little more. You don’t even know my story. Maybe you think I’m a wife beater and that’s why she left.”

  “That’s right, I don’t know why your wife left. But, I do know your heart, and I’m willing to bet you had no part in it.” She took his hand.

  “Well, in my eyes, nothing was wrong. I don’t know when Rebecca stopped loving me. Way before I found out. She got hooked on drugs again, after being clean for a decade. I didn’t even realize it.” He peered downward. “Even when she started sleeping on the sofa, stupid me, figured she fell asleep watching TV.” Jase half shrugged. “Denial maybe.” He told her about the fight they had when she said she’d leave and not take the kids, and how Rebecca and the kids were gone the next night.

  “Baby doll, I’m sorry. I know one day you’ll have your kids back.”

  “What would you do?” Jase turned to face her, her eyes still misty, and he hoped like hell his wouldn’t be next. “I mean…” He shrugged and pulled a thread on the hem of his t-shirt. “I mean what would you do?” He lifted his hands. “I have two little kids.” He needed to know because if she couldn’t accept his kids, he might as well stop right here. Not an easy feat. What a mess he created. Taking something sacred from the woman and now thinking of this? Someone should slug him for being an asshole. He faced her again.

  “What would you want me to do, Jase?” Her expression was soft, yet serious.

  “Shit.” He dropped his head against the sofa back. How could he let this get so far without having this discussion earlier? “If you want the truth, I’d want you to accept them. I want you both—you and my kids.”

  Brenna covered his mouth with her finger. “You want me to accept your kids? Do you think I didn’t know that before I got involved with you? I know those babies are a part of your life…you. I never expected to have you without them. You’re a father, I knew this from the beginning.”

  Jase kissed her. “We should have talked before.” He leaned forward and lowered his face into his hands. “I miss them so damn much.”

  She laid her hand on his back. “I’ve already accepted Jaelle and Joseph. The question is, will they accept me?”

  “I hope to God we get the chance to find out.” He peered into her eyes. “My kids are loving and giving children. I don’t have a doubt.”

  Brenna smiled. “Then we’re good. You’ve accepted my kid sister, attitude and all, and proved that earlier. I think you won her over without a doubt, dude.”

  Dude. He laughed to himself. “Cool. I’m glad we settled this. Because one day I’ll get them back, and I’m falling deeper in love with you more every freaking day.” He grasped her shoulders and lowered his voice. “I don’t want to lose you.” Jase looked to the floor. “Talk about showing weakness. You must think I’m a milksop.”

  “What? Before answering, I need to know what that is first.”

  He gave a hardy laugh. “Something my grandmother used to say. A sissy, or a wuss…you know.”

  “Not at all… It takes a strong guy to show a weakness. A guy that I love so much. I do love you so much, Jase.”

  Weak. No argument there. He brought her against him and hugged her tight again. “Oh, girl. You saved me.”

  “Maybe we saved each other.”

  She had the cutest look on her face, innocent yet somber, and s
he meant it. So had he. She had saved him from himself. Yeah.

  Brenna squeezed his thigh. “I better get up to my sister now.”

  “I gotta get to my horses. They probably miss me. Not to mention Max. He might think I disappeared since I told him where I was staying in Yuma in case anything did happen to my ass.”

  “Oh, no! Now I’ll worry when you go off again. I didn’t think of it being dangerous.”

  “Come on, hon, it’s not. I know how to take care of myself.” I’m only weak around her. “Besides, I know I’m coming home to a hot blonde.” Jase patted her hand on his thigh. “My mom wants you and Chloe to come to dinner Wednesday. Meet the family. Talk about loving and giving…there ya go. Come on.”

  “I’ll convince my sister, and yes, accept your invitation.”

  “All right! Which reminds me, I have another auction to go to this week, an overnighter.” Jase thought a minute. “Wanna go? Hell, bring your sister and I’ll see if Davy can come along…if you two approve.”

  “I’d love it! Where will Davy sleep? I’ll sleep with my sister, of course. You understand.”

