Declan parked on Main Street. It was a short walk to the sheriff’s office. Posted in some local business windows were “Knox Colton for Sheriff” signs in dark blue background, white lettering and underlined in red. Knox’s bid for local office might prove successful. Bud Jeffries was inept and Declan had heard that the town wanted him voted out in the upcoming election. Though the town wasn’t sold on Knox Colton, either, given his ties to a criminal mastermind, he was a former Texas Ranger and that carried weight. Despite the embarrassment that Livia caused him, he wasn’t turning away from the opportunity to enforce the law in Shadow Creek. It took courage to step up and not let his mother define his life.
The sheriff’s station was located next to the Shadow Creek Mercantile. Declan strolled inside the quiet office. With the exception of Livia Colton’s crime spree and the events of late related to it, Shadow Creek was a slow town. The receptionist was seated at a scarred wood desk, surfing the internet on a desktop computer. The office needed updates that weren’t in the budget for a small town. The peeling white paint, the tile floor in a black-and-red checkerboard pattern and the dusty miniblinds, half of them closed, made the office feel dingy.
Four metal desks were set in the main room behind the receptionist’s area. Bud Jeffries’s office was in the back. Bud was on the phone, his feet propped on his desk and a can of diet cola in his hand.
Declan tapped on the door and Bud motioned for him to come in. Bud had a stain on the front of his tan work shirt and the buttons were straining. Losing five pounds or wearing a properly fitting shirt would go a long way to make him look the part of sheriff. He wasn’t Declan’s favorite person, but he had information Declan wanted. Being a visitor, Declan had no pull with the sheriff. He’d need to be polite.
Bud finished his conversation and hung up the phone.
“Sheriff Jeffries, how are you today?” Declan asked, taking a seat in the wood chair across from the older, heavier man.
“Good, Declan. What can I do for you?”
Declan hadn’t had much time to get to know the other man. Though winning over local law enforcement could help with his plans at La Bonne Vie and gain the support of the community to parcel up the land. Declan hadn’t gotten the impression that Bud Jeffries held much sway in Shadow Creek. He suspected that Knox would have an easy time being elected. Knox, or anyone who wanted the position.
“The manhunt for Livia Colton. How’s that coming?” Declan asked.
Bud set his cola on his desk and swung his feet to the ground. “We haven’t found her.”
Obviously. “Leads?”
“Nothing that I’ve been clued into. Why? Do you have something? If she’s around and watching, she can’t like that you’re tearing down her place. I figure she’ll show up again spitting mad.”
“I haven’t seen her,” Declan said. If he had, he would have called the authorities immediately.
Declan thought of the slip of paper where he had written the license plate for the sedan outside Jade’s farm. If Bud expected Livia to show up, he’d have deputies posted and on the lookout. “You have someone watching Hill Country?”
Bud shook his head. “Should I be? Jade up to no good?”
Before Declan could answer, Bud leaned forward and shook his finger at Declan. “I never liked those Coltons. Bad seeds, all of them.”
Declan’s defensiveness rose. He shouldn’t take what Bud was saying personally. Jade was a good person. Lumping her in with her mother was unfair. “Jade isn’t involved with her mother.” Knowing her for a short time, he was certain of it.
Bud knew nothing. If he was involved with the case, he was either pretending to be ignorant or willfully choosing to be.
“I’ve seen a car hanging around the Coltons’,” Declan said.
“At La Bonne Vie?” Bud asked, scratching his head.
The Coltons didn’t live at La Bonne Vie. Declan tamped down his irritation. Bud wasn’t really listening because he didn’t care. “Nope. At Jade’s farm,” Declan said.
“I don’t know about that. Could be someone from that support group,” Bud said.
“What support group?”
“They have those flyers all over town. The Victims of Livia Colton support group. I checked them out. Seems legit. They have a website and meetings, get together and talk about Livia Colton and what she did to them. A little bit whiny if you ask me. It happened decades ago. But if that’s what they need, then okay. They aren’t breaking any laws.”
Declan hadn’t heard of such a group. “Are they new to town?”
Bud shrugged. “Don’t know. Just saw the flyers last week. I figured it was a long time coming. The Coltons ruined this town. Brought their lies and crimes and bad vibes. I’m surprised they haven’t been run out of town yet with torches and pitchforks.”
