Rocky Mountain Soul

by Dawson, Kay P.

"She just fell asleep. I think she forgets she's still recovering from her own injuries, and the worry over her grandma has been playing on her mind." Emma gave him a stern look. "Plus, the extra worry that she might end up getting her heart broken again."

  She put her hands up in front of her in a truce as he started to speak. "Sorry, I'm just tired. Thanks for calling me to come sit with her. She never wants to ask anyone for help."

  He'd texted Emma before he'd even left for the call-out to tell her what happened. He knew Erin would never want to wake her friend up to ask her to sit with her, but Jack didn't mind waking Emma. He knew she'd want to be here with her friend anyway.

  "The doctor decided it would be best to just do a complete hip replacement. They said other than her stroke, Wynn’s in excellent shape for her age. Since she's been able to recover so well from the stroke, they’re optimistic she’ll recover from this too. But Erin is feeling so guilty because she didn't even hear her grandma get up."

  He peeked past his sister, Erin was trying to pull her sweater over herself more in her sleep. It was chilly in this room, and they didn't have any blankets to use. "You go on home. You'll have to get the coffee shop opened up. I'll stay here and wait with Erin until her grandma gets out of surgery, then take her home.”

  Emma tilted her head and looked at him. Finally, she nodded and moved past him to leave. Turning back, she smiled. "And, Jackson, I'm sorry for giving you such a hard time about Erin. I can see you really are trying."

  She left and he moved over to the couch. Shrugging out of his jacket, he gently placed it on top of Erin. Careful not to wake her, he sat down beside her, looking down at her sleeping face in the soft glow of the small lamp in the corner of the room.

  His heart clenched with feelings he'd never been able to get rid of. There was something about Erin that had stolen his heart from the first moment he'd met her.

  She'd moved to town when she was young, after her parents had died. She and Emma had become fast friends, and since that time, Erin had always been around. When they were young, Erin used to tell him she was going to marry him when they grew up. Everyone had laughed at how cute it was that the little girl had a crush on her friend's older brother.

  But she'd never wavered in her devotion to him. He pretended to be embarrassed and acted like he was annoyed by it, but the truth was, Erin had wrapped herself right around his entire soul.

  He spent his high school years wanting to ask her out, but afraid of what would happen if she said no. Finally, he'd asked her to go to his senior prom with him, and after that they’d been inseparable.

  Now, looking down into her face that looked so peaceful, he knew he'd do anything for this girl. His heart had never forgotten her, and now he had her back, he was never going to let her go.

  Fourteen

  “Seriously, Erin, it’s time to let Shirley pass on to that big Jeep playground in the sky.” Jack was driving, and she quickly glared at him to let him know she wasn’t happy about his comment.

  They’d been to three different dealerships today, but there was nothing that could take the place of Shirley.

  “Jack, I’ve already told you. I don’t mind driving grandma’s car until I can find the perfect vehicle.”

  He shook his head, looking over at her briefly. “Well, your grandma will eventually need her car back. You’ve got the insurance money now, so where’s the harm in looking? You’re just being too picky.”

  “Maybe I am, but it’s not like Shirley can be replaced so easily.”

  He wouldn’t understand even if she tried to explain to him.

  He sighed loudly. “Okay, we’ll try one more place, and if we don’t find anything there we can try another day.”

  They pulled into a dealership and she did a quick sweep of the lot. Not one single Jeep that she could see.

  “We don’t even need to get out. I don’t see anything here I like.”

  He’d just put the truck into park, and quickly turned to face her with his mouth hanging open. “Are you serious? We haven’t even looked!”

  She motioned with her hand to the vehicles in front of them. “Do you see a Jeep anywhere?”

  He sat staring at her dumbfounded for a moment, then turned and looked at the vehicles. “Ha! There’s one!” He pointed to a Jeep Compass, a family SUV.

  “It’s a Jeep. But it’s not a Wrangler.”

  This time his mouth just hung open as he kept his eyes facing the Jeep he was pointing to. “But I thought you said it had to be a Jeep. I’ve never heard you mention anything about a specific model.”

  She shrugged. “Well, I assumed you’d know. That’s what my other car was.”

  “Right…Shirley.”

  She tried not to laugh at the expression on his face. She knew she was being stubborn, but she wanted a Jeep like the one she’d had. And when she’d moved to Denver, it had been the first thing she’d treated herself to. It had been her freedom, and her security blanket to prove to herself that she could make it on her own.

  Even though she knew it was silly because it was just a vehicle, she’d felt a bond with Shirley. She’d always been reliable.

  She wasn’t prepared to settle for something just to have a car. She could keep driving her grandma’s old Honda Accord, even if she did feel like she was dragging along the ground as she drove.

  “Okay. Well, I guess we’ll have to take a drive into the city next week and find a Jeep dealer so we can get you what you want.”

  She laughed. “You do realize it’s Bri and Anthony’s wedding next weekend? I’m sure she’s going to have you busy all week.”

  He groaned. “She’s already been giving me directions of what I need to do. I love her, but I don’t see why I need to be in charge of so many wedding duties.”

  “Because you’re her big brother, and because that’s just what families do.”

