Chance wasn’t sure how he made it back to Shiloh Springs. He’d driven on autopilot almost the whole way, unable to think about anything but the kiss. Tina’s lips beneath his felt like he’d found paradise. While he wasn’t a hound dog and had more than his fair share of relationships over the years, nothing had ever felt as right as holding Tina in his arms. Kissing her? Pure magic.
The small ache from his shoulder didn’t bother him too much. The doctor had given him an injection for the pain. Fortunately, it was one that didn’t make him drowsy, or he’d never have gotten behind the wheel of the truck. He wasn’t an idiot, and he’d prosecuted enough driving under the influence cases to know better. Plus, his dad would’ve plucked the keys right out of his hand before letting him leave the ranch if he’d thought Chance wasn’t firing on all cylinders.
Pulling into the parking space for his condo, he pulled the keys out of the ignition and swapped them for the ones in his pocket. With a ragged sigh, he started up the stairs for the second floor. He’d lived here for the past couple of years, but it had never felt like home. Shaking his head, he wondered if any place would ever feel like it belonged to him the way the Big House did. Man, he loved the ranch. Too bad he hadn’t gotten the ranching bug the way Dane had, but while he didn’t mind helping out, dealing with smelly cattle and cantankerous cowhands every day? Not even for a million bucks.
This day had gone from him vacillating between wanting to get Tina to the airport and headed back to Portland, and not wanting her to leave. Why did that confuse the heck out of him? Between the accident, the doctor’s office, and going back to the Big House, most of the day was shot.
Climbing the last stair, he turned toward his condo, pausing when he noted two men standing beside his doorstep. Great. He wasn’t surprised to see Brody standing there. Dane probably called him the minute they got back to the ranch, if not sooner. Brody was the worrier, the caretaker, who couldn’t stand to see somebody hurting or in pain. He’d anticipated seeing Brody before nightfall.
What did surprise him was the other man standing beside him, talking quietly to his brother. He hadn’t seen Joshua in months. More and more lately, he’d been away from Shiloh Springs. When he’d asked his dad, he’d merely said Joshua had things he needed to work out for himself, and to give him time and space. Since he trusted his father’s judgment when it came to his sons, Chance backed off, though it took a lot of effort, knowing Joshua was suffering in silence. Maybe, since he was home now, he’d let him know there wasn’t anything he couldn’t talk to Chance about, with no judgment and no questions.
“What are you guys doing here?” He inserted the key into the deadbolt and flung open the front door, waving his hand to invite them in.
“Dane said you’d been in an accident on your way to Dallas.”
Chance chuckled softly, not surprised he’d guessed right.
“I’m fine. Banged my shoulder, and Doc Stevens looked at it. Other than a little bruising, he gave me a clean bill of health, so I don’t need a babysitter or a nursemaid.”
“Wow, somebody whacked you with the snarky stick.” Brody sank down onto the dark leather sofa, stretching his arm along the back. “Beth wanted me to come over and make sure you were really okay. Think I’ll tell her you injured your sense of humor, bent it outta shape.”
Chance waved his middle finger at his grinning brother, who quickly returned the gesture. Joshua glanced between them before sitting on the other end of the sofa. Taking a second, Chance studied his taciturn brother, noting the dark circles beneath his eyes and several days of scruff covering his cheeks. He looked tired, and there was an air of weariness Chance suspected had nothing to do with lack of sleep. Something felt off about his brother, and a grim determination filled him to not only figure out what was wrong, but to do everything within his power to fix the problem. Didn’t matter what said problem was, either. That’s what brothers did, especially Boudreau brothers.
“I’ll be happy when this lousy weather clears up. The drive up I-45 turned into a nightmare. Tina missed her flight, and my truck’s sitting at Frank’s Garage.”
“And you’re heartbroken she’s having to stick around?”
Chance resisted the urge to wipe the smirk off Brody’s lips. Barely. Instead, he turned and walked into the kitchen, pulled three bottles of water from the fridge, and handed one to each man before sinking deep into the armchair that matched the sofa.
“There’s a lot going on y’all don’t know. Tina’s got a lot of…baggage…from her past.”
Joshua’s sudden burst of laughter startled Chance, and his gaze swung to meet his brother’s.
“Dude, there isn’t a single Boudreau male who has been attracted to or fallen in love with any female who could be described as Little Susie Sunshine. We tend to fall for complicated women with complicated histories. If Tina has a ‘checkered past’, well then, she’ll fit in well with the rest of the Boudreau women.”