Declan’s irritation prickled. “The Colton children are Livia’s victims too.”
Bud snorted. “Maybe. Maybe not. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them knew where that criminal is hiding. And all that money she made? Where exactly is it? One of those kids had to have taken a cut.”
Declan wasn’t getting anywhere with Bud. He stood. “I’m just looking out for my investment. Doesn’t help me if Livia Colton shows up anywhere near my property.”
“Call me if you see her,” Bud said.
He sounded bored, like he didn’t care either way and he certainly had no intention of getting up off his rear end and looking for her. Declan kept cool. Shooting off at the mouth to protect Jade would get him in trouble down the line. Bud could have influence over the local government and Declan didn’t need the hassle.
* * *
“Pass the pretzels,” Maggie said, reaching across the ottoman between her and Jade for the open bag on the coffee table.
Jade handed her the bag. If Maggie was going to keep helping Jade with her accounting for her farm, the least Jade could do is provide her pregnant friend, and now her sister-in-law, with good treats.
“I don’t know, Jade. This doesn’t seem so bad,” Maggie said, turning the page on the spreadsheet where Jade had painstakingly laid out her expenses and income how Maggie had showed her.
Maggie was trying to be positive. The truth of the matter was that running a nonprofit seemed to mean no profit for the owner. While Jade was happy to give everything she had to help her horses, she needed a salary, enough to cover her basic expenses. She had known it wouldn’t be easy when she’d come up with the idea of running the farm to rehabilitate retired racehorses. But some of the bigger, longer running farms that did similar work had more volunteers to handle fund-raising and promotion and help with the horses.
Maybe it was a good thing she didn’t have much of a personal life. Her last one had ended a few months after Livia had escaped from prison. Dumped because of her mother. It didn’t bother Jade much; in her life, Livia had disappointed her and ruined so many precious things, another broken relationship was par for the course. For someone to walk away when she needed him most meant she was better off without him.
A good man would stay by her no matter what. The right man would care for her, regardless of who her mother was or what her family had done. Declan came to mind. Jade thought of him, about his visits and bringing her lunch and allowing her to go to La Bonne Vie. Being in her old house had been good for her.
“What’s that face mean?” Maggie asked. She removed her reading glasses and narrowed her eyes.
“No face,” Jade said. “Just thinking.”
“Worrying about this stuff? Because maybe there’s some way we could help you.”
Jade appreciated Maggie’s offer, but she was about to have a baby. She and Thorne would be incredibly busy, too busy to help around the farm. From a financial perspective, they needed their money. Figuring out how to run her business was her challenge. “I’ll be okay. I’ll figure something out. You should be resting while you have time.”
“Thorne makes sure I rest plenty. We have everything we need for the baby.”
That wasn’t entirely true. Leonor was planning a baby shower at the end of the month. Jade had purchased the bassinet from Thorne and Maggie’s registry and stored it in her guest bedroom closet. It was more than she could afford, but the beautiful white bassinet with storage for diapers and wipes and onesies and the soft bedding with tiny ivy printed on it had struck her as something her future niece or nephew needed.
“We could run an online fund-raiser,” Maggie said. “Or do a walk or run to benefit the farm. Host an open house so prospective donors could see the horses and the work you do.”
Jade had put together a website for the farm and had included profiles of her horses. “No open house. The horses might get skittish around too many people and if they act out, I’ll look like I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“Good point,” Maggie said, dipping her pretzel in honey mustard sauce.
Jade liked the idea of a digital campaign with the right hook, but also thought of Leonor’s experience with Everything’s Blogger in Texas, a wildly popular gossip blog that had run stories about the Colton children. Unbeknownst to Leonor, her former boyfriend David had gotten information from her and sold it to the site. When the site went live with the information, it had hurt the Colton children for many reasons: among them, being associated with their mother and having their family trashed all over again in the media was working at scars that had never healed properly. To expose her farm to more scrutiny was something she couldn’t handle. Opening the doors to her farm would mean some folks would feel it was perfectly acceptable to verbally assault her, as well.
“With my mother’s prison escape, I don’t know that many people would be willing to donate. The Colton name is associated with scams and lies and fraud. I don’t know how to convince donors that I’m using the money for the horses,” Jade said. She had tried posting pictures and explaining her horses’ weekly improvements, but it was another task in a list of endless to-dos. And it didn’t seem like it was helping.
