Change of Heart

by T. J. Kline

  Chapter Fourteen

  “WHAT DO YOU mean, you’re a hacker?”

  Gage was struggling to keep his face void of any emotion when right now he wanted to strangle this kid. Jude seemed almost proud of his accomplishment, hacking into his high school’s system in order to change not only his grades but those of his buddies and half of his class, simply because he could. He was completely unapologetic when he laughed about the chaos it had caused as the administration scrambled to figure out the correct grades for each of the kids affected and tried to right the after-effects of this kid’s “good time.” The horse tossed his head, trying to pull at the reins Gage suddenly realized he was clenching in a fist that he’d rather use to throttle this arrogant genius.

  “It’s what I do.” The kid shrugged, his blue eyes taking in Gage’s barely controlled rage. “It’s not like I hurt anyone, and before you say it, I did not threaten that teacher. You a cop or something?”

  Gage loosened his grip on the reins and the horse relaxed beneath him. “Something.”

  Jude laughed. “Let me guess, you had your credit card stolen, and you think it was a hacker that did it? Got news for ya, Grandpa, living in a digital world is dangerous. People should be more careful.”

  Clenching his jaw and trying not to visualize pummeling a teenage kid, Gage inhaled deeply as the blond kid with the quick smile came up on his other side.

  “Hey, Romeo, Doc’s feeling lonely at the back of the pack.”

  “What?” He turned in the saddle to look at Leah, who was trying to look busy inspecting the landscape.

  “What?” Jude followed his gaze, a frown pinching his dark brows together.

  “Sorry, Jude. She’s only got eyes for muscle-man here. You don’t even register on her radar, Geek.”

  An irritable shadow crossed Jude’s face. Gage saw him clench his jaw in anger and fought back a self-righteous smile. Suck on that, you little prick.

  Okay, so his jealous, immature inner child was surfacing. Leah would have no interest in a sixteen-year-old boy. Logically, he knew it, but it didn’t quell the animosity for this kid from rising up in his gut. This was a kid who did what he wanted just because he could, without any consideration for the people he might be hurting. Teachers and administrators could have lost their jobs, simply because he was mad about a grade.

  “Whatcha waitin’ on? The doc is calling; best get to runnin’ over there.” Jude sneered, his lip curling in derision.

  A confident grin split Gage’s lips. “Oh, kid, you’ve got a lot to learn about women.” He slowed Grady, falling behind the group to where Leah rode. “Hey.”

  She didn’t even look his way. “Hey.”

  “Enjoying the ride?”

  “Yep.”

  These one word answers weren’t going to get them anywhere. “You know, of all your curves, your smile is my favorite.”

  Leah rolled her eyes and looked at him, trying to hide her smile behind annoyance. “Really? You’re going to try one of those stupid lines on me now?”

  “It got you to smile, didn’t it?”

  She shook her head and ran a hand over her horse’s neck. “I’m supposed to be working. I can’t do that if I’m chatting with you. I should be talking to the boys.”

  “I have no doubt they’d love to be talking to you.”

  She prickled, sitting up straighter in the saddle. “What does that mean?”

  “Oh, come on, Leah. You and Jessie had to notice how those four were watching the two of you instead of the horses in the corral.”

  “Yeah, watching us tell them how to saddle and ride.”

  “Sure they were,” he scoffed. “Especially when you showed them how to clean a horse’s hooves.”

  He tried not to visualize the rounded curve of her rear as she’d bent over, the jeans she wore accenting the length of thigh under the denim.

  “You’re sick.” She bumped her heels against the animal’s side, urging the mare to speed up, leaving Gage to watch her hips rock provocatively in the saddle as she rode up to the two brothers talking to Nathan.

  Jude’s mocking laughter rolled backward as the kid turned in his saddle. Gage felt the muscle in his jaw ticking like a time bomb as he tried to keep his temper from exploding on the smart-ass kid riding ahead of him.

  “Thanks for showing me how it’s done, Romeo. Or was that how not to get the deal closed?”