  He put the truck into drive, and pulled back out onto the street.

  “Speaking of Bri’s wedding. You’ve never told me if you will be my ‘plus one.’ Bri’s been harping for me to let her know. I’m sure she’s not really worried about the extra plate. I know her—she’s more concerned with knowing what’s going on in my personal life.”

  Her heart fluttered slightly. She loved weddings, and always seemed to get caught up in the romance of them. Did she really trust herself to be at a wedding for two people as in love as Bri and Anthony, knowing it would make her lose her head?

  “I don’t know. That’s a long time to leave my grandma home alone so soon after getting out of the hospital.”

  Her grandma was being discharged tomorrow, and they were going to have to set up the house to accommodate her better.

  “Erin, it’s only for a few hours. I can get Angie to check in on her when she takes Tank out for a walk. I promise if you come with me, I won’t do anything to embarrass you, and will do my best not to sweep you off your feet.”

  He was grinning widely, and she realized he’d also managed to remember how gushy she’d always got at weddings. They’d been to a couple of extended family weddings together during the time they’d dated. She’d always been swooning at the love and happiness brought out by the wedding.

  Why did he always seem to remember everything she’d done when they were together?

  And she wondered what he’d say if he knew—she’d already been swept off her feet.

  * * *

  “Grandma, don’t you think we should talk about this?” Erin sat on the couch beside Jack, with Tank stretched out between them on the cushions, making himself completely at home. They’d picked her up at the hospital and brought her home, and Jack had stayed for dinner.

  “Erin dear, we know it’s for the best. We’ve had a lot of medical bills the past few weeks, and honestly, it’s just been more than I can afford. Not to mention, it just isn’t fair to expect you to give up your time to look after me every minute of the day. It’s for the best.”

  Her grandma had just announced she’d been chos
en for a room in the senior assisted living home, Silver Springs Retirement Villa. She wanted to sell the house so they could pay off any medical bills, and give Erin the freedom she believed she needed.

  “But I don’t find it any trouble at all to be here with you. That’s why I came home.” Erin’s mind was spinning. “Where will I live?”

  Her grandma smiled at her. “Well, you can go back to your job in Denver.” Moving her eyes to Jack who was still sitting silently at the end of the couch, she shrugged. “Or, you could just marry this young man here and live with him.”

  Erin’s head whipped around to see Jack’s expression, completely mortified at what her grandmother had just said. “Grandma!”

  She didn’t even know what to say, but Jack was slowly turning to face her with a grin wider than the Grand Canyon.

  “What do you say, beautiful?” His voice had gone down about two octaves from normal, and one eyebrow had raised almost up to his hairline. Trust him to make things even more awkward.

  “I say you’re both ridiculous.”

  She reached out to scratch Tank who had stretched and put his head on her lap. “I think Tank here is the only sane one in this room, besides myself.” She hated to admit how flustered she’d been at the thought.

  She’d spent a long time thinking she would marry Jack Roberts when she was younger. But that thought had been far from her mind, until recently.

  “Well, whatever you decide, dear. I’ll make sure you have enough money from the sale of the house to get yourself set up with an apartment somewhere.” Her grandma smiled brightly at Jack. “Or use it to fix up a bachelor pad.”

  Erin wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of appearing more ruffled than she already was. They were secretly smiling across at each other like they’d won some lottery.

  “I guess I will call them at the hospital and let them know I can do my orientation this week.” She’d applied last week and received an offer to start working casual shifts until a position opened up. Since her grandma could be moved into her new apartment within the next couple of days, it would be up to her to get the house ready to sell. And she’d start earning enough money to pay her rent.

  As she sat rubbing behind the ears of the black dog on her lap, she couldn’t help feeling like her world was once again spiraling out of control. So much had changed in the past three weeks, and now she wasn’t sure where she fitted in.

  Letting her gaze make its way to the man sitting at the other end of the couch, her heart jumped into her throat, when she met his stare. He smiled, and reached out to squeeze her hand.

  Even though he was the person who had made her distrust people in the first place, she felt like he might be the one person she could now rely on to get her through everything.

  And that thought terrified her.

  Fifteen

  “So, how did you convince Bri to marry you so fast? Normally she’s a very level-headed, already-have-it-all-planned-out kind of girl. You must have some secret.”

  Jack was standing on the platform beside Anthony having their suits fitted for the wedding. His father Ralph was sitting on a chair watching them and having a laugh at the “preening” they were having done. Spike was the only other groomsman, but he had managed to avoid the appointment, saying he had to work, so would come in for his fitting later.

  Anthony shrugged. “I knew pretty much from the moment I first walked in and saw your sister that I was going to marry her. She really wasn’t too hard to convince. I assume my charming personality and sharp wit won her over easily.”

  Jack rolled his eyes. “Okay, beyond your dubious charm and questionable wit, how did you convince her so quickly?”

  His future brother-in-law turned and squinted at him. “Are you asking out of genuine interest about what happened between your sister and me, or are you asking for a different reason?”

  Ralph piped up from his chair, “You know, your mother was no match for my charm when we met. She was ready to marry me within just a few weeks of dating. There’s just something about a Roberts that people seem unable to resist.”