Maggie sat up and rubbed her belly. “You could hire a CPA to review your accounts and have her write something confirming where the money is going. Or what about asking Declan for the money?”
Jade’s initial reaction was complete disagreement. She didn’t want to ask him for money. If he wanted to donate to the farm, he would. Asking him would change their relationship, and she liked where it was and where it might be going. “Maybe the CPA idea. But it’s a firm no about Declan. I can’t do that.”
“Why not? He’s rich and he’s in town doing who-knows-what at La Bonne Vie. He’s investing in the community. That includes your farm.”
Jade tried to see it from another point of view. While she would like to spend her days working with her horses, she understood running the business had an office component and a financial obligation. “I feel like he would see it as a personal request and not just me pitching him on a local nonprofit.”
Maggie inclined her head. “Back up. Personal request? Since when are you and Declan Sinclair personal?”
Jade wouldn’t lie to her friend. It would make its way through the family grapevine eventually anyway, since now Allison knew about her and Declan after their visit to La Bonne Vie. Jade explained about talking to him at Edith and River’s engagement party and then about the interactions they’d had since. “It makes me think he likes me, but I don’t know how to best handle it. Or even if he wants something. He’s from Louisiana. He’ll go back there when he’s finished with La Bonne Vie.”
“Edith isn’t going back to Louisiana.”
Jade had heard that. “I don’t know what her situation is there. She’s a great enough employee and Declan might let her telecommute from Austin.”
“I’m just saying that you shouldn’t get too worried about the future this soon in your relationship.”
“I don’t even know if it’s a relationship.”
Maggie laughed. “From what you said, it’s at least an attraction. Just because you haven’t slept with him doesn’t mean it’s not real. Wait, you didn’t sleep with him, did you?”
“Of course not. We barely know each other,” Jade said.
“Hang in there. Things have a way of working themselves out.”
“Are you thinking of Thorne when you say that?” Jade asked, seeing something in Maggie’s expression.
“Thorne and the baby, yes,” Maggie said, her eyes sparking with joy. Maggie set Jade’s accounting log on the ottoman. She stood. “I need to stretch my back and my legs. Let’s go for a walk. I want to hear more about this romance with Declan.”
“I didn’t call it a romance,” Jade said.
“That’s what it is though? Right?” Maggie asked.
Jade liked Declan. He made her feel safe and happy. The idea of him showing up at the farm brought tingles of excitement. “I hope so.”
They walked out onto the front porch. The sight of her farm made her happy. At the end of her driveway, a black sedan was parked. “I need to call the sheriff about that. That car has been there every day and I know everyone is looking for Livia, but it’s starting to creep me out.”
Maggie glanced in the car’s direction. “You want to call Sheriff Jeffries about an actual problem? You’d have more luck reporting it to Hawk or Josh. I haven’t seen any cars hanging around Mac or Thorne’s.”
A few months ago, Maggie’s car had exploded in an act of violence against her, and Sheriff Jeffries had begun with the assumption that Maggie had set off the blast herself. No goodwill existed between Bud and Maggie. Lately, Bud didn’t seem to be impressing anyone. “Another reason why I hope Knox wins the election. But I should call it in. It’s getting weird. If it’s an FBI agent, they’re making it known that they’re watching, but whenever I approach to talk to them, the car speeds away.”
“That is weird. Let’s go back inside and call the guys. I don’t like the sound of this and after what’s been going on around here the last five months, it would be wise to be overly cautious.”
* * *
Twenty minutes later, Mac and Thorne arrived at Hill Country. Thorne and Maggie embraced as if they hadn’t seen each other in years. Jade tried not to be jealous that her brother had found such all-consuming love. He and Maggie deserved it.
Mac slung his arm around Jade’s shoulder.
“You doing okay? I didn’t see the car you were talking about,” Mac said. He helped when he could, and he was a stable and loving parent figure when Jade had most needed one.
“It was there,” Maggie said. “Watching her. Strange and creepy.”
Thorne kissed his wife’s temple. “Maybe until things settle down, you stay close to me.”
Maggie shot him a look. “I’m fine. I know how to protect myself and this little one.” She rubbed her belly.