  “I have plenty of room. But I ain’t sleeping with Davy.” He chuckled and stood. “Maybe it’ll be boring for you and her, but its time you learn this part of my life. A rancher’s life. You need to know.” He went to the door and pulled his boots on. “If you guys approve, I’ll talk to Davy and get back to you with details.”

  Brenna walked to the door and put her hands on his shoulders. “Welcome back, baby doll. And just so you know? I can’t wait to make love to you again. Maybe you’ve created a monster?”

  “Oh, sweetheart, I can’t wait to find out. Now I have to leave?”

  “I need a day to recuperate.” She winked at him, and whispered, “From what I gathered so far, you’re a fantastic lover. But what do I know, right?”

  “Let’s go with that. I like the reputation.” Jase tapped the tip of her nose. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow and let you take a look at my big, old horse trailer.”

  “Oh, baby, how exciting!”

  “I love you, Brenna Page. You’re my kind of woman. Sleep well, honey.”

  Chapter 23

  Jase, Brenna, and Chloe sat on the bleachers in front of the outdoor arena at his mom’s ranch on Wednesday afternoon. Judy brought Sammy George to meet her, and Chloe walked up to the rail. “Would you like to get on him? He’s a good old horse and he’ll be easy on you as long as I hold this rope. Other than that, he’ll have to get to know you a bit better.” Judy held up the rope. “We call this a lead rope.”

  Chloe shrugged. “I’ll give him a try. I did get on a couple at Jase’s ranch. Davy held the reins and I rode beside him in the ring.”

  “Davy? Oh, he’s a nice young man.” Judy called Jase over. “Will you get Chloe a helmet? Your brother will have a fit if we don’t put one on this girl’s head.”

  “Sure, Mom, but you know the reason is for insurance.” He turned toward Brenna. “Come on and walk through the barn with me. I’ll get a helmet out of the tack room.” He took hold of her hand. Jase pointed ahead toward his brother’s boarder barn. “If we drive through the desert, right of his barn, we’ll get to my place. That’s what I call the back way.”

  “Is it far?”

  “Two miles give or take a tumbleweed or two.” He laughed and bumped against her hip.

  “A tumbleweed? Is that how you measure distance in Arizona?” Brenna questioned. “I’ll have to teach the kids that when school starts?”

  “Not hardly. You’ll lose your job.” He loved teasing her sometimes. “Go left up here and we’ll run into Tristan’s barn where he has his own horses.” He pointed in between the two barns. “The house back there is his new one. Brand new. I helped him build it…well with a builder of course.”

  “Oh, nice. I’d like to look at it sometime. How’d you guys get into horse ranching?”

  He pointed behind them. “Our dad had all this property. Before he died, he turned it over to us guys and my mom. My little brother, Dane, handed his over to my mom for now, unofficially. He had enough of ranching when he was living with my parents. He thinks he’s not a cowboy anymore.”

  Jase did a quick refection of when he came here. Not that he wanted to watch his dad die. But, he came for his mom. At least he had a good year with his dad before he died. “My dad and brothers taught me what I needed to know. That’s when I decided to have my own ranch, buy and sell the horses, sometimes breed them.”

  “Goodness. I wouldn’t know where to start with a ranch.”

  “You manage what you have to do, and know how to start over better than most.”

  She stopped him on the road. “True, Jase. I’m here because of my sister. She already seems different.”

  He took her by the elbow and directed her. “Maybe she’ll take to riding. I’ll let her work around the ranch to get used to it if she wants.” Jase looked up when a pickup truck pulled in.

  “Why’s Davy here?” she asked.

  “He works here a lot of the time. Or hangs out.” Jase brushed his hand forward toward the door. “He’s been around for a long time. He’s a hardworking kid for his age. Give him a little credit.”

  Another deep sigh. “I’ll try.”

  “The tack room is in the back.” He pointed out the stalls, saying his brother still had an empty stall but kept extra horses around. They moved toward the back of the barn. “Come over here and look at this horse. She’s a doozy.” He released her hand and went into a stall, bringing a black horse over. “This is Betsy, she’s a Friesian. There’s a couple more running around out in the back.”

