He snorted. “Wow, now you’re reaching.”
“Uh-huh.”
He pulled them to their feet and dropped an arm around her shoulders as they walked to the parking lot. “And I also know what you’re doing. Trying to change the focus of our conversation.”
“Yep. And it worked.” She chuckled, stopping at her car. “I’ve got to get back. Kerri’s cooking a farewell dinner at the Texas Republic for me tonight.”
A ripple of something flickered through his eyes then disappeared so fast she wondered if maybe she’d imagined it. “Yeah, I know. I’ll see you there. So will half the county.”
Her heart rolled. “Shoot. I didn’t want anything big. Just wanted to have dinner with my friends.”
“Like I said, half the county will be there,” he said, pulling her in for another hug. “When are you leaving tomorrow?”
“Six in the morning. Lots of miles to cover the next two days.”
He nodded and drew back. “Shoot me a text when you stop for the night.”
“Yes, Mom.”
He laughed, kissed her cheek, then stood back so she could get in her car. She was going to miss Tanner. He was a kindred spirit. Okay, a bit more wild than hers, but they’d connected, too. She’d already made tentative plans to have him visit in November to hit the slopes.
As she pulled out of the parking lot, she heaved a sigh. Things were looking up. Things were good. Jace hadn’t shucked his dreams for her. He was going to accomplish his goal, and even though it meant she’d never see him again, she’d always know he was happy. And that was enough. It would have to be.
Jace was miserable.
He’d left his practice, left the guard, and would soon be leaving the states to travel and help the less fortunate around the world. All things he’d wanted, strove for, dreamt about his whole life.
And yet, he was miserable.
He tried to find that happy rush thinking about DWB always produced, but ever since Holly told him she was going back to Colorado, he seemed to have misplaced his happy. Ah, hell. He sounded like a dweeb.
Exercising Beckham, he rode the horse long and hard, trying to exercise his own stress away. Wasn’t working. He dismounted and led the steed around the stables to hose him off and rub him down, his brisk movements helping with some of that stress, and apparently pleasing the horse who neighed his approval.
“Wow, can’t believe Lacey let you near her baby,” Tanner said, strolling into the barn.
“I thought I heard your bike. What’s up?” he asked, continuing his task without making eye contact.
A mistake he knew not to make with the guy. Tanner had the same eerie inner bullshit meter reader as Kade and Jordan. Lethal when you didn’t want to talk about your problems.
Kade had already put him through the ringer last week. Okay, not fair. He knew his friend was just worried about him. The guy didn’t tolerate bullshit. He made you identify your problem and deal with it head on.
Jace knew what his problem was…Holly. And the fact he’d fallen for her, and she hadn’t fallen back. Not much he could do about it now. Especially since she’d be in another state in less than twenty-four hours, and he’d be in another country in less than three weeks.
“Came to talk to you about Holly.”
He stilled for a second, then led the horse to his stall. “Done talking about her, Tanner.”
“No, I mean I just spent the day paddle boarding with her and learned something interesting I thought you’d like to know,” the man claimed, following him down the stable.
“Tanner, I—”
“About the real reason she’s leaving. And it’s not work up in Colorado.”
This got his attention. He secured the horse in his stall, then slowly turned to face his grinning buddy. “What are you talking about?”
“You.” The guy rocked back on his heels, smug expression pulling his mouth into a face-consuming grin.
“Me?”
“Yep. Now, I’ll admit she wouldn’t answer any of my questions directly, but you know I can read people, and I was reading her loud and clear.”
“I’m listening.” And he was barely breathing, too. Not with his heart lodged in his throat, blocking his air passage.
“I asked her why she was breaking your heart and hers—”
“Hers?”
“Aw, hell yeah, man. She smiles a good game, says all the right words, but she’s in deep pain. It’s etched in the pinched lines around her eyes, and the dull gaze that used to be a lot brighter.”
God, he’d loved her bright eyes, so green and vibrant.
“Anyhow, she ignored my questions, but asked me some.”
His chin lifted. “What did she ask?”
“Only two, Jace. And they were very specific, and very telling.”
“Okay. What?”
“If you’d left the guard, and if you’d signed on with DWB.”
He blinked, then sucked in a breath as everything became so damn clear it gleamed. “I’m such a fucking idiot.”
His buddy’s snicker received an answering snigger from Beckham. “I wouldn’t say that exactly. You are an idiot at times, but…”
“Thanks.” He laughed for the first time in weeks.
“You’re welcome. And I happen to know Holly’s going to be at The Pub in an hour for a farewell dinner.”
He smiled and held out his hand as he strode forward. “Thanks again, Tanner.”
“Anytime, man,” he said, slapping his shoulder before drawing back. “So, what are you going to do?”
“Talk some sense into my stubborn girlfriend.”
“That’s the spirit. Go get her.” Then his grin turned into a grimace. “But you might want to think about taking a shower first to wash the horse off you.”
Chapter Eighteen
Holly made it through dinner with only a few tears, mostly shed by Shayla and Kerri complaining about their hormones.
