“I’ll be fine.I’m worried about you; you’ve been kicked out of your house.”
“Even if she burned the place down, nothing could be worse than finding out Kate was telling the truth.”He stretches his neck.“I’m thanking my lucky stars she lied about the kid.No man should be tied to Kate for a lifetime.Or a child, for that matter.Besides”—he grins, the weight that’s been pulling down his features these last few days lifting—“I’m living in the best place in town.”
“The tent?”I chuckle.
Jaeger grabs my thigh and rubs it up and down.“Wherever you are is where I want to be.”
ChapterThirty-One
The next morning, Jaeger takes off for a meeting with his father and lawyer.Afterward, he’s going to his shop to work.I hate the idea of him near Kate—the woman is ruthless and dangerous, as far as I’m concerned—but he’s got commissions due.I understand why he needs to return.
Tyler’s sitting at the dining room table typing on his computer when I enter the kitchen.
“What was Jaeger’s ex like back in high school?”I’ve tried less obvious approaches, but Tyler hasn’t responded to my subtlety.
“A bitch.I hated that chick.”
Okay, that’s direct.“Jeez, Tyler, tell me what you really think.”I’ve never heard my brother call a woman a derogatory name.Probably an artifact of growing up with a strong mother.
Tyler’s hands still on the keyboard.He picks up the spoon from his bowl of cereal and scoops the last bite.“I barely knew her, but I heard rumors about her being mean to other kids at school.Typical bully.Never understood why Jaeg dated her.She just seemed like a social climber, and then she dumped Jaeg when he was at his lowest.”
He stands and walks to the kitchen, dumping his dishes in the sink.
“Hey, this isn’t a bed and breakfast.Wash your dishes.”
Tyler saunters past me and kisses the top of my head.“That’s what I have you for.”
“You’ve turned into a real ass, you know that?”Something happened to my affable brother back in Boulder.He’s always teased me, but he’s downright grumpy these days.
“You have no idea.Taking a shower,” he says, and locks the bathroom door behind him.
After class that evening, I convince Leo to drive the extra distance to Jaeger’s house.Jaeger’s been in his shop most of the day and I want to surprise him with the food and drinks I picked up from the on-campus café.It’s not much of a dinner, but I don’t think he’ll care.
Jaeger may not have the stress of wondering if he has a child anymore, but he’s still exhausted and not eating enough.He has dark circles under his eyes and his cheeks are growing hollow from working so hard and coordinating with lawyers over the Kate situation.He’s been making two sandwiches when he gets to my place at night and inhaling them both before crashing on our air mattress.Sometimes I wonder if it’s the only meal he’s had all day.
Leo’s car idles in front of Jaeger’s house as I grab the bags of food.“Nice location,” he says, peering at the moonlit lake beyond the trees.
The front door swings open and Kate steps onto the porch.A motion detector light reveals the scowl on her face.She’s got to be in top evil form now that they issued the eviction notice.
I think I’ll skip the house and go straight to the workshop.
I swivel my head to say goodbye to Leo, but he’s squinting at Kate.I look back to find her looking straight at him as well, recognition crossing her features.
“You two know each other?”I ask.
His mouth twists.“I—yeah, I think.My roommate’s into some stuff.He has these parties.Pretty sure I’ve seen her at them.”
Jaeger walks out of his woodshop, wiping his hands on a towel, his frame bowed.He looks exhausted.His eyes scan from me to Leo and his mouth tightens.
This doesn’t look good.“Thanks for the ride, Leo,” I say quickly, and hop out of the car.
Jaeger has been pushed to his limit.I’ve seen the kind of damage he can do to a guy when he isn’t trying.I’d rather not give him a reason to take out his frustration on poor Leo.
“Surprise!”I walk over and kiss Jaeger’s tense lips.His gaze tracks Leo’s small truck as it winds down the lane.
I shove the bag of food at his chest and he looks down and blinks.A sweet smile spreads across his face.“You’ve been working so hard,” I say.“I wanted to check in on you.”
“Thanks, babe.”Jaeger’s eyes flicker angrily toward Kate on the porch.She spins around and slams the front door behind her.