Chance couldn’t help noting Joshua’s use of present tense when talking about falling hard for a woman. Was he involved with somebody? If he was, it was news to him. He doubted anybody else in the family had heard a peep about Joshua’s love life; otherwise, his momma wouldn’t have been able to resist spreading the word to the family. She wanted all her boys to be settled and happy.
“Renee thinks Tina pretty much walks on water. Tessa invited her to come back for the wedding. And don’t get me started on how much Nica likes her.” After taking a long drink of his water, Chance asked Joshua, “Have you met Renee yet?”
Joshua shook his head. “I’m having dinner with her and Shiloh tomorrow night. I talked to her on the phone, and she seems to be adjusting well to having a whole new family. I ran into Lucas earlier this morning at Jill’s bakery. I swear, he’s practically glowing. I can’t believe he actually found Renee after all these years.”
“Poor kid. She had it rough, but she’s strong, and the family’s helping her realize she’s loved and part of a group who pull together when one of their own is in trouble. The threat to her has been eliminated now that Darius and Eileen Black are behind bars. They are up to their eyeballs with enough charges to keep them in and out of court for the next decade. Best chance they’ve got is to make a deal with the government and plead out, because the feds have Renee willing to testify against them. And she’s ready to bury them.”
“What if they try to hire a hitman from prison to take her out?” Brody leaned forward, hands clasped between his spread knees.
Chance grinned at his brother’s serious expression. “You’ve been watching too much television, bro. They aren’t wandering around in general population, interacting with burglars and drug dealers. They’re in federal custody, with no access to the outside except through their attorneys. Renee’s gonna be fine.”
No need to tell them I’ve got my own feelers in place to make sure she stays that way.
Joshua set his bottle on the coffee table in front of the sofa and leaned forward. “You said Tina’s got some baggage. Anything the family needs to worry about?”
“I just left the Big House. Momma, Dad, and I sat down with Tina and had a long chat. Her ex-husband—ugly divorce—is causing her some problems. Their split definitely wasn’t amicable. Though she never came out and said it, my gut’s telling me he was abusive.”
He wasn’t surprised when Brody sprang to his feet, a curse on his lips. Of all his brothers, Brody had the softest heart. It was part of why he’d become a firefighter and EMT. Knowing someone was hurting, whether physically or otherwise, he’d want to help. It was his nature.
“Is he a threat?”
“I don’t know. She got a call from her employer in Portland, who said her ex was trying to find her. She’s moved a couple of times in the past, going so far as to change her name in an effort to stay away from him. Guess he didn’t get the message she wants him to leave her alone.”
“Can’t she get a restraining order against the jerk?” Brody paced as he talked, clearly upset.
“That’s what I’m planning to look into. I think there’s a lot Tina hasn’t told me yet.”
Joshua’s inelegant snort drew Chance’s attention back to his brother. “You got something to add?”
“Brody might buy your act, bro, but you’re not fooling me.” Reaching into his back pocket, Joshua took out his wallet and began pulling out twenties. “I’ve got…a hundred and eighty bucks that says you had Destiny or Ridge already run a background check on little Miss Tina five minutes after you met her.”
Chance sighed, not surprised his brother guessed his actions. “Wish I could take your money, but I can’t. Destiny ran a full background check on her before I boarded the plane to Portland.”
Joshua chuckled before putting the money back in his wallet. “Everybody thinks Rafe’s the guard dog for the Boudreaus, but he ain’t got nothing on you. You’ll never let anybody hurt a member of this family. You’re simply more subtle about your methods.”
A wave of shock rolled through Chance at his brother’s words. Not that he was wrong, because he’d protect every single one of the Boudreaus with his last breath. But he didn’t realize anybody knew him that well, especially since Joshua had been gone more than he’d been home the past year or so.
“He’s right.” Brody moved to Chance’s side and squeezed his shoulder. “You’ve always been the protector, the fire-breathing dragon who never lets anybody threaten what you hold close. It’s ingrained deep inside you, what makes you so good at what you do. Being a prosecutor is a pretty thankless job, but you are the voice for the underdogs, the victims. The old Texas Ranger saying ‘one riot, one ranger’ always reminded me of you.”
Chance’s throat tightened at his brother’s words of praise. He’d never thought of himself in that way. All he’d ever wanted to do was give a voice to those who didn’t have one. Growing up with ten brothers who’d all gotten rotten deals in their early years, without anybody to stand up for them before Momma and Dad, he’d needed to make sure others got a chance for justice.