“I can’t believe you’re not going to be here to see my baby,” Shayla said, pulling in for her third hug.
“Or mine.” Kerri sniffled.
“I already told you, I’ll be driving back down for a long weekend in four weeks. You two should’ve popped by then.”
The expectant mothers nodded.
“This little one better be on time. I’m kind of done carrying her, and can do without the swollen ankles.”
“Yeah, what ankles? I have cankles.” Sticking out her foot, Kerri glanced down beyond her belly and grimaced. “I can’t even get regular shoes on. Have to wear slip-ons a size bigger than normal.
“I love your cankles,” Connor said, limping up to his wife to plant a kiss on her cheek. “You’re so damn beautiful.”
This got awwws from Shayla and Caitlin, while Holly’s heart seized, wishing…
She blew out a breath and lifted her chin. Not prudent to waste time on a false hope. Or dream. Her father’s words echoed in her head, and this time, she was taking his advice willingly.
“To Holly.” Jordan lifted her glass, and suddenly everyone had a glass of some kind of drink in the air. “May you find your own happiness.”
She feared that emotion was going to be elusive for a long time, but she smiled, putting her best effort into it, too.
“To Holly…”
Her heart dipped to her knees at the sound of the familiar, deep voice of the man she loved.
Jace appeared out of nowhere, striding straight for her with a glass in his hand, and his heart in his eyes. “May she find her happiness with me.”
“Here, here,” everyone echoed, then cheered.
She didn’t lift her glass. She just stared, trying to decipher his meaning.
Tanner came up behind him and smiled at her. “You should really toast that one, Hol.”
She knew something was going on, but for the life of her, her mind couldn’t grasp it.
“You’re leaving,” she managed to say, setting her glass on the table because her hands were shaking so bad.<
br />
“Yeah, in about two weeks. You saw to that.”
She reeled back, wondering how the hell he knew. She hadn’t told a soul. And judging by the smile spreading across his face, erasing every single last doubt and scrap of sadness from his eyes, she had the sinking feeling it was her who just told him without meaning to.
Dammit.
“It’s true.” He stepped close and reached out to grasp her shoulders when she made to move away. “You took that job because you were afraid I wasn’t going to go.”
“Were you?”
He shrugged. “I don’t rightfully know, Holly. And I guess we never will because you decided to play God and take that choice away from me.”
“Take away? Jace, you were going to throw away your dream. On me. No way in hell was I going to stand by and let you.” She reached up to cup his face. “You are a great doctor. The world needs you. I could never live with myself if I took you from your plans, and all those sick people you’re about to help.”
“And what about you, Hol?”
“What about me?” she hiccupped. Dammit.
“Do you need me?”
God…more than air.
But she couldn’t tell him that. No. He needed to go. She needed to get out of there. She needed to stop the damn tears from spilling down her face, betraying every secret she was trying to hide.
With a rough groan, he pulled her in close and held her tight. “Damn it, Holly. I love you, and I need you. Very much. Much more than I need to help others. Yeah, that was my life’s goal.” He drew back and cupped her face. “But, don’t you see? That all changed when you came to town. You are what makes me a better man. You ground me. You are the center of my universe.”
She was shaking, and said to hell with the tears. “I love you, too, Jace, so much.” She burrowed into him, holding him tight, soaking in his calming presence, his strength, letting him heal the heart she’d mistakenly thought it had made sense to break.
“I know. So much so you were willing to sacrifice your happiness for mine.”
Nodding, she drew back and stared up at him. “Yes. I know in my heart you were meant to join DWB. I’m glad you did. And am so proud.”
“The thing is, you make me happy, so…I have a proposition for you, Miss Let-me-put-you-first-and-not-think-about-me.”
She gave a watery laugh and waited for him to continue. “Okay…”
“Come with me.”
The whole room sucked in a collective breath.
“What?”
“Come with me. You can join, too. You don’t have to be a doctor to help out.”
Her heart shifted, lifting slightly in her chest. Could she? She no longer supported her mom or brother. She only had herself to worry about now.
“And bring your camera. Come document the places we go and the people we see. I’ve no doubt you can create something the public will treasure as much as we will.”
Tears streamed down her face now, and that of several of their friends. Not all of them female. Connor brushed his face a few times.
“What do you say?”
She sucked in a breath and nodded. “Yes.”
Jace let out a whoop just before he lifted her off the ground and spun them around, kind of mimicking her heart at that very moment.
“Why didn’t I think of that?” she asked as he set her feet back down. “You’re so smart.”
“Hello…Doctor here.” He waved at her.
She punched his arm. “Goof.”
“Yeah, a goof who loves you, and does not want to be away from you ever again. Promise me you’ll never put my needs before yours?”
She laughed and shook her head. “Yeah, as soon as you put yours before mine.”
His smile was bright enough to light the room. “I think we make a perfect pair. You know how much I love you, right?”
“As much as I love you.”
He pulled her in tight and buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply. “Exactly.”
