Authors: Brenda Minton
“I think they will.” She shoved her hands in her pockets. “I really will be okay at the house, Jake.”
“I know you will. I know you can take care of yourself. I would appreciate, though, if you would do this for me.” He leaned in close. “Because I don't want anything to happen to you.”
Her lips parted just slightly and he knew she planned on arguing. Of course she would argue. And he couldn't let her. Not this time. He had a hinky feeling about Tyler. A man with a good dose of greed and jealousy might be willing to do anything to get what he wanted. And Jake was pretty sure Tyler was the man they were searching for.
Before she could say anything he brushed a hand across her cheek and settled it on her neck to pull her to him. He lowered his lips to hers, knowing he shouldn't but unable to resist. Her lips tasted like cherry lip balm and apple cider. He closed his eyes, lingering in a kiss that could have gone on forever.
What was it about this woman?
He brushed his lips across her cheek, heard her sigh as she leaned close, moving to rest her head on his shoulder. He wanted to know that she would stay, not just for the twins, but for him.
He wanted to trust her.
The rangy kid who had watched his mother leave town had a hard time with trust. And that kid was still buried deep inside him, warning him not to get too close.
Chapter Fourteen
T
hree days later, both twins had a cold. Their noses were runny and their eyes were watery. Breezy, still at the Circle M until Jake decided her house was safe, sat in the recliner with them, rocking gently. Jake had gone to Austin the previous day. He had shopping to do and business to take care of, he'd said. She thought it more likely that he was digging around, trying to learn if Lawton had been working on something new that he hadn't known about.
As much as Breezy wanted to go back to her own place, she enjoyed the extra time with the twins. She loved holding them, cuddling them against her. She loved when they woke up in the morning and before breakfast they wanted to sit quietly and watch their favorite cartoon. And it broke her heart when every now and then one of them called her Mommy. Marty had told her it would happen. It had to happen.
No one was being disloyal to Lawton and Elizabeth. The twins were babies who needed that connection with a mommy and daddy. It was only natural, Marty had said. Breezy kissed first Violet and then Rosie on the top of the head. Rosie reached up and patted her cheek.
“I need to ask Marty what to give you to make you feel better,” she said, kissing the hand that continued to pat her cheek. Marty had gone to visit her sister for a few hours after lunch.
Rosie whispered, “Pancakes.”
“Yes, Marty makes pancakes.” Breezy pushed the recliner with her feet. “But it isn't breakfast, sweetheart. Maybe fruit would be good.”
“Fruit is good,” Rosie said, leaning her head against Breezy's shoulder again.
Violet was sound asleep now. Rosie, from the looks of things, would be joining her. And what in the world should Breezy give them to make them feel better? Fever reducer, maybe? She leaned her cheek against Rosie. She did feel a little warm. She hoped they wouldn't be sick for the Christmas celebration at the end of the week.
She heard the rumble of a truck coming up the driveway. The flash of dark blue meant Jake was home. She leaned back, relieved. Because he was there to help with the twins. She told herself that had to be the reason she ached to see him.
It couldn't be more. Because more meant putting everything on the line, opening herself up to pain, to rejection. It had been a long time since she'd wanted to take the chance.
Right now, with the twins counting on her, with a new life and new opportunities, maybe it wasn't the right time. It might be better to be content with friendship.
As she rocked and the twins slept, she told herself that she had to draw the line between herself and Jake. Friendship. Anything else and they risked hurting the twins. And that was the last thing she wanted to do, to have a broken relationship with Jake that would hurt Rosie and Violet.
Jake walked into the living room a few minutes later. When his gaze immediately slid from her face to the twins, it grew concerned.
“Are they sick?”
She nodded. “Just a cold, I think.”
He leaned down, touching his lips to Violet's head. “She feels warm.”
“I know. If you're going to be here for a little while I'll run in to town and get medicine. Marty isn't here but I know Oregon or Wanda, at the grocery store, can point me in the right direction.”
“Let me help you get them into bed.” Jake reached for Violet. Even in her sleep the little girl reached for him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
As Breezy stood, she allowed herself a quick look at Jake. He'd dressed for business in dark gray dress slacks, a light gray button-down shirt and black boots. He smelled expensive, the kind of cologne a girl notices. Something a touch oriental but all masculine.