“I called Josh. He said he was planning to be in Shadow Creek tomorrow for another assignment for his security firm. He’ll keep an eye out and ask a few questions,” Mac said.
“We could hire Hawk to do some digging into the car’s owner,” Maggie said.
“No money for that,” Jade said.
Three pairs of eyes turned in her direction. Though Maggie was aware of Jade’s financial constraints, Jade hadn’t told Mac or Thorne about the issues her farm was having.
“Are you having problems with the farm?” Mac asked, concern bringing wrinkles to the corners of his eyes.
He and Thorne had been there too. Lean years and tough times. It was part of starting a new farm, being entrepreneurs in a new venture. “Not problems. Just trying to work a few things out. Forget I mentioned it. Let’s just focus on why someone is watching me,” Jade said.
“The FBI thinks we’re in touch with Livia,” Thorne said. “At least, they believe one of us is. For her to hide this long and evade them, she probably has help.”
“Help in the form of her former contacts and whatever she squirreled away over the years. Not help in the form of her children.” Jade would bet her farm that her siblings and Mac weren’t helping to harbor Livia.
“It doesn’t help that rumors keep circulating that we’ve helped her escape prison. Every time I think the community realizes we wouldn’t do that, I overhear someone whisper the name Livia and then give me a sideways look,” Mac said.
Mac deserved better than what Livia had done to him and what he had been through after she’d had Thorne. “Until she’s caught, that’s something we’ll need to face,” Jade said.
“Livia planned a dozen steps ahead. She has contingency plans and plenty of hidey holes to disappear into,” Mac said. His history with Livia was cloudy. Though his affair with her had been a mark on his honor, it had resulted in Thorne, a bright spot in Mac’s life. Despite his shady past with Livia, Mac had stepped up to help the Colton children when Livia was in legal trouble.
“Then let’s hope the FBI knows more of those places and catch her soon before she slips away for good,” Thorne said.
* * *
Sunday afternoons were quiet in Shadow Creek. Declan enjoyed the chance to work with minimal interruptions.
Edith had scouted a few real estate opportunities. Declan liked to have four or five projects at SinCo in various stages at any given time: analyzing the potential of a given space, deciding to purchase and arranging financing, acquiring the property and then moving through the phases of development. When he’d first started his career, he had worked one property at a time, learning the technique, mastering the ins and outs of tax codes and legalities. Now that he was more experienced and his cash flow was significantly higher, he could juggle multiple projects and he enjoyed it. To date, he only purchased and sold real estate in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi. He wanted to be able to fly, or in some unfortunate instances, to drive to those locations when the need arose.
All seven properties Edith had drafted portfolios for were in Texas. Spoke plainly enough about where her heart was. Staying close to Austin was important to her, doubly important as a newlywed starting a life with a man who had some deep issues: his mother and his own. Edith and Declan’s relationship would change after she married River. Declan worried about losing her, both in the workplace and as his friend. He wouldn’t be her first or only confidante. They had become brother and sister through their shared experiences. After Edith became a Colton and if she started a family of her own, Declan didn’t see how he would fit in.
Already, after she had connected with Mac, she had found family. After Edith’s mother, Merrilee, had been admitted to an inpatient psychiatric hospital, Edith had been in foster care. Mac felt guilty for losing touch with his sister, but he was doing his best to make it right with Edith and being as supporting and loving as he could.
Declan didn’t like the Coltons. Couldn’t trust them. What would he do at holidays? Sit around a table and pretend he was part of their family? They wouldn’t accept him any more than he could open his heart to them.
The ties were there, of course, to the Colton clan. Being River’s paternal half brother was a connection. But Declan didn’t know how to forge a relationship with River. He had been through some tough stuff on the heels of leaving the marines. River hadn’t left willingly. An explosion had caused the loss of his right eye. Declan felt like they’d had a brotherly moment when they had been focused on finding and rescuing Edith, but even now, Declan didn’t know if he had imagined the connection or if their bond had been over mutual concern for Edith. When Edith and River were together, Declan felt like the third wheel and most definitely not part of their family.
Thinking about it hurt more than it should. Declan’s mother had left him in Louisiana after his father betrayed the family and it all fell apart. His father had killed himself and his mother had abandoned him. His foster homes had been temporary stopovers and Edith was the one good thing to come out of them. Being alone wasn’t something Declan enjoyed, but he hadn’t been lucky enough to be born into a tight-knit family.
