She’d traveled far but still had hills to conquer.
—The Temptress of Pecan Lane, by Mae Daniels
Anna was sleeping so deeply Saturday morning, her lashes didn’t flutter a wink when Jackson nudged her. He dug through the drawers for a notepad and a pen, wincing every time a hinge squeaked, but she kept right on sleeping.
He left a note on his pillow and slipped out of the hotel, phone in his pocket in case she woke up and didn’t see the note, then headed for Louisa’s place.
He had to bang three times on the door of the old manor she and three of her girlfriends rented before she yanked the door open, bleary-eyed in her pajama pants and a white tank top he wouldn’t have let her wear in public. “What?” Her lip curled out. “Not all of us keep military hours.”
He handed her a slip of paper. “You owe Anna an apology.”
Her hair fell in her face when she looked down at the note. “What’s this?”
“Cost of your ticket.”
He didn’t know hair could spontaneously combust, but the temper that shot through Louisa left the tips of her curls smoking. “Excuse you?”
He angled himself in the doorway so he was blocking her chest from view of any passing cars and caught a whiff of something that reminded him of his granddaddy’s moonshine. It put his own temper on a short fuse. “You disrespected a guest in Momma’s house.Yourguest. You know what Daddy would’ve done to you? You’re lucky you can walk today. You want to go to that game, find a way to pay for yourself. You got four hours.”
And even though Daddy would’ve whippedhishide for it, Jackson turned his back on his sister’s shocked expression and took himself back to the hotel.
For the first time since coming home, he was finally doing right by her.
Anna had just finished readingJackson’s note when the hotel door clicked open. She swiped her hair out of her eyes, and an unfamiliar ache in her shoulder made her wince.
Jackson grinned at her. “Feeling that game last night?”
She didn’t bother giving him a dirty look. Because her stomach was growling and he had paper bags in one hand and a box with two to-go cups in the other, and the scents of biscuits and bacon and coffee wafted into the room.
There she was again, holding back a declaration of undying love.
He plopped on the bed. “Looks like you might need some feeding.”
She gave him a playful shove with her left arm.
But she let him help her eat.
Because he liked to reward progress.
Eventually they headed out for game-day activities. But first, she insisted that he take her to his stepfather’s home so she could apologize to his mother.
He gave in to that a mite bit too easily.
His jaw took on a mulish set when his gaze landed on Louisa’s car. He saw Anna into the house, then angled towarda side doorway she hadn’t noticed last night. “Okay for a bit, Anna Grace?”
“Any place I should stay out of?”
He flashed a grin that didn’t reach his eyes. “No, ma’am. Not you.”
“Thanks.”
He pressed a kiss to her temple, then disappeared. She heard the distinct sound of stairs creaking. She guessed he was going in search of Louisa.
Which meant Anna had to search somebody out too.
Deb was in the kitchen, wiping down the sink and humming a tune Anna didn’t recognize. She paused at the island and cleared her throat.
Deb’s shoulders hitched, but she flicked them down and turned. “Good morning.”