  LEAH WANTED TO discount what Gage had said about the boys, wanted to believe that they wanted to talk to her so that she could help them, but the way their eyes kept straying, she knew Gage was right. Especially considering Cody’s earlier comment about Jude.

  It wasn’t the first time a patient had flirted, so she always made sure to dress appropriately. There wasn’t anything for the teens to see other than her jeans and a T-shirt. But, while their attention was focused elsewhere, they’d loosened their reservations and opened up to her. So far, Hector and Miguel had already confessed to her how much better their life was with Melody, their foster mother, than with their father. Once they’d been able to get away from the influence of their father, who was serving time in prison, they’d been able to do things they’d never dreamed. Like participating in track, even earning a chance to go to college and, feeling, for the first time, that they had a family.

  She could hear the tender affection the boys had for the woman in their voices. “She sounds like an amazing woman. I can’t wait to meet with her.”

  Hector laughed. “You will. She’ll be coming to pick us up.”

  “At least we don’t have to look at Chase until next week. He makes me nervous,” Miguel said with a chuckle.

  “He should after that call that you were loitering.”

  “You were loitering?”

  Leah frowned. She didn’t know the boys well, but they seemed to be well-adjusted teen boys from what they had said so far. Both B-students making the honor roll, both on the varsity track team at school, no real issues to speak of now that they were away from the gang that had tried to lure them in after their father’s arrest.

  “No, but I guess, because my skin is brown, someone decided I must be dangerous. They called the police, and Chase showed up to check it out. I was just waiting for Coach outside his office.”

  Leah didn’t miss the angry hurt she could hear rising up at the prejudice the boys had faced, whether due to their race or economic status. She’d faced the same harsh judgment because of her mother, as well as her own poor choices, and could empathize. But, she couldn’t explain that to these two. At least, not yet.

  “Heads up. We’re almost there,” Nathan called, interrupting the conversation and the anger was snuffed from Miguel’s eyes by his excitement.

  Jude’s voice carried to where Leah was, and she turned in her saddle to see the boy leaning toward Gage.

  “Don’t be such an arrogant ass, man. I didn’t hurt anyone.”

  It wasn’t the teen’s comment that caught her attention. It was Gage. She’d never seen such open animosity in his face. His entire body was taut, like a coiled snake ready to strike, and looked just as dangerous. Without thinking, she tapped the horse in the ribs and hurried to move between them.

  “Jude, head up to the front if you want to see The Ridge first.”

  The boy cast one last challenging glare at Gage. “Yeah, I think I will.”

  As soon as Jude was out of earshot, Leah turned on Gage. “What the hell are you doing?” she hissed through her clenched teeth. “We are supposed to be helping these kids, not instigating arguments and causing more trouble.”

  “He’s a delinquent.”

  “No shit, Sherlock. That’s why he’s here.” She shook her head. “You’re supposed to be an adult. That means having your temper under control enough to help, not make matters worse.”

  “How can you deal with arrogance like that?” Gage flung his hand in the direction Jude had gone. “He doesn’t even care if what he did was wrong.”

  “And how are you qualifie
d to judge that?”

  Leah couldn’t believe this was the same man she’d gotten to know over the past few days. The same man who’d rescued her, as well as two kittens. The same man who’d been so tender with her the night before. She stopped her mount in front of Gage.

  “What is this really about?”

  The fire seemed to douse in him as he rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Damn it,” Gage muttered.

  Leah frowned, concerned. “Gage?”

  “It’s nothing, okay? I’ll apologize to him when we stop. I shouldn’t have . . . I’ll apologize.”

  She looked back at the group as they made their way to the end of the path that climbed up the hill. “Look, we can stop for a minute. Talk to me.”

  “No, it’s just work stuff. I just need to get my head on straight.”

  She eyed him skeptically. “Gage, you wouldn’t act like this with a kid over work stress.” She blocked the path, refusing to go any further until he gave her some answers. If this had something to do with Jude, or something he’d done, she needed to know. “You’re pretty fired up over something that simple.”