Declan read through the information Edith had gathered. The properties were the type he most liked to buy. She knew him well and by working together, she had honed her business senses. The last dozen properties they had purchased had been wild financial successes. Though Edith was technically his assistant, she was more like a partner and he paid her as such.
Declan wondered if their property winning streak would end with La Bonne Vie.
That house had been cursed from before he’d bought it. The ghosts of the people Livia had killed and harmed haunted the grounds. Declan had been trying to make a point to himself, and maybe to Livia Colton, that he was in charge. He was powerful and he could have what Livia couldn’t.
Now that sentiment felt stupid.
Declan didn’t want to be in Shadow Creek. There was nothing here for him. While the spring on the property made it a prime piece of real estate, the costs associated with tearing down La Bonne Vie were substantial. Making that money back in the acreage would be tough. Jade had suggested he sell to Mac and Thorne. Not out of the realm of possibility, and he would avoid zoning issues, but certainly he wouldn’t recoup his investment selling it as farmland.
Saying no to Jade was tough. She was an intelligent and warm woman. Feisty and passionate. Though his work schedule was too intense for some, he guessed hers was similar. From what she had indicated, she did a lot of the heavy lifting around the farm herself.
He wasn’t getting work done. His thoughts circled on Jade Colton. Leaving the B and B, Declan climbed into his black car. He hadn’t fully thought out his plan until he was driving to Hill Country Farm.
The white fence around her property had the ability to close across the main driveway, but they were open. He guessed she didn’t often close them, a practical matter since they weren’t automated. Declan parked next to the training ring and went in search of Jade.
She was easy to find. First place he looked. She was in her stables, cleaning them.
“Need a hand?” he asked.
She looked up, gloves to her elbows, rake in hand and laughed. “This is one of the most unpleasant jobs on the farm. I can’t ask you to help.”
“That’s okay. I don’t mind. And you didn’t ask. I’m offering.”
Jade leaned on her rake. “I’m almost finished. But if you’re staying, I have more things to do. You’re welcome to help.”
Spending the afternoon with her was infinitely more appealing than reviewing property proposals. “I’d like that.” He was glad he was wearing casual clothes. A T-shirt and shorts would keep him cool.
They talked easily while Jade finished the last stall.
Declan heard noise outside the stable. He and Jade exchanged looks. “Stay here. I’ll see what the ruckus is about,” he said.
It sounded like chanting, almost like a protest was taking place. If it was Livia, odd to announce herself loudly. Declan would love to face off against the woman.
It wasn’t Livia Colton. At the end of the driveway, walking back and forth between the open fence posts, was a group of eight people, holding fluorescent yellow and pink colored posters. They were chanting, “Coltons not wanted. Leave our town.”
Declan walked closer. They were standing at the foot of the driveway on the road. Not technically on Hill Country property. Jade didn’t need this stress. It was Sunday. Didn’t people take a day off from complaining? Sheriff Jeffries had mentioned a support group at work in the town. Was this them or another one formed to make the lives of the Coltons harder? Declan walked down the driveway, contemplating getting his car, gunning the engine for show and forcing them to flee. “Excuse me.” When he reached the edge of the property, he folded his arms across his chest.
The chanters glanced in his direction, but continued yelling.
The farm closest to Jade wouldn’t hear them. This was a wasted effort if they thought they could run Jade out of town. “I assume you are here to make a point. Your point has been made. Now go.”
The protesters ignored him. Declan had dealt with a similar situation involving a property he had purchased a few years ago. The group opposing his ideas hadn’t stopped development, but they had been annoying and had brought unfavorable media coverage.
The chanting grew louder and two of the women in the group turned and shouted.
Declan looked over his shoulder. Standing in the driveway, rake still in hand, was Jade Colton. The expression on her face conveyed her devastation. Her hair was piled on her head, pieces escaping down the side. Her jean shorts and T-shirt were caked with mud.
Declan walked toward her, wanting to give her support. He slipped his arm around her waist. He wanted her to know he would support her regardless of what a bunch of angry people near her driveway said. “Let’s go back to the barn. They’ll get tired and leave.”
“They want me to leave town?” Jade asked.
