“Yes, Honeybee?”
“I…changed my mind. May I stay at your cabin with you?” she asked, gazing at the floor, not wanting to see if he changed his mind or took pity on her. Before she knew it, his finger lifted her chin to meet his eyes.
“It’d be my pleasure,” he assured her.
“Rebecca took me to unpack my luggage at the cabin. It’s standing by the door. I’ll need to pick it up before we go to yours.”
“I’ll take care of it. Enjoy the party,” Jameson said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
She smiled at him before returning to the party. Butterflies tickled her stomach, and her pulse raced. Her new friends encouraged her to go with her heart. Sticks and stones already broke her bones, but she prayed his name would never hurt her.
Jameson entered the farmhouse,unable to stop the smile from spreading across his face. He heard the other men in the living room, and he headed toward their voices.
“I thought you planned to follow me over,” Julio said, handing him a whiskey.
“I made a pit stop. Caroline left her luggage in the cabin. She asked me to pick it up,” he explained as he sat on the couch.
“Did you decide against staying for the barbecue?” Matthew asked. “The women hoped it might help Caroline come out of her shell. Rachel said she’s turned down their invitations.”
“No. We’re still attending as far as I’m aware. She’s staying with me at my cabin,” he informed them.
Mac chuckled. “Does this mean you’ve left martyrdom and come to your senses?”
Jameson shrugged. “She asked me. I’ve gotten her to relax, but I still see the uneasiness in her eyes. Caroline has become more playful and has let her guard down. I’m trying not to read anything into it. She may want to stay because she feels safer with me than at the cabin by herself.”
“Let her determine where she wants this to go. It’s no secret you care about her,” Julio advised. “But Caroline has suffered a traumatic experience. It’s not like she can flip a switch and forget the last six years. You don’t want to set her back.”
Taking a long sip of his drink, Jameson nodded. “I’ll go as slow as she needs, no matter how long. I feel the same way you did about Rebecca.”
“Then be prepared for the tough days. I know Caroline has seemed rather matter-of-fact about her kidnapping and living with her father. At some point, she has to let it all go. Rebecca called me about Terry,” Julio said. “Mac escorted her off the ranch, paid her severance, and reminded her of her NDA. We don’t align with her opinions. Everyone here earned a fresh start, and they’re getting one.”
“I appreciate it, brother. I nearly drove to her cabin and wanted to shake her for telling Caroline that nonsense,” Jameson said, staring at the amber liquid. “Who knows what else she told her? At least over the past two weeks, Victoria’s stuck around, and she’s given her a new mindset.”
Mac set his drink on the table. “We need to keep an eye on Delaney. Ben Hughes has visited her twice. Each time, I’ve found her crying. She refuses to tell me anything,” he informed them.
“Her ex?” Garrett asked.
“Yeah,” Mac confirmed with a frown. “Shifty-eyed piece of shit. I heard them arguing and entered her house without knocking. He stood over her like he planned on hitting her. Delaney said things got heated, but he didn’t hit her. Something tells me there’s more going on than meets the eye.”
“We can limit his visits to her cabin and have them at the farmhouse,” Julio suggested. “Then Matthew can make his presence known and record him.”
Mac considered the idea before nodding. “I don’t want to intrude on her privacy quite yet. I do like the idea of her meeting him here. If there’s a problem, I want her to tell me.”
Jameson leaned forward. “Why did she move back to her cabin? You seemed to get along at yours. It’s apparent you two like each other.”
Mac pulled on his beard, appearing guilty. “I’m older than her. She’s a single mama with a baby on the way and has enough on her plate. Hughes seems to upset her, and I don’t want to add to it. I’m not the kind of man to kiss and tell, but we enjoyed a lovely evening together, and I kissed her, making my intentions known. The following day, Hughes showed up, and she moved to her cabin before I returned home from work. Delaney used the excuse that newborns cry, and she didn’t want to disturb me. She considers her pregnancy her problem and not mine to deal with.”
“Did she not want this baby?” Matthew asked. “She’ll be a great mom.”
“It came as a surprise, and I have a feeling having Ben as the father didn’t make her feel any better,” Mac explained.
“When does the new hire arrive?” Jameson asked, sipping his drink.
“He’s coming to the barbecue. Rebecca thought it might be nice for Spider to get to know us in a more relaxed setting,” Julio said, getting up to pour another drink. “He’ll arrive around the time the baby shower finishes. Matthew will get him set up in his cabin, and then Spider will ride over with Rachel and him.”
“We’ve spoken about everyone except you and Rachel,” Mac said, turning to Matthew. “Delaney says you two keep butting heads again.”
Matthew sighed. “She’s determined to drive me to an early grave. One minute, Rachel’s the woman I fell in love with. The next minute, it’s like a demon possesses her. I don’t know whether to get mad or be scared.”