She must have made a sound because he gave her a cautious look. She widened her eyes at him and went all innocent.
“Something wrong?” he asked.
She shook her head, situating Rosie against her shoulder. “Hmm, not that I can think of.”
Other than the fact that he made friendship a very difficult task.
She followed him to the room that belonged to the twins when they stayed at the Circle M. Jake placed Violet in the crib and stepped back for Breezy to settle Rosie next to her. The twins curled against each other. Breezy covered them with a light blanket.
“I have something for you,” Jake said as they walked back to the living room. It had grown overcast and the room was shadowy but sparkled with lights from the Christmas tree.
“For me?”
He held up a finger. “Stay here.”
She waited while he disappeared into the kitchen. A moment later he was back. He handed her a box.
“Is it for Christmas?” She shook it just slightly.
“No, you can have it now.”
She slowly pulled the red foil paper off the package. Inside was a cardboard box. Jake pulled a pocketknife out of his pocket and slit the tape. She looked up at him and then at the box, lifting the flaps to look inside.
Her eyes filled with tears as she pulled out a glass ornament. On one side it had the year. On the other side was a picture of Breezy with the twins. A picture Jake had taken a little over a week ago as she and the twins made cookies.
“It's beautiful.” She held it up, studying the picture, the happy looks on their faces.
“Are you crying?” He grabbed a box of tissues off the coffee table.
She took one and wiped her eye. “I'm not crying, I'm just... I'm touched. And I want to hug you.”
“Hugging leads to kissing.” He grinned as he warned her. But she saw that, like her, Jake meant to keep this limited to friendship. And of course they should.
“I know, but this...” She put it back in the box and set the box and the tissues on the table. She took a step toward Jake, not really thinking about repercussions. “Why?”
He traced a line down her cheek to her chin with a finger, and tilted her face so that her eyes met his. She melted at the touch.
“Because I know that it's important to you to feel as if you belong here. I've watched as you've collected your ornaments, decorations, plants and even recipes. I'm not sure why those things mean so much, but I know they do.”
“They mean staying,” she explained. “I've lived my life leaving things behind. Friends, dolls, pictures and books.”
If she had these small things, it was proof that she would stay and not have to leave anything or anyone behind again.
“You won't have to do that ever again, Breezy. This is your place now, your community and your family.”
She nodded, wishing she could believe it as easily as he said the words. Maybe collecting those things was her way of convincing herself. His finger had dropped and now he held her hand. He pulled her a little closer and she looked up at him as he leaned to brush a sweet kiss across her lips.
“You won't have to leave it all behind,” he assured her.
She loved the thought behind his words. She loved the idea that she would always be here. But she knew that Lawton's will stipulated that Jake, if he ever saw reason, could undo her guardianship. He could take the twins from her.
He could break her heart.
* * *
Jake watched as Breezy left to go to town. She'd withdrawn after he'd kissed her. She'd told him again how much she loved the ornament. She'd picked it up and carried it out with her. Probably because she wanted it on her tree. It symbolized something for her. All of the things she'd collected, even the puppy Oregon had promised, symbolized putting down roots.
He went to his office, flipping on the light as he entered the room. He knew what worried her, or at least he thought he did. The thing they both knew was in Lawton's will: the stipulation that Jake could remove her from guardianship.
Jake also knew what Breezy wanted to keep hidden and what probably haunted her every day. He picked up the private investigator's report. He'd hired the man before Breezy had showed up. He'd wanted a way to protect the girls. Now he felt that old weight bearing down on his shoulders. The need to also protect Breezy.
Lawton had done that, had put her in his care. It might look like joint custody, but it was also Lawton's way of keeping his sister safe, and of giving her what she should rightfully have had.
Jake tossed the paperwork in the trash. A few petty crimes, a mistake that anyone could have made, it was all history. She deserved to have her past left in the past. Didn't everyone?
If she'd trusted him enough to tell him, he would have explained to her that no one should have their past weighing down on them. He knew, because he'd allowed his to be a weight around his neck for too long.
But she didn't trust him. He got that. Trust didn't come easily to someone like Breezy. She'd never really had anyone she could trust. Her mother had never protected her. Her father hadn't acknowledged her. Maria Hernandez had never given her the basic necessities. And now she had to trust that he wouldn't take her nieces from her.
