The Closer You Come

“No worries.” Brook Lynn crouched down to Hope’s level and said, “Why don’t you and I hit the town together?” She looked at Jase, Daphne. “If that’s okay with you guys?” The little girl was a permanent part of Jase’s life. A part of him. “We can get to know each other.”

“No way,” the girl said, shaking her head. “I want to stay here. With my parents.”

A twinge in her heart. “We’ll have fun, kid. Promise.”

As Hope opened her mouth to issue another protest, Brook Lynn added, “I’m headed to an animal shelter. I plan to reduce a dog. If you don’t want to go, I can just show you pictures later and—”

“A dog?” The girl brightened. “My mom says dogs poop in your house and ruin your carpet, but I like them anyway.” She hugged her mom...hugged her dad. “See you guys later.”

Jase’s expression had just softened, his eyes going wide with wonder. “You are amazing.”

She kissed him smack-dab on the lips. “Right back at ya.”

* * *

JASE PACED IN the living room and watched the clock. It was 10:01 p.m., roughly nine and a half hours since he’d last seen Brook Lynn, and there’d been no word from her.

He was worried about her and Hope. When he’d stepped out of the WOH offices about an hour after the pair took off, he’d discovered trash dumped all over his car. He would have blamed punk-assed teens—if someone hadn’t spray-painted the word DIE on the shed in his backyard sometime during the night. Two cases of random vandalism? Not likely. He’d been targeted.

Even remembering caused his blood pressure to boil. Calm. Steady. This wasn’t the first death threat he’d received in his life, and he was sure it wouldn’t be his last. At least he’d had a lead. Since a stranger named Stan had just asked about him, Jase had left Daphne with Beck and gone to the Strawberry Inn. Even though the owner’s daughter refused to tell him the name of the guests, she’d purposely stepped away from the counter with the sign-in list visible. There’d been a handful of names, but he’d known which one belonged to Stan. The only illegible one, the last name indecipherable.

Jase had gone to the room, but it had already been cleared out.

Had an inmate he’d wronged behind bars come to town?

It was a possibility, and yet it didn’t freak him out as it once would have. He wasn’t on his own anymore. He had West and Beck as backup. And he had a woman and daughter who needed him to keep his shit together, so he would. It was as simple as that.

“Jase,” Daphne said from her perch on the couch. She sighed. “What if I decide not to move here? What then?”

He kicked into a fast pace and plowed a hand through his hair. “I might move into the city.” He wanted to be near Hope. But would Brook Lynn be willing to move with him? Just pack up everything and say goodbye to her sister? Could he even ask her to?

She’d never left Strawberry Valley and had never really wanted to. This was her home, the only one she’d ever known. She had roots here. And shockingly enough, he now did, too.

“How long have you and Brook Lynn dated?” Daphne asked, tracking him with her gaze as he moved back and forth, back and forth.

“Not long.” Not long enough to ask her to uproot her entire life.

He remembered the way she’d looked at him today, with reverence and awe. Every cell in his body had reacted, burning with those same emotions themselves. How was he supposed to live without her?

“Is she the one?” Daphne asked.

He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “Yes. I love her. I’d have her physically attached to me, if I could. But I won’t miss any more of Hope’s life.”

Daphne’s shoulders sagged.

“I told Hope about prison,” he said. “This morning before you woke up.”

“Oh.” She blinked in surprise. “She didn’t mention it to me.”

“I don’t think it mattered to her. She took it better than I expected.” She’d asked him why he was sent there, and he’d told her that he’d hurt someone for hurting someone else. How wrong he’d been.

Did they make you eat dog food in prison? she’d asked. I watched a show where the guard made the inmates eat cans of dog food.

He’d almost laughed at the innocence of the question. She couldn’t have imagined the horrors he’d actually endured in there, but no, dog food wasn’t among them. He was so grateful that she hadn’t been—wasn’t—scared of him over the revelation.

All his worries for nothing. After hearing his answer she’d raced off to catch a butterfly, constantly glancing back to make sure he watched. All she’d wanted was his attention.

“I’m glad,” Daphne said. “And I’m sorry. I really am. I handled things poorly over the years.”

“You did what you thought was right. I can’t blame you for that.”

“You should.” She pushed out a breath. “Tyler called me a liar. Said he couldn’t trust me.”

“Give him time. He’ll either forgive you or move on. And if he moves on, you’re better off without him.” Easy to say. Jase would never be better off without Brook Lynn.

Car lights shone through the window. He rushed to the front door. Outside, a dog barked. Feminine laughter echoed. His heart pounded against his ribs. With desire. With relief. His girls had returned safely.