Declan should have known it wouldn’t have been that easy for Jade to let it go. It was unsettling to know a group of people, especially people who didn’t know her personally, were out on a Sunday to scream negativity at her. “That seems to be their point, yes.”
“Who are they?” Jade asked.
Declan had read about the support group online after Sheriff Jeffries had mentioned it. It had formed after Livia Colton’s crimes were brought to light. She had psychologically damaged people, torn apart families and ruined lives. “This has nothing to do with you. It’s your mother.”
Speaking the words, he heard the truth in them. At some point since meeting her, Declan had stopped lumping Jade and the Coltons into one big group. Seeing Jade as a woman separate from her mother and siblings was a huge step for him. She was different from Livia, warm and genuine, unassuming and kind. Having her in his life had bettered it.
“I didn’t leave Shadow Creek because this is my home. I know people in town think badly of me and my siblings. But I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Her hands trembled and she looked back over her shoulder at the people carrying signs. Their words were harder to make out from a distance. “We can call the sheriff if you want.”
Jade shook her head. “He won’t help. They aren’t on my property and the sheriff hates the Coltons anyway.”
Declan didn’t deny it. Sheriff Jeffries had a chip on his shoulder about the Coltons. Whether it was because of the trouble Livia had brought to town or that Knox was running against him for sheriff, Jade had the right idea. She had to cope with this on her own. Unless the protesters openly threatened her, she had to ignore it the best she could.
They returned to the stables. Declan took the rake from her hand. He continued what she had been doing, mimicking her actions.
Jade seemed distracted and Declan didn’t blame her. While they went through her chores, she half explained them, half spoke about her life as a Colton. None of it was good. Living in a big house and having money didn’t make up for their mom’s emotional negligence or the impact of her criminal life. From what Jade explained, she had never felt comfortable or safe in La Bonne Vie. Livia’s behavior was hard to predict and she could be volatile and angry.
By early evening, Declan had to sit down. His back was aching and his legs were sore. He’d worked out with a personal trainer in Louisiana, but working on the farm for hours was much harder, using muscles he didn’t know he had. “You may have miles to go, but what do you say we take a break and I treat you to a dinner at El Torero’s?” About now, the local Mexican restaurant was sounding amazing. Declan could taste the nachos supreme and cold beer.
Jade looked at the sky. “I’m sorry, Declan. I’ve kept you all day. I didn’t mean to chatter. I should treat you to dinner.”
Wasn’t going to happen. Talking about her life had seemed to help her calm down. He was glad this had helped her. “I enjoyed talking with you. And you’ve taught me about running a farm. Namely, it’s not for the weak.”
Jade laughed. “My farm is much simpler than a lot of farms and ranches around here. There’s so much to do and not enough time.”
It wasn’t the first time she had mentioned being short-staffed. He wondered if she preferred to work alone. A strange paradox; she might not want help in the sense that working alone gave her complete control, but she might want help to give herself time off.
“You work hard. I’ve seen that clearly,” Declan said.
“But it’s enough for now. I skipped lunch.”
Declan wished she would slow down. He understood her urgency. He had been like that when he’d started his business. But she would burn out or hurt herself if she didn’t relax now and then. “I can’t stop thinking about spicy enchiladas and lime rice and beans,” Declan said. In every town where he had worked on a real estate project, he visited local restaurants. It was one of the upsides of traveling: food experiences and meeting the locals. El Torero’s was one of his favorites in Shadow Creek.
“Now I’m thinking of tacos too,” Jade said. “Let me lock up and grab my keys. We’ll have to make it fast though. I need to feed my animals before dark.”
* * *
Fifteen minutes into her meal with Declan at El Torero’s, Jade realized that she might be on a date.
She had washed her hands and changed her clothes, but hadn’t done anything with her hair or taken a shower. Self-consciousness crept over her. It hadn’t dawned on her to dress up. She had been thinking about her horses and had been relieved that the protesters had moved on before she’d left the house.
Looking at them and having them screaming hurtful words was too much. Though Jade had come to terms with her mother’s true nature years before, it seemed to follow her. She couldn’t escape it. Leaving Shadow Creek would put distance between her and some of the problems, but Jade didn’t want to abandon her siblings, and she shouldn’t have to run away because of what her mother had done.