Jace drew back to cup Holly’s face and very purposely lowered his head to kiss her, sending a wild cheer through their family and friends.
Epilogue
Two weeks later…
At their real going away party, Holly was smiling and leaning into Jace, excited and content at the prospect of flying away with him in the morning. Because she’d already had a passport, there hadn’t been much red tape to attach her to his contingent with DWB.
“Happy?” he asked, nuzzling her ear.
“Mmm…very,” she replied, turning slightly to slide her hands up his chest. “You?”
“Could be better.”
“Better?” She pulled back to stare up at him. “How?”
“You could be naked and writhing beneath me,” he replied, going back to cause more damage to her pulse with a hot trail of kisses down her neck.
“Get a room,” Tanner said, coming up behind them.
Jace drew back and smiled. “Maybe you should.”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “What’s with the looks you keep exchanging with…Gwen, is it? Brandi’s friend that came back with her from Pennsylvania to fill in for Kerri when she has her baby.” Which would hopefully be this week, since the poor thing was already six days overdue.
The two weeks since Jace had propositioned Holly had been hectic. For everyone. Especially Shayla and Kevin.
Sarah Kay Dalton arrived two weeks early, on the day after Holly’s first going away party. The sweet little girl was named after both grandmothers, and the pride and joy of her parents, and her big sister. Amelia even sported the T-shirt claiming she was happy to be a big sister. Her friend said her oldest daughter wouldn’t take it off, so Kevin, of course, went out and bought her ten more.
“How’s Brandi?” Tanner asked, changing the subject, one that brought concern to all of them.
“Not great,” she replied, her gaze drifting to the pale woman, smiling and chatting, but all with a shadow of pain in her eyes.
Cole had lent the designer and her husband his jet to rush up to Pennsylvania a few days ago to attend the funeral of a fallen soldier, who happened to be her youngest brother’s best friend. “She’s really concerned for Keiffer. He’s the one who found the body.”
She couldn’t even imagine what the poor guy, the whole community was going through, dealing with the young man’s suicide.
“It’s not going to be easy,” Jace said. “And Keiffer is going to need help, but won’t want it.”
She nodded, knowing he was talking from experience.
“Speaking of help. Let’s get back to you, Tanner,” she said, figuring it was best to change the subject. “Gwen’s gorgeous. A former supermodel I believe?”
“And blonde,” Jace added, both of them knowing their friend’s penchant for blondes. “And if memory serves me correctly, you two kind of disappeared at Brandi’s wedding reception last September.”
She snapped her gaze to the frowning cowboy. “Really?” Holly snuggled into Jace. “Oh, I’m almost sorry we’re leaving tomorrow, Jace. Something tells me things are about to heat up in Harland County.”
**♥**
Sparks reignite when one-nighters reunite. Can the firefighter/Guardsman convince the reforming bad girl she’s worth fighting for, or will she leave before he finds the courage to volunteer his heart?
♥
Her Volunteer Cowboy
Harland County Series: Book Six/Tanner
Coming August 4, 2015
In the 12 Alarm Cowboy boxed set,
then released on its own in September!
**♥**
**♥**
Phoebe’s temporary gig as a substitute music teacher at an elementary school is just what the burnt out, former Broadway star needs to regroup from a demanding, and lately, unsatisfying career. Exposing children to the magic of music has reawakened her love for the basics. The Poconos is a great place to find herself, and she was finding her frequent encounters with the handsome, single father of one of
her students has reawakened a different type of passion.
But he’s made it clear he’s not looking for permanent, and for the first time in her life, she’s not looking for temporary. Maybe what his locked up, guarded heart needs is a little song.
♥
Wyne and Song
Citizen Soldier Series: Book Three/Ethan
Coming November 2015
**♥**
***
Citizen Soldier Series
Book One: Wyne and Dine
*NOR Reviewer Top Pick – Night Owl Reviews*
Lea Gablonski has two dreams: To work at a museum in NYC, and to gain other-than-sisterly attention from her best friend’s brother. So far, she’s 0 for 0. Though her MA in History is just a wall decoration at her family’s diner where she’s working while her dad recovers from surgery, she enjoys her visual encounters with the sexiest man alive—even though he would sooner pat her on the head than take her to bed.
Military born and bred, Battalion Supply Sergeant Benjamin Wyne thrives on order and control in his fulltime career in the PA National Guard, and in his personal life. But when he’s forced to ask his childhood sweetheart’s younger sister to pose as his girlfriend to thwart unwanted advances from his boss’ wife, his world turns chaotic. Lea is sweet and hot and tastes so damn good he’s addicted. When the attraction takes on a new level at his sister’s wedding, his carefully guarded heart begins to thaw.
But he’s seen many relationships go south. If he takes a chance and gives up control, will Lea be like her sister and leave him for a career in the big city? Yet, if he doesn’t, will the best damn thing to ever enter his life become history?
***
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Her Healing Cowboy (Harland County Series Book 5) Page 18