“Guys, I—”
Brody cut him off. “What did Destiny find? I know Momma likes Tina, which counts for a lot in my books. So whatever her problem is, I’m guessing we’ll be circling the wagons soon enough.”
He loved that phrase because it’s what he always called it in his head. Momma had called it that once, and somehow it stuck. Any time there was trouble, the Boudreaus gathered, ready and willing to fight for those they loved.
“Hang on a second.” Getting up, he walked to his office and grabbed the file he’d printed out from Destiny’s e-mails and carried it back, handing it to Joshua. There wasn’t anything in there that couldn’t be found on a good internet search, so he wasn’t breaking confidentiality. Destiny had yet to get him her results from the deeper dive she was currently running on Tina.
There was quiet for several minutes as Joshua flipped through the pages. Chance watched his brows raise a couple of times, the muscles around his mouth tightening. Taking a deep breath, he handed the folder to Brody.
“What can we do?”
“Right now, be there for her. Make sure her ex stays in California. If he shows up in Texas, I’ve got legal avenues, actions I can take.”
Brody nodded once and laid the folder on the coffee table without reading it. Straightening to his full height, he turned toward Joshua.
“You ready? I need to get back to Beth and Jamie. Need to assure her Chance is okay, then get some work done.”
Before Joshua could answer, Chance interrupted. “Do you mind sticking around for a few minutes, Joshua? I’ll give you a ride if you need one, but I’d like to talk to you.”
Joshua’s expression didn’t reveal anything, he simply shrugged. “Sure.”
Brody’s eyes darted between his brothers before he walked to the door. “I’m serious, Chance, you need any help with Tina or her ex, you call me.”
“I will.”
There was a beat or two of silence after Brody left, and Chance wondered if his brother would confide in him whatever his problem might be. He wasn’t above prodding and poking to get the answer, because if he didn’t, Momma would.
“Everything okay with you? Haven’t seen you around much lately.”
Joshua shrugged and a long lock of hair fell across his forehead. Almost absently, he brushed it aside. The lines around his mouth were deeper than Chance remembered, and the haunted look in his gaze made him appear older than his years.
“It’s been a rough few months.”
“Talk to me.”
“Nothing to tell, bro.”
Chance crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Joshua, not saying a word, wondering how long his brother would be able to hold out. When they’d been younger, Joshua had always been the one to fold under the silent stare. When he simply leaned his shoulders back against the sofa back and crossed his arms over his own chest, his expression mulish, Chance almost chuckled.
Darn, he’s gotten stubborn in his old age.
“You know you can talk to me, right?”
Joshua rubbed a hand across his face, and Chance wondered if he’d give him a clue what was eating at him. Instead, Joshua simply shook his head, and blew out a long breath.
“Just let it go, bro.”
“I can’t. What if it was me, acting distant and unapproachable? Would you simply sit back and do nothing? Lemme put it this way, you can talk to me and I’ll head Momma off, or you can deal with her on your own. You know she’s not going to simply stand by while you’re hurting and not find out what’s happening.”
Joshua rolled his eyes and barked out a short laugh. “I’m surprised she hasn’t hunted me down long before now.” He paused for a long moment, as if debating what or maybe how much to say.
“Whatever you tell me, I won’t say a word. Not unless you tell me to.”
“Chance, if there’s one thing I know about you, it’s that you can keep a secret. The only problem is—it’s not my secret to tell.”
“Answer me this…is this other person in trouble?”
Joshua shook his head and leaned forward, picking up the file on Tina again. “Not this kind of trouble. It’s personal, not legal.”
“At least tell me she’s pretty.” When Joshua’s body jerked at his words, Chance knew he’d guessed right. Whoever it was, Joshua cared about her a lot. He’d give him a break—for now. But if he got even a hint his brother was getting in over his head, he’d have no problem sticking his nose in his business.
“Chance, just let it go.”
Studying his brother’s rigid posture, the subtle tightening in his jaw, Chance decided to take a step back. Didn’t mean he would keep his eyes and ears open, because nobody deserved to be alone without somebody watching their back.
“Alright, I’ll drop it.”
For now.
“You have plans tonight?” At Joshua’s head shake, he continued, “Feel like heading over to Juanita’s? I’m starving.”
“Only if I’m driving.”
Chance chuckled. “Deal.”