Jameson lifted her from his lap, rose, and walked out, leaving her alone. He entered Thomas’ house and called Julio.
“Hey, brother,” Julio answered. “Things seemed intense. Everything all right?”
“I need Rebecca to stay with Caroline, and we need to rearrange the guard duty. She’ll never believe I’m anything more than James Stanton’s son,” he said, trying to hold the hurt he felt from lingering in his voice. “Caroline’s made her stance clear, but I can’t leave her unguarded.”
“Understood,” Julio replied. “Give Rebecca thirty minutes, and she’ll return. I’ll get the schedule adjusted tonight and put you on ranch duties. We have a meeting tomorrow concerning where we go from here.”
“I appreciate it,” Jameson said before hanging up the call.
His gut twisted in knots, and he wanted to put his fist through the wall at the unfairness of it all. He found the woman he wanted to have a future with, and his dad stole his happiness away from him from the grave. Would he ever escape James Stanton’s clutches?
Walking outside, Jameson sat in the dark area of the pool staring in the direction of Caroline’s bedroom, waiting for Rebecca to relieve him. Maybe his actions seemed extreme, but he felt her growing more distant by the day.
It didn’t take much for the dam to burst when he spanked her. He felt the tension and stress leave her body as he rubbed the sting away. Jameson yearned to make love to her and soothe all the pain away, but Caroline seemed determined to lay the blame for the events of her life on him. Part of him knew she did it from grief, but the other side of him felt this rejection before from others. James screwed up his chances of becoming part of the Serenity Mountain family. Now, his ghost seemed hell-bent on taking every bit of happiness he found with Caroline.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Caroline blinked her eyes and groggily turned on her side as the sunshine poured into her room. She fell asleep crying over the ugly things she said to Jameson. From the stony expression on his face, Caroline knew she struck a nerve with him, and he didn’t intend to come back.
The idea of never seeing him again made her stomach clench, and her heart shattered into a million pieces. Fresh tears gathered in her eyes when she heard rummaging from the kitchen. Donning her robe, Caroline headed toward the sound.
“Jameson,” she called, desperately hoping he stayed the night.
“It’s me,” Rebecca called as she turned toward Caroline. “I’m sorry if I disturbed you. I’m making breakfast and putting on some coffee. Do you want a cup?”
Nodding, Caroline sat on the kitchen stool and immediately jumped off, as the reminder of Jameson spanking her sent her standing. It didn’t hurt, but she still felt the consequences of it.
Rebecca paused. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing,” she said, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks.
Her friend stared at her, then went into the bedroom and brought back a pillow.
“Here, sit on this,” Rebecca directed as she placed it on the couch. “Riley, Delaney, and Rachel will be here shortly.”
“I don’t recall them mentioning they planned to come today,” Caroline said, debating whether the pillow offered any comfort.
“I called them,” she volunteered, bringing two cups of coffee to the living room and setting them on the table.
“Why?” Caroline said, sensing Rebecca planned to say her peace.
Sitting beside her, Rebecca took her hand. “I know the past week has taken a toll on you. The last six years have seemed like you lived in hell. My former CIA partner held me for almost a year. He and his friends delighted in making my life miserable. Julio found me because you helped give them my approximate location. You did a huge favor, sticking your neck out for Jameson. It’s my turn to do the same for you.”
Caroline shifted uncomfortably on the pillow, not because of the discomfort in her butt, but the heavy feeling in her chest. She let her new friends down.
“Did Jameson tell you?” she asked, staring at the floor.
“No. At least not by his words, but by his actions,” Rebecca said softly. “Drink your coffee, and we’ll eat breakfast. It’s time we set things straight.”
Sipping the hot brew, Caroline recalled the harsh words she said to Jameson. Her heart sank, knowing he believed her outburst, because everyone chose to see the worst side of him.
Rebecca handed her a plate of eggs and bacon while she cleaned up the kitchen. By the time she finished, she heard Riley, Delaney, and Rachel approach the pool house. Rising, she went to greet them.
“Rachel, I’m not in active labor. Stop hovering,” Delaney complained. “You’re getting as bad as Mac. The man won’t let me lift a thing.”
“You still have four weeks left, and I’m not letting this kid’s head hit the floor because you refuse to have Dr. Greene check you again,” Rachel argued. “I promised Mac to have you home in two hours, and I agree with him.”
“Let Dr. Greene examine you,” Riley suggested sweetly, attempting to cool her other two hot-headed friends as she slid open the patio door, letting them inside.