  Gage sighed and stopped his horse. “He’s a hacker.”

  “I know, I read his file. What does that have to do with you?”

  “Look, you have a job to do. I promised not to interfere with it, so let’s just catch up to everyone else and—”

  “And what? Have you start another fight with a sixteen-year-old kid?” Leah moved her horse closer, wondering why he was being so secretive. Was it possible that Mr. What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get had a skeleton in his closet?

  Gage growled low in his throat. “That kid was fighting with me.” She heard the soft clop of hooves in the distance and saw Gage look past her. “Jessie’s waving to you. We should go.”

  He maneuvered the horse around her, but Leah reached for his arm, her fingers closing over the hard muscle of his forearm, feeling it tense under her palm. “Gage, you can talk to me.”

  Leah meant it. She had no idea what might have him acting this way, but she wanted him to trust her. He’d been there for her last night, and she wanted to prove to him that she was ready to return the favor.

  “Thanks, but there’s nothing to talk about, Leah.”

  YOU’RE SUCH A liar, Granger.

  He didn’t like misleading Leah, but spilling the gory details about his stupid mistake, the way he’d allowed a few kids to nearly topple his company, or the fact that he still wasn’t sure how to fix the situation didn’t rank high on ways to get the girl. Once the situation was in control again, then they could have a laugh about how he’d been outsmarted by a couple of hackers like Jude.

  Gage eyed the kid across the bonfire Nathan had built, watching him slide a few inches closer to Leah before smirking at Gage again. He was playing him, and Gage knew it, but he was helpless to squelch the wave of jealousy that swirled in his chest. He rose, making his way along the Sequoia logs that circled the fire to the overlook. He could still hear the conversation, but he wasn’t forced to deal with a punk-ass kid trying to get a rise out of him.

  “So, let’s talk,” Leah encouraged. A quiet groan sounded from the four boys and Gage looked back at the group over his shoulder.

  “Seriously, Doc? I thought this was supposed to be different than regular therapy visits,” Cody complained. “Chase said it was going to be fun.”

  Hector and Miguel exchanged knowing looks and rolled their eyes. Jessie fidgeted nervously across from Leah. Gage didn’t miss the confident grin that spread over Leah’s lips, and he could see that Jude hadn’t either. He was the only one who looked intrigued rather than uncomfortable. Gage leaned his back against the railing of the overlook and watched Leah as her eyes sparked with an enthusiasm he hadn’t really seen in her until now.

  “Not you,” she corrected. “Me.”

  “What?” Cody looked surprised.

  “You guys don’t know me, and who wants to tell their secrets to someone they don’t trust yet?” Her eyes found Gage’s gaze deliberately, and he wondered if she wasn’t trying to drive home her offer to let him talk. She tore her gaze from his and looked at the four boys around her. “That means you guys can ask me whatever you want.”

  Gage was surprised by her offer. She’d been so closed off and secretive up to this point, he wondered if she would really tell the boys the truth or whether she had thought the idea through completely. They were likely to ask about things she might not want to talk about unless she set some boundaries. He glanced at Jessie who shifted nervously on the log.

  “Really?” Jude looked suspicious.

  “Yep,” she answered with a nod.

  “How old are you?”

  “Are you really a doctor?”

  “Where did you grow up?”

  All of the boys spoke at the same time, and Gage nearly breathed a sigh of relief at the innocent questions. They might just be warming up, but he had no doubt she could handle any of these with ease.

  “Why are you really here, working at this ranch, with a bunch of delinquents?” Jude’s voice cut through the rest, and the other three fell silent.

  If Gage hadn’t already suspected it, Jude’s question made it obvious he was the spokesman for the group and, likely, the ringleader for any trouble they got into. He looked at Leah, wondering if she realized the can of worms she’d just opened with these four.

  Leah raised her brows and took a deep breath, glancing at Jessie who looked far too interested to know as much of Leah’s history as she claimed. It made Gage wonder how much of her past Nathan had been able to dig up and how much more Leah had been able to keep hidden from her boss before accepting the position.