If she moved, it would be because she wanted to. Because of a good opportunity. Not because she was trying to escape the past.
El Torero’s was like other Mexican restaurants with a dark interior and the smell of onions and peppers heavy in the air. On the walls were painted murals that needed touching up. Jade had been to the restaurant dozens of times and eating here had never felt special. Until tonight.
The votive candle in the yellow glass with brass etching seemed romantic. The white linen tablecloths were pressed and clean. Even the waiters in their black outfits moved like a dance, darting to tables and taking orders quickly and efficiently. Being with Declan put an entirely different spin on the drudgery that was life in a small town.
Jade wished she had mentioned something to Maggie, Leonor, Allison or Claudia. Even a quick text and they would have mentioned a shower. Rookie mistake, not thinking ahead. Declan didn’t seem bothered by her appearance. Maybe it wasn’t that bad.
Sitting across from Declan, she took a minute to drink him in. He was so handsome and sweet, it was hard not to fall for him in that instant. She caught herself and tried to derail that train of thought. Until she knew what he wanted from her or how long he would be in Shadow Creek, she would be smart to guard her heart.
Jade looked away from Declan, realizing she was staring. She spotted Allison and Knox at a table in the back of the restaurant. “My brother and Allison are here. Do you mind if I say hi?” Walking away for a minute would give her time to think. Maybe she could even ask Allison if this was a date. Jade should know, but she wasn’t sure. Her mishaps in romance came to mind. Misreading a situation was her forte.
“Sure. I’ll go with you,” Declan said. He leaned back in his chair and looked so casual and confident.
Asking Allison about Declan in front of him wouldn’t work. Jade threaded through the tables and around booths and arrived at Knox and Allison’s table. She felt Declan behind her and she was self-conscious all over again about her messy hair.
“Hey, guys,” Jade said.
“What are you doing here?” Knox asked. He glanced over Jade’s shoulder and he straightened. “Declan.”
“Good evening. I hope we’re not disturbing your meal,” Declan said.
Knox and Allison each had a margarita in front of them and a plate of nachos between them.
Allison smiled warmly. “You’re not disturbing us. Mac and Evelyn are hanging out with Cody. He was asking Mac a thousand questions about the horses and Mac offered to keep him for a few hours so Knox and I could be alone.”
“I just wanted to say hi,” Jade said.
Allison pointed between Jade and Declan. “I thought I saw something the other day at La Bonne Vie between you two.”
Jade tensed. “This isn’t a date.” She felt almost like she had to defend herself or explain the situation. This couldn’t be a date. It was a letdown to think her first official date with Declan, who she was crushing on big-time, was happening while her shoes were covered in mud and she was dirty and sweaty from a day of work.
“I wasn’t...” Allison glanced at Knox as if to say, help.
Knox cleared his throat. “It’s just unusual for Jade to be out with a man.”
Allison gave him an exasperated look and Jade felt her cheeks heating.
“What Knox means is that we didn’t expect to see you here.”
Jade shifted on her feet, wishing she had stayed at her and Declan’s table.
“We won’t keep you. I’ll see you at work tomorrow, Allison,” Declan said.
Then he set his hand on Jade’s hip in a decidedly date-like way. He steered her toward their table.
Declan didn’t bring up her comment about this being a date and she let it pass. Maybe he hadn’t heard her.
After talking for a few minutes, Jade relaxed again and forgot about her brother and the mud on her shoes and her hair. She lost herself in Declan’s green eyes and bright smile.
* * *
When they arrived back at the farm, Jade was nervous. She felt like she had flubbed their first date. Declan had been acting boyfriend-like. Long glances, listening intently and sitting close to her. When he looked at her, she felt like the only woman in the world.
As she climbed out of Declan’s car, her legs felt weak. A date ended with a kiss. He might kiss her. She wanted him to. If he didn’t, she would chalk it up to tonight’s trip to El Torero’s being a casual meal between friends.
They had lingered at the restaurant longer than she had expected. The conversation had flowed and when she had stopped being nervous, she had enjoyed Declan’s company more than she had enjoyed anyone’s in a long time.
Running to the stable to check her horses or dashing to the barn to feed her animals and busying herself would avoid the situation. Nerves were getting the best of her. Jade waited on her side of the car. She took a deep breath.