Somehow he had to assure her that wasn't going to happen.
* * *
Breezy went back to her place before going to town. The medicine for the twins was her main reason for going to Martin's Crossing, but she had another. It was cold and Joe would be out in this weather. As she drove into town, she came in from a side road onto Main Street.
When she saw him, it took her by surprise. He was at the end of the block, standing by a light post that was wrapped in twinkling red lights. He was obviously watching Oregon's shop.
Breezy pulled up and rolled down the passenger window of her car. “Joe?”
He looked away from Oregon's shop, unsmiling and lost.
“Joe, are you okay?”
He wiped at his eyes and cleared his throat. “Of...of course I am.”
“Can I do something for you? It's going to be cold tonight and I thought maybe we could find somewhere for you to stay.” She handed him the thermos of coffee she'd prepared at her place. He took it in his gloved hands.
“You're a kind person, Breezy. Back a few weeks ago when Pastor Allen asked what our faith means to us, I think you were searching.”
“Yes, I was searching,” she admitted.
“But I think you're figured out what your faith means. Its more than all of this.” He swept his arm in a wide arc. “All of this is pretty. It makes people happy. But without faith, it's just empty lights and tradition.”
She watched as he poured himself a cup of coffee and she didn't know what to say. She agreed, faith was more than tradition. But traditions helped people remember their faith.
“Joe, you can stay at my place.”
He shook his head. “I don't think Jake Martin would appreciate you opening your home to me, Breezy. But that's very kind of you.”
“Joe, you can't stay outside tonight.”
“I won't be outside.” He took a sip of the coffee. “Very good coffee. Thank you.”
“You're welcome, and I know you won't be outside. I know you're sleeping in the nativity.”
He chuckled, his eyes twinkling in the dim light of late afternoon. “It's warm. The light is a heat lamp. I think Pastor Allen did that on purpose. And there's a soft bed of hay behind Mary and Joseph.”
“That's all very cozy and nice, but it isn't a home.”
“Breezy, don't worry about me. I'm making up for my past.”
“The past doesn't have to hold us prisoner. If we believe what we say we believe, then aren't we set free? Isn't that the purpose of that baby in the manger?”
“Whom the Son sets free is free indeed,” Joe quoted. “Yes, Breezy, you're right. I've been set free from my past, from the many things that nearly destroyed my life. But I have something I have to do, and until it's done, I'll be staying in the nativity. If it was good enough for that baby, it's good enough for me.”
How could she argue with that? “If you change your mind...”
“If I change my mind, I'll let you know.” He winked, held up the coffee in salute and walked away.
Breezy watched as he made his way back to the nativity. She wondered how no one else had noticed that Joe slept there every night. But then, no one else had really been watching. They were all trying to figure Joe out, wondering if he was safe, where he'd come from and when he'd leave.
They had no idea that Joe was making their lives better.
Breezy considered him a friend.
After picking up the medicine for the girls, she headed back to the Circle M, worrying that Jake would wonder what had taken so long. She thought of Joe and his determination to make up for the past. She was just as determined to let go of hers. Maybe letting go meant telling Jake?
When she pulled up to the house, she saw Jake waiting on the front porch. She got out of the car and held up the bag of medicine. Jake walked down off the porch to meet her. A caged lion came to mind. He looked as if he'd been pacing.
“I'm sorry. I saw Joe and I wanted to make sure he's okay. It's going to be cold tonight.”
“I know it is.” Jake took the medicine from her. “But you should have called. I was worried.”
“Are the twins still sleeping?”
“Yes, and Marty's making dinner. Breezy, I'm serious about this. You need to understand that until we prove who has been breaking into the house or catch them, you're not safe.”
She slipped her arm through his. “I know. And I'm sorry. But you also have to trust that I'm being careful. I'm not going to put myself or the twins in danger.”
“But you went to your house.”
“Just to get coffee for Joe,” she admitted.
“Next time, don't. Or at least let me go with you,” he said.
“Right, okay. I do have to go over there tomorrow. There's a horrible smell in the fridge. Something has to go.”
Right, okay. Just make sure you activate the alarm while you're in the house.”
“Yes, sir. I'll activate the alarm,” she agreed, teasing him. He mock-scowled at her.
It was nice to have someone worrying about her. But it was still a new feeling to Breezy, and she was afraid to get used to it.