  “My life wasn’t really that different from yours.”

  Jude blew out a breath, easily rejecting her statement, elbowing Hector in the side. “Sure it was.”

  “My mother was a drug addict who’d do just about anything for her next fix. To say we were broke would be wishful thinking.”

  “You grew up in the system?” Cody’s voice was hushed, as if he was almost afraid to ask but couldn’t help himself, his usual light-hearted demeanor subdued.

  Leah nodded, looking at each of the boys in turn, letting her eyes rest on Jude. “I bounced between my mom and foster homes from the time I was about ten. My teacher reported a bruise on my arm.”

  “Then you know what it’s like,” Miguel said.

  “I do.” From where he stood, Gage could see the fire flickering in her eyes and wondered if it was a reflection of the bonfire or simply the painful memories of her past. “And you can imagine what it must be like for a young girl.”

  Hector and Miguel exchanged a glance before looking at Leah again. “But all of the foster homes weren’t bad. Some were good people who legitimately wanted to help. They just didn’t know how to best handle someone like me, with the anger I tried to hold inside. Until Nicole. When I moved in with her, things changed. She made them change for me, made me change. She’s the reason I graduated high school, went to college. She’s the reason I’m here.

  “At this ranch,” Leah said, focusing on Jude as she used his own words back at him, “with a bunch of young men who just need to realize that someone believes in them and can help show them a better way.”

  The kid narrowed his eyes at her before looking at his three foster brothers. “Show them. I’ve got everything I need right here,” he said, poking one finger at his temple. “I don’t need your help.”

  Jude stood up and strode away from the fire toward the corral where the horses were eating, leaving Leah and the others to stare after him in silence.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “WHAT THE HELL is your problem? She’s trying to help you.” Gage was having a hard time holding back his temper with this ungrateful brat. “You do realize they could have just sent you to juvie instead, right? But Chase and Jessie and Leah are all—”

  “It’s not really any of your business, is it?” Jude barely gave Gage a backward glance.
“Sorry if your girlfriend is on a mission to save the world, but I don’t want to be a part of it.”

  “She’s not my girlfriend.”

  Jude rolled his eyes. “Sure she’s not, and I’m not a genius,” he said sarcastically.

  Gage leaned over the pipe corral fence. “Stop bragging, it’s not that big an accomplishment. I should know.”

  Jude narrowed his eyes but didn’t ask even though Gage could see the curiosity eating at him. “If you were half as smart as you think you are, you’d be doing something besides causing trouble. Obviously, you’re a bright kid. Instead of being a criminal, why don’t you try following the rules for a change and watch how much easier life gets?”

  “Where has following the rules gotten you?”

  Gage didn’t miss the sarcasm in the kid’s tone. The truth of the matter was that he’d always been a guy who followed the rules, did what he was supposed to, the right thing, but that wasn’t helping him now. Kids like Jude, who hadn’t followed the rules, had made him look bad, breaking the rules and pushing through an untested program had ruined his reputation, and a partner who wasn’t following the rules might force him out of his business. Where had following the rules gotten him?

  As if sensing Gage’s misgivings, Jude pressed on. “You probably sit in some cubicle, filing papers, slaving away for every dime you earn while someone else is sitting fat and happy with the millions you earn him.”

  Gage almost laughed. If this kid had any idea how much money Gage actually earned each year, let alone how much he’d lost because of a kid like him, he’d pass out. “Not exactly.”

  “Whatever, dude.” Jude waved him off, dismissing anything Gage might have to say. “I’m not going to work my ass off for someone else. I’m too smart for that.”

  “So you’re too smart to work for someone else but not smart enough to avoid getting caught hacking into the school computer. Come on.”

  “I only got caught because they think I threatened Mr. Greene. I was just reminding him that I could get into his head.”

  Gage tipped his head to one side, focusing on the kid’s face in the dying light of the sunset. “Bull, you wanted to get caught. Why?”