  “Well, that might be true, Dad, but remember, Erin’s a different story. She’s still holding onto a lot of anger with how things happened between us before. I’m can’t go in with a fresh slate like you and Anthony did.”

  “I knew it!” Anthony clapped his hands together loudly, making Jack jump and stare at the other man in shock.

  “What?”

  “I knew you weren’t just interested in what happened between Bri and me.”

  Jack raised an eyebrow, wishing the poor man who was trying to pin their hems would just go away so he didn’t have to witness the craziness of his family.

  “Good job, Sherlock. It wasn’t really that difficult to figure out.”

  Honestly, why had he even brought any of this up? He should have known Anthony and his father would have a field day with the information.

  “Well, since we’re going to be brothers, I guess I could let you in on some of my secrets.” Anthony turned so the man could work on the back of his pants legs, which meant he didn’t catch the look Jack had sent his way.

  “If you love her, which it’s quite obvious to everyone around you that you do, then you need to just let her know she’s going to marry you.”

  Jack didn’t know whether to laugh out loud or knock the guy out flat. “Just like that? Just tell her she’s going to marry me? Forget the fact that I broke her heart six years ago, and she’s only now finally given me another chance? And she’s also dealing with her own problems at the moment.”

  He turned to face his dad and shook his head. “I’m beginning to wonder if we should let this guy marry Bri. He’s obviously got a few screws loose.”

  His dad just laughed as he stood up to take Jack’s place on the platform. “Be careful where you’re sticking those pins. I don’t see why I can’t just wear the perfectly good suit I have at home.”

  He’d been grumbling about it ever since Bri said he needed to a new suit for the wedding. She’d told him in no uncertain terms, he wasn’t wearing the same suit he’d worn to every wedding and funeral in the past five years.

  “The way I see it, you either know or you don’t. It’s that simple. You’ve always known Erin was the woman you wanted to marry. Now you just need to show her that you’ve never stopped believing it. And that she can trust you to follow through and be the man you should have been all those years ago.”

  Jack had already started to walk away, deciding this discussion was over. But his dad’s words made him stop and turn back to face him. Anthony was stepping down from his fitting and nodding his head in agreement.

  “Yep, you either know or you don’t. So, what are you going to do about it?”

  Jack took a deep breath and shook his head at the two men staring at him.

  “I don’t know. But one thing I do know, I’ll check myself into therapy if I ever get the idea to come to either of you for advice ever again.”

  * * *

  “That’s the last box, Grandma Wynn.” He set the carton on the table and pulled the chair out to sit down. He could see how hard the day had been on her as they’d moved her from the home she’d lived in for so many years. And he hoped he could cheer her up.

  It was going to be difficult. though, since the other woman standing in the kitchen with them was moping more than her grandmother.

  “So, how about I run out and pick up some fried chicken for dinner, and then we can all sit down and have a game of cards? There’ll be plenty of time to get everything unpacked over the next few days.”

  “That would be wonderful, Jack. Thank you. I know I don’t feel like doing anything but sitting here. You and Erin can go grab us some food while Tank and I sit here and rest.” Grandma Wynn had taken quite a liking to the big friendly dog. Tank had spent the day “helping” them, and he was now curled up at her feet sound asleep as though he’d been the one carrying the heavy boxes.

  “Just
let me go pull a brush through my hair and try to make myself presentable.” Erin hadn’t said much all day, and Jack’s eyes followed her as she walked out of the room. In his eyes, she was gorgeous, so he wasn’t sure why she thought she needed any improvement.

  “Jack, put your eyes back in your head. You look like a lovesick puppy.” Wynn’s voice broke through his thoughts, and focused back on the woman in front of him. She’d never been one to keep her thoughts to herself.

  “I’m not a lovesick puppy. I’m just worried about her, that’s all. She’s been pretty down in the dumps all day, and I wish I knew how to cheer her up.”

  Wynn gave a little laugh. “Well, you are a moony man in love, but that’s beside the point. Erin will be fine. She’s a tough one and she’ll be all right once everything is done. She’s just feeling like she let me down, and I know how bad that makes her feel. But we all know this is for the best. I have friends who live in the building here, and we can get together all the time. And there are professional workers always on call if I need them.” She shrugged as she slowly rocked in her chair.

  “Besides, you two need your own time together. You don’t need to be worrying about the needs of a stubborn, feeble old woman when you’re starting your own lives together.”

  He had to laugh. “You’ve got the stubborn part right, that’s for sure. But I’d argue on the feeble part.”

  She cocked her head to the side. “I notice you didn’t argue about the old part either.”

  “I wouldn’t dare suggest you’re old.” He winked at her, and enjoyed watching the grin spread across her face.

  “You take care of my little girl this time, Jack Roberts. You broke her heart once, and if I thought there was any chance you’d do it again, I’d throw you out of here by the scruff of your shirt myself. But I sense the love you feel for her, and I know you’ve grown up a lot since then. And even though I’m sure she’ll never admit it, she never stopped loving you either.”

  Just then, Erin walked back into the room and stood looking between the two of them. “What? Why do I get the bad feeling you guys were just talking about me?”