  “She’s absolutely gorgeous.” Brenna ran her hand over the long mane. She turned to him. “But, you know what? I love your palominos. They’re awesome to me.”

  “That’s the one you’re riding next time. Let me finish breaking her. Did you find a name for her yet?” He stared at her while she was deep in thought. She’s so damn cute. “I better get that helmet or your sister won’t get a ride in before dinner.”

  “Hey, Jase, how are ya,” asked Davy, after he entered the barn. “What are y’all doing?” He nodded to Brenna.

  “Grabbing a helmet for Chloe. My mom’s got her out there with Sammy on a lead rope.”

  “I’ll run it over there if you want to show Brenna around.”

  “If you don’t mind,” said Brenna, “I’d like to see her ride.”

  “Sure, Bren,” said Jase. He grabbed a couple helmets and all three of them headed back to the outdoor ring. “You’ll probably meet some of the ranch hands at dinner. My mom would invite the whole county if she could. Sometimes she invites my ranch hands or sends dinner over to them.”

  “So, she likes to cook?”

  “For sure. She likes people. We’re all like a big family around here. You’ll fit in fine.” When they were near the arena, Jase handed Davy the helmet.

  He ran ahead and leaned against the rail. “I’ll give you a boost up, Chloe, so you don’t have to go over to the stand to get on.”

  Brenna laughed, and spoke low, nudging Jase in the arm. “Or you can make the horse lie down.”

  Jase gave a cock-eyed grin. “That’s reserved for you, and I trained Warrior to do that.”

  “Oh, touché on me. I didn’t know you were the only cowboy who could do something so ingenious.”

  He peered at her with a lifted brow. “Are you being a smartass today?” He tried to look threatening, remaining expressionless. “This is my territory now, woman, so you best watch yourself.” Jase narrowed his eyes at her. “I’ll take you back into that barn and…well, it has something to do with a hayloft.”

  “I admit I’ve never experienced something like that.”

  “In time, doll. I’ll have to rough you up a little first.” He nodded toward the ring. “Look at your sister, she’s cantering.”

  “If only Davy wasn’t sitting behind her. How the hell did that happen?”

  Jase laughed. “I know what
you mean.” He moved behind and embraced her. “Gives me ideas…and a memory of how you almost got laid on a horse.”

  “Impossible!” Brenna poked her elbow into his gut and glanced over her shoulder at him.

  “Oh, girl, I take that as a challenge.” He slid her hair off the side of her neck and planted a kiss. In the heat, her perfume mixed with sweat and the fragrance enticed him closer, making him want to do more than kiss her pretty neck.

  “Everything’s a challenge to you. You’re on.”

  He loved how daring she pretended to be. “I can’t wait. Send your sister out with Davy tonight,” he whispered. “I’ll show you my own hayloft. It’s bigger than Tristan’s.”

  “Nope, you’ll have to suffer for now.” She nodded toward the ring. “Your mom is finished. Shall I see about helping her and Nora in the kitchen?”

  “She’ll probably like that. Besides, I need to get you off the front of my body so I can concentrate. Talk about creating a monster…” On purpose, he smiled in the way she called sexy. “But, you don’t know what you’ve missed until the hay scratches your back, darlin’.”

  “Or your back…” Brenna pivoted in his arms and took a half step back. “I don’t mind being pressed up against you at all, but scratchy hay on my tender skin?” She removed his hands from her waist, swiftly heading to meet Judy when she came out of the ring.

  ***

  Chloe sat beside her at the dining room table, and since Davy had been invited at the last minute, he was placed beside Chloe. Brenna observed the size of the room and the older style furniture and décor, but it fit together perfectly. A huge window allowed a view of the desert and with the sun lowering, the landscape through it was serene. Brenna glanced at her sister as she spoke low to Davy. She kept her head down and only looked at her and Davy, as if she was afraid to be caught watching anyone else.

  “Chloe, dear, what did you think of your ride?” asked Judy.

  “I liked it, Mrs. Carlson. It was fun. Thank you for letting me ride.”