Declan circled around toward the stable and she stayed at his side. Disappointment streamed through her. Just a goodbye. He wasn’t planning to stick around after a day of gritty work or acting like he wanted to kiss her. His strong stride and his confidence were magnetic.
“I hope I didn’t keep you out too long,” Declan said. “I thought it would be a quick meal.”
Jade unlocked the stable door, focusing on that and trying to hide the disappointment that had to be clear on her face. “I had fun. I have the last feeding and then I’ll hit the showers.”
Declan plucked the front of his shirt. “I must smell like hay.”
She shook her head. “Nope. You somehow managed to work all day here and you smell and look terrific.”
Sliding open the doors, she entered the stable.
“Need help?” Declan asked.
She shook her head and walked backward while speaking to him. “I got it from here. Thank you though. For helping with the farm and for dinner.” The incident with the protesters earlier in the day ran through her mind, but she beat it back.
“I could wait until you’re inside,” Declan said.
He must have sensed her unease, but he couldn’t be her shadow around the clock. If she wasn’t safe in her home and on her farm, she wouldn’t truly feel safe anywhere. “I’m okay.” Now that she was back on familiar territory, she was thinking too much about how she wished she would have handled the night and scrutinizing it.
“Good night, then,” Declan said. He turned to leave.
Jade leaned against one of the stalls, feeling like there wasn’t enough oxygen in the room. A few deep breaths, finish the day and then wine and a shower. Declan was being friendly and she had built up his intentions in her head. She had constructed a romance between them, but it was one-sided. Thankfully, he didn’t know what she had been thinking or he would believe she was ridiculous.
The next time a man showed interest, Jade would make more of an effort. Do something to get and keep his attention. Claudia and Maggie would have to give her some advice.
“I changed my mind.”
Jade started at the sound of Declan’s voice, deep and animalistic. Declan was striding into the barn. Before she could ask about what, he was standing in front of her, six foot something of raw masculine energy and power. His arm went around her waist and he lowered his mouth to hers.
The kiss was like from a movie. Passion and heat, sending excitement and emotion spiraling through her body. Her world was shaken and shattered and pulled back together by Declan, irrevocably changed. Their mouths pressed together created a firestorm. The man could kiss. The right amount of pressure and softness, and she tasted a hint of lime. Her body slumped against his. His hand spread open on her lower back and he deepened the kiss.
She was falling for him, tumbling head over heels, going into a complete emotional free fall. Declan was suave and sexy, with only a hint of arrogance, which might be well deserved. He was class and style and sophistication and still warm and sweet to her.
His other hand moved into her hair and tilted her head back. Every nerve ending in her body reacted to the way he touched her.
She would have stripped naked in the stable if he’d asked her to. One kiss and he had control.
Too soon, he broke away, brushed his lips to hers and relaxed his arms around her. Staying close, she set her hands on his chest.
“You came back to do that?” Jade asked.
“Didn’t even make it to the car,” Declan said. He was slightly out of breath and it was a bump to her self-esteem that she had a hand in that.
“Why did you hesitate?”
Declan’s green eyes studied her face. “You have a lot going on. I have a lot going on. Together, that makes it complicated.”
“It doesn’t need to be complicated. It can just be two people spending time together, having fun. And mucking out a horse stall now and then.”
He tossed her a boyish grin. “You’re game for that?”
For having fun? Sure. After a simple kiss, she couldn’t ask him for commitment and forever. “I like spending time with you.”
“What about your family? What about River?”
Her family would be fine with him. “I’m not worried about River or what he might think.” Her family had plenty of issues. Accepting that long ago, she tried to focus on her life as an individual and not her life as a Colton.
“We’ll see where this leads,” Declan said. He brushed his thumb down her cheek.
An unspoken connection had been formed. Crossing from friends into more-than-friends was a scary step, but Jade was confident that Declan would be good for her. In some way, he would be who she needed, at least for now.
He helped her feed the horses and her barn animals and then walked her to her front door. Setting one hand on the doorjamb and the other at his side, he kissed her. This time was quicker, but as intense. It was on the tip of her tongue to invite him inside, but she thought better of it. Moving too fast would get her in trouble. Her heart was already running away with ideas and she had to protect herself.
“Good night, Jade,” Declan said.
“Night, Declan.”